Another Browning Thread...A few questions

[TexasMLer]

I did a search because I thought that this question had been asked before but I didn't find what I was looking for so here goes...
Oh, and I'm not sure if this question fits into the Builder's Bench because it isn't technically a building question - it is really a refinishing question. I apologize in advance...

I have a factory-built GPR that I would like to refinish. It is finished in the factory way - blued barrel and parts, case-hardened-looking lock. If you look closely at the barrel of any GPR, you can see what I think are machining marks. These marks are so consistent, though, that they look intentionaly made and, to me, the marks look pretty neat on the blued steel. Would these marks need to be smoothed out before browning the barrel? I can imagine that the marks wouldn't look very good when browned.

I would also like to brown the lock parts. Can you brown case-hardened parts? Are these parts truly case-hardened anyway? I have looked and looked (on the www) for examples of case-hardened locks on original and PC rifles and I haven't seen any. Not that the GPR is exactly PC, anyway...

And for the last question (I can hear the sighs of relief :haha, can the words that have been stamped on the barrel be safely removed by sanding or filing? Are the letters stamped so deeply that removing them would create a weak area?

I am just getting into historical trekking and until I can purchase a more PC rifle (Actually, I want a flint smoothbore), it would be nice to not drag "For Blackpowder Use Only" into the woods with me. :haha:

Thanks very much! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

 

[Zonie]

:m2c:
The markings on the barrel BLACK POWDER ONLY are (I think) about .010 deep. Draw filing the flat to remove the marking wouldn't hurt the barrel, but if you start draw filing on one flat, you should do all of the flats so they have the same appearance. Sanding them off with black wet/dry paper will not take you over 6 months or so, so I would draw file them off, or leave them alone.
If you decide to draw file the barrel, you should remove the sights because they will be in the way when you draw file it.

The machining marks on the barrel will be less noticable if you brown the barrel, even if you just strip the blueing using either a blueing remover, or Navel Jelly. If you decide to just remove the blueing and not draw file, the marks could add "charactor" to the barrel. At least that's what you can say when someone askes "What are em marks on thar?"


Blueing remover or Navel Jelly will also remove the case hardening colors.
I don't know if the lock is actually "case hardened", but if it is and you remove the colors with Navel Jelly or blueing remover, it will not effect the hardness of the material.

If you do decide to brown the lock, you must dis-assemble it.
be sure you feel up to that task. Also, if you take it apart, don't loose the fly.
The Fly is in the tumbler and they are usually Very Small and easily lost. It might be a good idea to make a sketch of how it's installed or take some Digital camera photos of it installed before you remove it.

 

The easiest way I have found to remove blueing from a barrel is to wipe it with Automatic transmission fluid. Let it set awhile . Then wipe it off with a clean rag, then wipe it down with rubbing alchole to remove what trans fluid that is left behind. no scrubbing just waiting time.
Found this out by resting a gun up against my house which has Trans fluid on it for stain. Took the blueing off my gun in an hours time.

Woody

 

I can answer the part about removing the color off the factory lock. I'm not sure if you mentioned if it is flint or percussion but the two kits I built were percussion, I think the flint may have some engraving on it which could make it more difficult to get into the lines. Anyway, I used 0000 steel wool and it came right off! All there is to it. Perhaps 1500 grit or some other fine grit wet to dry sandpaper would leave a good surface for browning. It worked for me anyhow. I left the hammer alone and it looked "right" to me. These are very fun guns to customize!

 

[TexasMLer]

Zonie,

Thanks! I was hoping you would chime in!
I guess I will just leave the writing on the barrel. What you said makes sense. I think I'll save draw-filing for when I someday decide to build a true custom - scary thought!
I have some left-over BC Blue/Rust remover that will hopefully do the trick.
Oh, I already learned about taking the lock apart and it was not pretty. :haha: I took it apart when I first got the gun just to "see how it works". Well, I didn't realize that the fly just "sits" in the hole in the tumbler; I thought it was threaded or something. Needless to say, I spent quite a while trying to locate that little thing after it fell out of the tumbler. Lesson learned. :shake:
Thanks for the advice! :thumbsup:

Woody,

I didn't know trans fluid would do that. Note to self, "Keep my rifle away from trans fluid!". :thumbsup: Thanks!

J James,

Mine is a percussion too. Hmmm, I have some steel wool. I'll have to give it a try. So, does this mean that the case-hardening on the lock isn't "real"? Thanks for the tip!
:thumbsup:

 

I don't know how deep real color case hardening goes but the finish on the lock plate is very thin and easy to remove. They must've figured out a way to simulate the look with a chemical application of some kind. Mysterious Italian alchemy? :hmm:

 

[TexasMLer]

Mysterious Italian alchemy? :hmm:

:haha: Must be.

The coloring on my GPR's lock actually looks very good. It looks better than most I have seen. I just hope that I don't regret removing it. With my luck, the moment the last bit of coloring is removed, someone will find some ultra-rare and highly collectable real Hawken in a barn somewhere with color-case hardening! :haha:

 

[Zonie]

Personally, I like color case colors.
The actual color on any of the color case hardened steels is only a surface discoloration resulting from special cooling/quenching and tempering. It doesn't actually penetrate the metal to any depth worth talking about.
That's why if you have any old guns with factory colorcase finish on them, you should do everything you can to protect it.
Oil, wax, and clear lacquer etc will give it varing degrees of protection.

For a post which discusses this poke the link:
Color Case Hardening Link

 

[TexasMLer]

I like the colors too. Especially on old lever action rifles and pistols! Some of the really old ones have very beautiful colors that range from orange all the way to bright blue. I think it had to do with the bone/veggie material used.
I wonder why we don't see any sidelocks that were case hardened?