blued barrels/bores

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I think I've finally convinced myself that there is a remarkable difference between the care required for a barrel with a "finished" bore vs a barrel with an unfinished bore.

I have had a number of guns pass through my hands over the years. And I have noticed that if the gun was originally blued or had Cabelas chrome lining they were very easy to keep from rusting. Tbis includes a charcoal-blued barrel. The barrels that seemed to rust overnight were always ones from a kit that were only finished (browned) on the outside.

So is there a low-tech way to finsh the inside of a bore? Something a little easier than charcoal bluing?

 

[Rifleman1776]

Never heard of the notion of "finishing" the inside of a bore. :hmm:
Absolutely not necessary, IMHO. For modern guns the chrome is used sometimes. I once had a Pedersoli made SxS percussion shotgun that had chromed bores. Saw no advantage.
Browning is a controlled rust. If you get it inside the bore, usually you can kiss that barrel bye-bye.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I've had very good luck with blued bores....and am surprised how long they stay that way....

 

[Archer 756]

:hmm: Blued barrels are also controlled rust

 

[tenngun]

I’ve found in white barrels are no harder to keep rust free then blue or brown. Cleaned and oiled bores don’t seem to rust.

 

[azmntman]

Chrome lined clean with 5 patches including drying in my experience

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Tenngun,

No, I mean the inside, the bore. Most bluing methods usually end up bluing the bore as well as the outside of the barrel. So you get the same rust prevention inside the bore as you do outside.

The problem is, I don't know of any browning methods that would brown the inside of the bore along with the outside. Browning seems to be applied to the steel by means of swabbing. Bluing seems to work by immersion.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Rifleman,

As I replied to Tenngun. Most bluing methods involve immersion so the bore is blued whether that was desired or not. However I've noticed a big difference in the level of care required for a blued barrel vs. a browned barrel. I'm thinking it is because when you brown a barrel you leave the bore in-the-white. Unless of course you are browning a factory gun after filing off all the lawyer-language.
Would browning solution really be that bad for the inside of the bore?

 

[coloradoclyde]

Would browning solution really be that bad for the inside of the bore?

Yes!.....

 

[nkbj]

When you've lapped a bore and it's fresh metal, yeah, it really wants to give you brown on the patches. But there's a thing to be considered about water chemistry. Where ever you might be, it's different from who you're speaking to on the interseine. It aint like you're next door and everywhere is different.

 

[Rifleman1776]

:hmm: Blued barrels are also controlled rust

I knew somebody was going to burn me on that point. :grin:
Yeppers, but in a different way.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Bluing seems to work by immersion.

I don't know that "work" is the right description. Most professional blueing is done with a hot solution the barrel must be put into (immersion). Blueing the inside is an unavoidable occurance but, as far as I know, does no harm, or good to the barrel.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

I agree on everything you stated except the very last point. In my experience bluing the inside actually does good. It reduces the care required to prevent rust.

So what would browning the inside of a bore do that would be so ruinous?

 

[Black Hand]

So what would browning the inside of a bore do that would be so ruinous?

Browning IS rust.
We spend all this time trying to make certain the inside of the bore is smooth, rust-free and ensure the lands are sharp and you want to purposely ruin the bore with rusting?

Just keep the bore clean/oiled and rust won't be a problem.

 

[coloradoclyde]

I like bluing on the inside....And would opt for it on any muzzleloader, if it where an option.

It may just be a coincidence, but I think it enhances accuracy, cleaning and rust prevention.

Bluing is not "controlled rust" as it is often referred to.....It changes the surface structure of the steel.. Reducing its tendency to rust and hardening the surface. The process creates Magnetite and black oxide.
These two compounds can occur naturally over time. I have long advocated the conversion of magnetite in the bore on this forum....

Bluing does this quickly, and uniformly.... :thumbsup:

 

[Black Hand]

Blued barrels are also controlled rust

Rust-blued barrels - yes.
Cold or fire-blued - no.

 

[coloradoclyde]

So what would browning the inside of a bore do that would be so ruinous?

Browning IS rust.

And it is rough/ pourous..

 

[coloradoclyde]

Blued barrels are also controlled rust

Rust-blued barrels - yes.
Cold or fire-blued - no.

All are better than bare steel.

 

[52Bore]

So is there a low-tech way to finsh the inside of a bore? Something a little easier than charcoal bluing?

Keep in mind that 'Good' barrel makers spend a lot of time to produce the best bore they can - sometimes including hand lapping, etc.. the price reflects it.
If it's a basic massed produced kit gun, wouldn't be surprised if they're made of the cheapest bbl material known to man - 12L14.

Your thoughts on the inside of the bore finishing is interesting thou.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

We spend all this time trying to make certain the inside of the bore is smooth, rust-free and ensure the lands are sharp and you want to purposely ruin the bore with rusting

Well. . . We've already had a number of folks come on here and say that bluing is controlled rust. So the blued barrels are "rusted" in the bore, in a sense.
Further, why do we brown the outside of the barrels? I always thought browning was another "controlled rust". I highly doubt all those browned barrels out there are uncontrolled rust.
Also I have seen some browns that are really smooth, as smooth as blued barrels. So I don't know why you couldn't do that in the bore.
Finally, uncontrolled rust is what pits bores and ruins them. I think I have explained why I am interested. If the bluing makes bore care easier it helps prevent uncontrolled rust from ruining the bore. So I thought maybe someone else out there has noticed the same difference between blue bores and white bores. And maybe someone has already come up with a way to finish a bore without bluing.