Finishing the metal on my GPR

[rwsjr]

I'm almost at the point where I need to decide how I want to finish the metal parts on my Lyman Great Plains Riffle kit. I purchased a bottle of Laurel Mountain Forge Browning solution and I am practicing with it on some old metal crow bars. This stuff isn't as easy as it looks to apply. They say to just wet the surface with a small rag. If I apply too much pressure on the rag, it turns the crowbar copper colored. There is such a fine line between pressing too hard and not enough.

Also, what do I do with all the small metal parts, like sights and screws? I know I need to sand and finish, but its hard to get into all the nooks and grannies. So sanding ain't easy! Also when I brown these, how would I apply it (Laurel Mountain Forge solution)?

Any advice? Is there a easier or better way to finish it?

 

[paulvallandigham]

Use q-tips to swab it on screw head. Cotton balls to swab it on larger parts. Don't spare the solution.

 

[Old40Rod]

This stuff isn't as easy as it looks to apply. They say to just wet the surface with a small rag. ... There is such a fine line between pressing too hard and not enough.

Actually, I have found LMF to be very forgiving. If you are getting copper color while being "careful" with your application, my guess is its something going on with the surface of the crowbar, rather than your technique or the solution.

I use some of my wife's little round cotton makeup wipes to apply it, following LMF's directions to the letter. Just a light wetting of the surfaces to be browned is all you need... just enough so you don't have any visible runs or drips.

Before you give up, try some on your parts. Make sure they are not too smooth (don't go over 220 grit, and I actually get good results with 150/180 grit). I browned a GPP barrel for a friend who kept getting copper color using LMF over a 220 grit finish. I applied LMF, and got the same copper color. I then sanded it with a courser grit and reapplied the LMF... presto, it browned up nicely.

It also helps to remember that you are probably going to do about 4 to 5 coats. Some guys do even more. Usually the first 2 or 3 coats look rather uneven... don't worry, just keep going.

:wink:

 

[jtmattison]

Also, what do I do with all the small metal parts, like sights and screws? I know I need to sand and finish, but its hard to get into all the nooks and grannies. So sanding ain't easy! Also when I brown these, how would I apply it (Laurel Mountain Forge solution)?

Any advice? Is there a easier or better way to finish it?

I used LMF on my GPR build and it turned out great.

I'm using it this very moment on my Trade Rifle barrel.

I think it is very easy to use. Very hard to mess up also.

For small parts I use Birchwood Casey's Plum Brown. I think it's much easier to use on small parts. All you have to do is clean/degease the part. Heat it up so the solution sizzles when it's applied and brush it on. It only takes a couple coats and gives a nice brown in just seconds. Then all you do is wash the parts, dry, and apply oil.

The LMF is a longer process but in my opinion, much better for barrels.

HD

 

[BadHorse]

I'm almost at the point where I need to decide how I want to finish the metal parts on my Lyman Great Plains Riffle kit. I purchased a bottle of Laurel Mountain Forge Browning solution and I am practicing with it on some old metal crow bars. This stuff isn't as easy as it looks to apply. They say to just wet the surface with a small rag. If I apply too much pressure on the rag, it turns the crowbar copper colored. There is such a fine line between pressing too hard and not enough.

Also, what do I do with all the small metal parts, like sights and screws? I know I need to sand and finish, but its hard to get into all the nooks and grannies. So sanding ain't easy! Also when I brown these, how would I apply it (Laurel Mountain Forge solution)?

Any advice? Is there a easier or better way to finish it?

you could always go to a viniger finish.

 

[Idaho Ron]

you could always go to a viniger finish.

How long have you had that finish on that rifle? what do you like and dislike about it? What is your method of using the viniger?
I think it looks great from what I can see of it. :thumbsup: Ron

 

[BadHorse]

well the finish has been on about a year, and i love it! i have nothing bad to say about it. couple of my buddies have redone there GPR's to look like mine. it just gets darker with time. and its a bitchen finish! to do it is simple, cut tshirts in 6" wide strips soak in plain white viniger, and leave for a couple of days. making sure the wrags stay wet. burnish with 0000 steel wool and viniger, then wipe down with the oil of choice. also all threaded holes need to be packed with vasoline. this is what i do to all my guns now! if you need help pm me for a phone # and i'll walk you through it!

 

[Idaho Ron]

well the finish has been on about a year, and i love it! i have nothing bad to say about it. couple of my buddies have redone there GPR's to look like mine. it just gets darker with time. and its a bitchen finish! to do it is simple, cut tshirts in 6" wide strips soak in plain white viniger, and leave for a couple of days. making sure the wrags stay wet. burnish with 0000 steel wool and viniger, then wipe down with the oil of choice. also all threaded holes need to be packed with vasoline. this is what i do to all my guns now! if you need help pm me for a phone # and i'll walk you through it!

I am thinking about doing a kit gun/ lyman GPR. The color of your metal is so cool. So you let the wet rags just sit on the barrel for a couple of day? Do you do the inside of the barrel or leave it?
When I get to the point of doing a rifle I will take you up on the offer of a phone call. Thanks a million. :thumbsup: Ron

 

[BadHorse]

well the finish has been on about a year, and i love it! i have nothing bad to say about it. couple of my buddies have redone there GPR's to look like mine. it just gets darker with time. and its a bitchen finish! to do it is simple, cut tshirts in 6" wide strips soak in plain white viniger, and leave for a couple of days. making sure the wrags stay wet. burnish with 0000 steel wool and viniger, then wipe down with the oil of choice. also all threaded holes need to be packed with vasoline. this is what i do to all my guns now! if you need help pm me for a phone # and i'll walk you through it!

