To brown or not to brown?

[Kentuckywindage]

You guys think i should brown the barrel on my kentucky? i figured i should atleast consider it while the rifle is apart. Ive done the browning before and its kind of a pain but looks great after its finished. its just.... :shocked2: 33 1/2" of barrel is a lot of steel to brown! Also, one more thing, Does anyone sell any product to "antique" the brass? What exactly does antiqued brass look like? Any pics of it would be great.

Jon

 

[Russianblood]

I think it's Birchwood/Casey that makes "brass black". My Pedersoli Pennsylvania rifle has a browned 39" barrel but I think it would look better blued.

 

[Legionair]

Don't know much about your browning....

But "antiqued" brass looks a lot darker in the low spots (look in the hardware store at the light fixtures). I personally don't like it that dark.

If you sweat on the brass (normal handling) it will quickly take on an aged yellow color (so long as it wasn't clear-coated).

I personally like the old natural brass look.

Legion

 

[Zonie]

My thoughts:

If your building it for you, then whatever you want to end up with is the right thing.

If your building the gun for resale, if the customer is into Period Correctness, and the gun represents one made prior to 1790 or so, it should be left in the white or blued.

If your building the gun for resale and the customer is the typical, run of the mill type of guy, you should brown the barrel.
I say this because to most folks (who don't know about these old guns) a gun left in the "white" looks unfinished. Like: "How come you went to all that work to make it but didn't finish it by rustin the barrel??"
Another responce to a "in the white" barrel is: "Say! That's one of those new stainless guns, isn't it?"

If you can find a nice humid place around your house, you should consider using Laurel Mountain "Barrel Brown and Degreaser".
It's easy to use and gives excellent results without a lot of work. It does take a few days to get it finished though.

zonie

 

[Vaino]

My bbls normally are 44" lg and cold browning them w/ LMF is fairly simple....just takes time. To antique brass, I use 44/40 Cold Blue. W/ a small piece of t-shirt swab all the surfaces, let dry and using 0000 stl wool, lightly rub the stuff off...the hard to get at places will naturally retain a lot more of the "black" just like the old ones. If done properly, the brass takes on a look that is softer than shiny brass which I personally don't like. Some use ammonia to age and I guess there are other ways to antique brass.....Fred

 

[Craig]

I asked this question when I was building a Pedersoli Cub Dixie rifle. I ended up leaving the barrel in the white. I was told by people on the Forum that it would eventually rust into a soft brown.

Do what you like, as someone else said, but that is what I was told. My barrel is still white. Well, really, it looks like antique white metal, but it has not rusted. I just finished it in July of this year.

Have fun! Life is short!

 

I know that this sounds perverse, but you can get a nice "antique" finish on brass by peeing on it. Pee, let it set for a day and polish. a couple of treatments should do you. I know it sounds weird.

 

[bioprof]

You can get the same results on the brass without the smell by rubbing a used cleaning patch with some of the black fouling onto the hardware. It will turn it black really quick. The smell of human urine might scare aware game, not to mention being "gamey" smelling to people. :youcrazy:

 

[Kentuckywindage]

:shocked2: .... Remind me to never handle your rifle!

But ive decided to brown the barrel and just leave the brass alone. I was looking at it and i can see that its starting to get that dirty look. Im going to use the stuff ive always used, You heat the barrel with a propane torch and then rub that browning liquid on it. I hear that cow urine does the same thing, Is that true?

 

[mikee51848]

I browned my long rifle, but now I intend to remove the finish. In the white looks so much sweeter than brown or blue, especially if you have a dark wood.
My opinion, of course. :hatsoff:

 

[Birddog6]

But ive decided to brown the barrel and just leave the brass alone. I was looking at it and i can see that its starting to get that dirty look. Im going to use the stuff ive always used, You heat the barrel with a propane torch and then rub that browning liquid on it. I hear that cow urine does the same thing, Is that true?

No, it is skunk urine that you need to brown the barrel with, if you want to go with the PC way of doing it..... :rotf:

You can brown the barrel with LMF or Tru-Brown and do a nice durable browning job in 24 hrs, by browning it in a steamy bathroom. IMHO it does a much nicer looking & more durable job than the Plumb Brown I think you are referring to.

The brass will naturally patina if you don't put any oil or wax on it. To promote the patina, save a cleaning patch with some BP residue on it & wet it a tad & wipe all over the brass.

:thumbsup:

 

You can brown the barrel with LMF or Tru-Brown and do a nice durable browning job in 24 hrs, by browning it in a steamy bathroom. IMHO it does a much nicer looking & more durable job than the Plumb Brown I think you are referring to.

Not only that, but it's a whole lot easier, because you don't have to heat the barrel up! The longer your barrels get, the harder time you're going to have heating them up evenly and getting the Plumb Brown to go on evenly without being splotchy. The LMF solution doesn't require heat, you just "swab, wait, card, repeat" until you get the color you want.

 

You might consider the alternative--an "aged look" or patina finish. You can use Brass Black to darken your brass AND put a grey patina finish on the steel.

 

[twotoescharlie]

where might I purchase "laurel mountain browning solution? also need some flints for the GPR I have on order and will be delivered Monday.


thanks
TTC

 

[Kentuckywindage]

How would i get this type of grey look on my barrel? that looks better than browing i think. If someone knows where to order the suff to do it. send me the link please!
[url] http://smg.photobucket.com/al...rrent=kit4.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch7[/url]

 

[paulvallandigham]

How about using common bleach? That will give you the grey tone you seek. Just watch it develope so it doesn't corrode the barrel too much.

 

[Mike Brooks]

How would i get this type of grey look on my barrel? that looks better than browing i think. If someone knows where to order the suff to do it. send me the link please!
[url] http://smg.photobucket.com/al...nt=kit4.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch7[/quote][/url]
You ought to ask the guy who does it. :winking:

 

[reddogge]

Mike,
That's a good one.

 

[scott adair]

Zonie,

If I leave a barrel in the white what do I need to do to it to consider it finished? How do I need to maintain it? What about the lock, side plate, butt plate, ramrod pipes and nose cap?

thanks,


Scott

 

[jdixon]

B/C Plumb Brown is great if you can get the temperature of the metal just right. If you can find a oven large enough (a problem with the longer barrels I know - make friends with a pizza shop owner), heating the barrel to 290 degrees, dropping in onto a secured dowel rod and hitting it with the brown has really worked for me. I have done barrels in two coats resulting in a very even finish using this method.