has anyone "browned" their BC barrel?

[bajabill]

I am making a muzzle loader from a kit and looking into browning processes and thought about my BC.  I wonder how it would look browned and has anyone removed blueing and browned a barrel?  Probably just a passing thought however, but looking for opinions or results from others.

[quickdtoo]

I've browned a Pedersoli flint pistol, used bluing remover then Laurel Mountain Forge browning, came out perfect. I've used the LMF several times on in-the-white barrels, it's good stuff. 

Tim

http://www.laurelmountainforge.com/barrel_brown_inst.htm

[Spanky]

Tim,

Do you have any pics?
I'd be interested in trying some of that on a muzzleloader.



Spanky

[quickdtoo]

I don't have a pic of the pistol, but have pics of a TC Hawken w/GM barrel and L&R flintlock that I browned. There's lots more info on browning and pics in the Traditional ML forum.

Tim

[Mike in Virginia]

I'm not sure one can brown a round barrel and get good results. I've browned many octagonal barrels, which let you draw file the flats to get the rough edge needed for a really nice chocolate brown. A perfecly smooth surface would not allow the rust to cling efficently. But how would you file a round barrel without making it "un-round" in places?
However, if you do decide to go ahead with that, the best browning solution is sold by Track of the Wolf. It's a true rust brown accomplished in alternating steps of application and steel wool.  Using steel wool is called "carding." After each application, card the barrel lightly to smooth out the spots that got too much rust, so that it blends in. It'll look splotchy the first several applicatons, but soon you'll have an even finish. The best way to get that nice finish in a hurry is to build a long, slender wooden box, maybe four inches side to side, and top to top. Rig something inside the box from which the barrel can hang. Put a heat source in the box, like a very weak light bulb. Also, place a water source for the heat to draw from. A damp sponge, or a small container of water. This will enhance the rusting and expedite the whole process.
Consider the historical correctness of a browned buffalo rifle. I'm not at all sure they were browned.

[quickdtoo]

Round barrels brown just fine, I've done two trade guns, sand paper works fine for prep work, steel wool to "card" the barrel as stated in the LMF instructions which is what TOTW sells, did mine in the basement where humidity is always too high. 

Tim

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(m3yii045ffqp3tnae15vx155))/Categories/partDetail.aspx?catId=5&subId=65&styleId=221&partNum=LMF-BROWN

[cwlongshot]

Not a BC barrel or even a handi for that matter. But I have used Birchwood Cseys PLUM BROWN more than a couple times and have been VERY satisfied with the results. You heat the steel and wipe on the liquid, resulting is a brown finish. Easy and works well.

CW

[necchi]

well how it looks is up to the beholder, but Laurel Mountain Forge is the way to go. The stuff is too easy, if you don't like the results, ya just sand it down again with 220 or finer and try again. Most common mistake is rubbing too much on at the first application, it turns coppery colored and won't rust as quic or even. Just start again.
 
Any blueing is just rust anyway's, unless it's a patch job of copper sulfate over iron. Any of the navel jelly rust removers, (phosphoric acid) will take the blueing off with steel wool.

http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1876643&CAWELAID=344292292

I must have done a dozen ml's or more, you can even get a blue to almost black with boiling hot distilled water, it's all in the instructions Tim posted.

[mitch132]

I have used Plum Brown to brown my 26" .38 Special handi stub. I did as Quick did and browned in my basement with decent results for my first time ever. I will redo it later on when I get more patience and time, but it looks pretty good as is. Navel Jelly will strip bluing off a barrel real quick, and you can use the shoe-shine method with sand paper to sand to no finer than 400 grit. You may want to leave it a little coarser than that even. I wouldn't do a Buffalo Classic unless the bluing was badly worn or faded because it has the best bluing of all my handis. Would be a shame to ruin it, but to each his own.

The brown finish does look good with the CCH shotgun receivers though.

[bajabill]

historically, when did the blueing take over as the common barrel finish?

