The finish on my Govt issued M4 looks 100% more worn than my personal carbine (that I built myself). My issued M4 has also seen duty "over there" where as my personal carbine has not. In time, I plan to change this by hard use in quality training courses with my personal carbine. Scratches and scrapes give firearms character. I believe that if you want a safe queen, keep it in your safe.

If you want a firearm to take out and shoot, without the possibility of damaging the finish, pay big dollars and get a ceramic (or other) coating on it. I have no use for this type of coating at this point in my life. I'd much rather save my cash for use on ammo these days.

There is no finish (that I know of, and I have not done a lot of research) that will stand up to rubbing against a metal magazine over and over. And if there were, I am not sure I would want it on a tactical rifle.