Browning an already browned barrel.

[Baxter]

I will be receiving a rifle which had been browned; barrel, steel TG and steel BP. Somewhere in its past, someone did some sanding on the wood and sanded the forward portion of the TG and some of the BP. The barrel's browning is splotchy.
Can I clean up the metal (scratch marks) and apply LMF browning over the old browning or do I need to go down to bright metal?
This rifle will be a shooter for my son who will not mind having a rifle with freckles.
TIA

 

[Bad Karma]

I’ve never done it but I would guess that cleaning and degreasing the metal would be the key.

 

[Ames]

My two cents would be to file the barrel and start new. Not that hard, why play with the old finish? You don't know what wax or oil is on top of the old browning.

 

[Walkingeagle]

I am no expert, and have never browned a barrel, but what would the harm be in trying?
Walk

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Go to the hardware store. Get a piece of PVC pipe and a cap, longer than the barrel and the tang by bout 4". Buy a couple gallons of Evaporust as well. Seal the cap on the bottom end of the pipe, put your barrel into the pipe (remove the nipple if it's a caplock), and cover with the Evaporust. Let sit submerged for a full day...maybe two. They pour off the Evaporust from the PVC pipe back into the gallon container(s), and remove the barrel. Rinse with cold water, and then dry. Polish with fine emory paper and oil, and wrap the emory paper around a block of wood or around the blade of a metal file, so that while polishing you keep the edges of the barrel flats sharp. Then...., degrease and brown...

LD

 

[Dave Marsh]

I loaned a rifle to a friend who decided he needed to file the rear sight. He did that and also filed a bit of the barrel. Not sure what he was thinking but any how I rubbed the sight and the scuffed area with a green scrubby just a little bit and then hit it with rubbing alcohol. Then I put 3 applications of LMF Browning/Degreaser on the spots. Carded between coats and you can barely tell where the original browning was damaged. I tried it with the thought that I would strip the barrel if this did not work. Was definitely quicker and easier then redoing the barrel. Just my opinion and experience. Good luck.

Dave

 

[rich pierce]

I agree that unless you’re looking for a uniformly browned “as newly done” apprehended then spot browning will work fine. I’d scrub with dawn dish soap, rinse, and get to it. Restoration work is done this way all the time.

 

[Baxter]

Here is the reason that I am hoping to re-brown the barrel and touch up or completely re-brown the TG and BP over the existing browning: I am severely limited by polyneuropathy (barely able to walk, manage with cane in the house & a walker, outside. No sense of balance, if I close my eyes, I fall down. I have a left-hand "action" shaking tremor that does not allow me to hold and eat a hamburger, use a fork; think of an electric drill with a bent shaft - looks fine, until you turn it on). I've had this disease for six years and had to relearn to walk a couple of times. I am not a cripple and not averse to trying to do things. This rifle is an older CVA Mtn rifle and that is all it will ever be, no matter if I went completely down to bare metal. I would like to repair "good enough" to be initially presentable for my son. If he takes a shine to muzzle loading and wants this rifle to really shine, he has the means to do that - down in TX, where it damn sure will be warmer than my unheated garage here in northern Minnesota during the coming winter (0 - ~ -30F) months (Dec. - late Mar, maybe late Apr.)
I appreciate all of the responses; I realize that many/most of you perform superb work on your own guns and would like me to do just as well. I appreciate that and I thank you. I apologize for the length of this post ; I've tried to paint a picture of what I have to work with. My neurologist is starting me on a schedule of intravenous massive doses of steroid today, attempting to save my remaining function and, maybe, improve my function. I am a man of faith, I have and do pray a lot but I am never even going to think of doing a Kibler kit.

 

[Baxter]

I agree that unless you’re looking for a uniformly browned “as newly done” apprehended then spot browning will work fine. I’d scrub with dawn dish soap, rinse, and get to it. Restoration work is done this way all the time.

Thank you Rich. I believe that you've nailed it for me.