[necchi]

Tuff call, as it is/was a style that slowly came into voge, ya know? like designer blue jeans or what hat was in current style or the cut of your suit. Some pre-date 1820, becoming more common 1850's and almost predominate after the war of northern aggression.
Many civil war era rifles where still "in the white", while during western settelment with the industrial age mass prodution blueing became common. The whole idea was to create a more protective surface,,,easier to produce and care for.

[AtlLaw]

I have used Birchwood Cseys PLUM BROWN ... Easy and works well.

+1

[Swampman]

historically, when did the blueing take over as the common barrel finish?

It was always the common barrel finish even in the 18th c.  Sporting rifles were blued.  Military rifles were left in the white.  I've spent 30 years researching the subject.

[RangerJ]

I havent browned my BC barrel. But I did brown one of my Target Classic barrels. I used the birchwood casey plum brown.It turned out great. I will try to get some pics of it later on today.

[peternap]

I've browned a lot of barrels and the best thing I've ever used is my homemade Aquafortis.
If you're doing it to be traditional, understand that I have never found an original rifle that was browned.

The browning is just a patina of years of rust and removal.
Many rifles were left in the white or charcoal blued.

[Swampman]

Or blued using nitric acid fumes in a box.

[necchi]

 Now that's the truth.
 I personally met the gentlemen that started the original "Wakon Bay" aquafortis and browning regent products. Both are nitric acid and water with different concentrations ( the browning regent is stronger).
 He is also a gunsmith buy trade. He bought raw bulk Nitric acid and mixed/bottled in a small area in his basement, William stopped making the product when in 2001 laws changed and prices went sky high, besides he's close to retirement age (as if a gunsmith ever retires!). He sold the rights and formulas to another just a few years ago so the stuff is back on the market.
 Anyway's,,in current conversation he chuckled when asked about browning, he said anything that will start rust can be used, "pee on it if ya want to!", all he does now if needing to brown, is bring the wet item to the area he used to bottle for years and leave it there,, the rust will start.

[peternap]

Now that's the truth.
 I personally met the gentlemen that started the original "Wakon Bay" aquafortis and browning regent products. Both are nitric acid and water with different concentrations ( the browning regent is stronger).
 He is also a gunsmith buy trade. He bought raw bulk Nitric acid and mixed/bottled in a small area in his basement, William stopped making the product when in 2001 laws changed and prices went sky high, besides he's close to retirement age (as if a gunsmith ever retires!). He sold the rights and formulas to another just a few years ago so the stuff is back on the market.
 Anyway's,,in current conversation he chuckled when asked about browning, he said anything that will start rust can be used, "pee on it if ya want to!", all he does now if needing to brown, is bring the wet item to the area he used to bottle for years and leave it there,, the rust will start.

Yep, he was a character and better versed on the exact chemical reactions than anyone I've met. He's the one that gave me the formula, when I moderated the Realtree BP forum. As I recall, he had a hard time with the EPA.

Later when I ran ALR, we did a lot of research on recreating original finishes. The old time finishes on the high end (especially French) guns were amazing.

[bajabill]

Im using the Laurel Mountain solution, I have about 5 coats on it now.  The directions say to keep going till you are happy with it, and I can easily do that.  But, I still have some blotchy areas and streaks of varying darkness.  I believe these will blend out in the next few additional coats, did this happen for you who have used this product? And, now many total application cycles is typical? 

[Mike in Virginia]

I might be wrong, but I don't think browning was carried over into cartridge guns.  Even some of the original caplock guns were blued.

[necchi]

Well by now, you don't need to put any more solution on. Plain water will work fine now, they tell ya to keep using the solution so you use it up and buy more
 Just do the "carding" process with a damp/wet piece of canvis or heavy denum, a heavy enough fabric to give ya some rubbing power, try to keep an even amount of moisture applied to all areas, areas that the water "pools" will rust a little more/different than others.
 Carding is what spreads out and evens the coat. How many times?? That depends on ambieant moisture available and how fast it's rusting,,a variable.
 You can wet the entire barrel over the sink or tub wipe the excess and get an idea of what it will look like finished. Remember, after nuetrilizing the rust process the whole thing gets oiled then waxed if you want.