I am thinking about doing a kit gun/ lyman GPR. The color of your metal is so cool. So you let the wet rags just sit on the barrel for a couple of day? Do you do the inside of the barrel or leave it?
When I get to the point of doing a rifle I will take you up on the offer of a phone call. Thanks a million. :thumbsup: Ron

i hope you do! i offer the phone # because there are always alot of questions, and is just easier on the phone, and much, much faster.

 

[paulvallandigham]

If you get that "copper " color using ANY browning solution, just put more solution on top of it. The solution will dissolve the copper residue and continue the rusting. If you find an area of a barrel that seems to resist darkening, no matter how much you put on the LMF solution, try heating the barrel up with a propane torch to about 300 degrees, and then swab on the solution. Do this in a well ventilated area- preferably out door-- as it does give off fumes you don't want to breathe. You should see INSTANT color darkening when putting the solution on hot steel.

I did find a spot of the side of a shotgun barrel that apparently was a streak of slag that got into the steel mix, and was not steel. I ended up heating up that streak until it was red hot before the browning would touch it, but it is browned, and I would have to find the spot for you to see, because its not noticeable at a glance. My streak was about 3 inches long, but no wider than 1/4". It was a difficult problem to solve, however. To "Quench the barrel, so it would not have a soft spot, I let it cool just a bit, and then sprayed it with WD40 oil. I cooled the entire barrel that way, and hung it up to drip dry in my garage over night.

 

[Idaho Ron]

I ended up heating up that streak until it was red hot before the browning would touch it, but it is browned, and I would have to find the spot for you to see, because its not noticeable at a glance. My streak was about 3 inches long, but no wider than 1/4". It was a difficult problem to solve, however. To "Quench the barrel, so it would not have a soft spot, I let it cool just a bit, and then sprayed it with WD40 oil. I cooled the entire barrel that way, and hung it up to drip dry in my garage over night.

Man I would be scared of that gun and would not recommend anyone do that to a rifle or pistol. The proof marks for that barrel would be worthless in my opinion. Ron

 

[paulvallandigham]

Ron. This is a 12 gauge smoothbore barrel. Pressures rarely reach 6,000 PSI at the breech, and are a lot less out where that streak is located. I have fired several hundred rounds through the gun barrel, have miked the barrel, several times, to see if there is any stretching, etc. and there have been no problems. I believe the barrel is quite strong enough for anything I am going to shoot in it.

I do Not Shoot RB in the gun. First, its a DB shotgun. I have no interest in trying to regulate balls in it to hit the same POA. I bought to use for hunting birds, instead, and use my .50 caliber rifle for deer hunting. Second, it does shoot reasonable patterns for a cylinder bore gun. Third, the slag appears on the surface of the outside of the barrel, and doesn't appear at all inside the barrel. We looked hard at it before we proceeded to build the kit.

 

[Zonie]

The only reason for copper to be showing is that you wiped it "too good".

You are supposed to apply a coat that is wet enough to wet the surface with the first swipe and do not go back over it. Just wet the surface and let it rust.
If it is a little uneven, the next coat will work to even the appearance up.

Bottom line? One light coat applied with one pass and no more until the next coat is needed.

 

[rwsjr]

I want to thank everyone...You folks were right. I kept at it and the crowbar (only about 4" worth) turned a nice dark brown color...looks real good. I basically ignored the copper color that I always seem to get.

Now I'm trying to blue (just about 3" of the tip) of another crow bar, using the same stuff only dipping it in boiling distilled water after it has rusted. I want to see them both. I'm also going to try the vinegar method too. My son wants me to build him one next and he really liked the vinegar method.

I'm a bit a traditionalist, so think I'm leaning toward the Brown color. Now that I see it, I'm thinking about using a real light stain on the stock or maybe none at all and just finishing it with tung oil. I think a lighter stock may make the browned metal really stand out.

 

[BadHorse]

they did the viniger 200 yearts ago also

 

[krecords]

Karwelis,
I noticed this in another thread and asked about how you did it. Could you please, please, please write down some instructions so we can reference them? I definitely want to try his on the next one.

Kirby

 

[BadHorse]

well the finish has been on about a year, and i love it! i have nothing bad to say about it. couple of my buddies have redone there GPR's to look like mine. it just gets darker with time. and its a bitchen finish! to do it is simple, cut tshirts in 6" wide strips soak in plain white viniger, and leave for a couple of days. making sure the wrags stay wet. burnish with 0000 steel wool and viniger, then wipe down with the oil of choice. also all threaded holes need to be packed with vasoline. this is what i do to all my guns now! if you need help pm me for a phone # and i'll walk you through it!

here are the directions you asked for, they have been posted all over this site. im serious about people calling and talking.

Karwelis,
I noticed this in another thread and asked about how you did it. Could you please, please, please write down some instructions so we can reference them? I definitely want to try his on the next one.

Kirby

 

[krecords]

thank you, I will try this on the next one, I have already had an offer by someone to buy me 2 more GPR kits if I build one up for him I think I just may take him up on that.

Kirby

 

[Old40Rod]

Now I'm trying to blue (just about 3" of the tip) of another crow bar, using the same stuff only dipping it in boiling distilled water after it has rusted.

Here is a link with more info on using LMF to blue with some photos.
http://www.hobbygunsmith.com/Archives/Aug03/HowTo.htm

 

[Headhunter]

Check out my Browning Tutorial...
http://www.woodscustomrifles.com/id56.html

Headhunter