Anodizing doesn't add strength, it is a surface treatment like bluing is to steel.
Scandium is added to aluminum which significantly increases the strength of the alloy.
The alloy is actually aluminum-scandium, as aluminum is the predominant element by far. A little scandium goes a long way in making aluminum stronger. Scandium is rare and expensive. Plain aluminum is frequently anodized in different ways and colors and aluminum scandium is no different. In fact, it anodizes better than many aluminum alloys.
I have a scandium 5943 third gen. It's hefty enough to make it easy to shoot but much lighter than steel.
PS: Good gravy. The finished is described as black anodized which doesn't add strength to the alloy.
My conclusions are:
The finish is black
The finish is anodized
Anodizing doesn't add strength.
I didn't get at all that they were pulling a fast one by painting the gun black to save money on anodizing it, so it's not as strong as it should be.
