What are these
 

I have seen several of these magazines offered for bid at Ebay by this same guy, or maybe the same one several times. All have a strange black coating on the base, looks kind of like epoxy or a relly bad paint job, anyone have a guess as to what they are or where they came from?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=4078

While magazines are not my forte, I'd say the illustrated mag is of early manufacture and has had the wooden base replaced by an aluminum base that was first poorly painted.

Herb and Doubs,
I seem to remember, at some long passed time, that I have seen a protective coating that gives this same appearance.
I just cannot remember where or when.
ViggoG

Viggo, it looks like that stuff they used to sell for re-coating pliers and handles, that kind of rubbery plastic?

Ed

Gents,

I would say that is just a really bad paint job. Alot of the paints we use here in the Marine Corps have a really crappy apperance once applied (real thick and goopy).