How do I know if my browning is right?

[GregC]

Hi All,

I browned a barrel this weekend using LMF. I followed the directions to the tee and my barrel is a nice dark chcolate brown color. It is smooth. I wasked in Baking soda and finished with linseed oil and then paste wax.

What is it supposed to look like? When I look at mine, it looks like it was painted with brown spray paint - does that make sense?

How should a browned barrel look?

Thanks

Greg

 

[TANSTAAFL]

May have overdone the linseed oil treatment, it is the base for many paints.

When I brown with LMF solution, I try for a lightly pitted metal surface which will feel slightly rough to the touch.

 

[Slowpoke]

WB,
Browning is all personal preferance. Some like the slick finish you got, others like for it to look like a sewer pipe. No offense... but you followed the direction to well and you got the desired result of the guy that wrote them. If you're not happy with it, just file/sand it off and do it again. This time just let it go longer, card it everyday, and you'll get the color and texture that you want. You don't need all that linseed oil and paste wax on your barrel. When you get the texture and color, just put a little 3-1 or motor oil on it for a week until the rusting stops. Be sure to keep the barrel out of the gun until it stops. I've never been able to neutralize the rusting process with baking soda, I always get rust a day or two later.

Anyway, I like the sewer pipe look myself.

SP