Barrel finishing question

[Bucky182]

After filing down the barrel, how fine do you go with the sand paper?

 

[Flintandsteel]

220 if you’re doing browning or antiquing. Finer will cause trouble with chemistry.
If you’re doing a fine rust blue, or another fine finish. I’d say at least 400, or more.

 

[tenngun]

I’ve browned barrels unfiled or sanded, with slow cold brown, took two weeks but I can’t tell it from filed. White or blued you have to polish.
That said I would not brown with out a polishing, but as said you don’t want to go too fine, past 200 grit or it makes it very hard to get a smooth color. Experience here.

 

[Phil Coffins]

I have no problem getting good results with a fine finish and browning.
64ED00D8-3CD8-42B2-A041-A087E3DA85CE by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[Thomas.bill92]

I didn't like how the file was doing so I just used 80 grit backed by a file and used Birchwood Casey Brass Black for a brushed gunmetal sort of color/finish.