My Browning Mountain Rifle's barrel has a few unsighly mars and scratches in the brown finish. Is it possible to touch up these areas, or will I need to strip the existing brown and then re-brown the entire barrel? I have both the hot and the cold types of browning solution available. Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
Touch up a brown barrel finish
- Thread starter wadvocat
- Start date
Help Support Muzzleloading Forum:
Rogue River
45 Cal.
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2007
- Messages
- 911
- Reaction score
- 3
I would think it would be hard to match the existing brown, depends on how particular you are. Your best chance would be if you knew what browning method was used originally! :idunno:
hoochiepapa
75 Cal.
- Joined
- Oct 25, 2010
- Messages
- 5,853
- Reaction score
- 7
Those are "beauty marks!" as Chuck Dixon would say.
I have tryed unsuccessfully to match worn browning and scratches on barrels I've browned using the same product I origonally browned it with!
Sure you can get the area to rust but the color is always a little off, at least enough for me too see. When I point the area out to others the comment is always, "aw that's nuthin" but I still see it.
So now If I'm not happy, I just sand the entire barrel back and start over.
If I was you, knowing it's a JB that's no longer available (and still commanding a good price I might add) I think I'd just leave it unless it's really bad.
Option 1; try sanding a small area on the bottom flat down to metal and try your products, if they match close you can try a cover up.
Option 2; strip/sand the entire barrel and the tang and re-brown the whole works.
Some of the JB's had iron furniture some had brass, if your is brass trimmed you could get by with doing just the barrel and tang. If it's iron trimmed you might end up with different colors.
Browning isn't really that tuff, matter of fact I've done two complete rifles this winter from factory blue to brown, but neither are a limited edition rifle, :idunno:
Sure you can get the area to rust but the color is always a little off, at least enough for me too see. When I point the area out to others the comment is always, "aw that's nuthin" but I still see it.
So now If I'm not happy, I just sand the entire barrel back and start over.
If I was you, knowing it's a JB that's no longer available (and still commanding a good price I might add) I think I'd just leave it unless it's really bad.
Option 1; try sanding a small area on the bottom flat down to metal and try your products, if they match close you can try a cover up.
Option 2; strip/sand the entire barrel and the tang and re-brown the whole works.
Some of the JB's had iron furniture some had brass, if your is brass trimmed you could get by with doing just the barrel and tang. If it's iron trimmed you might end up with different colors.
Browning isn't really that tuff, matter of fact I've done two complete rifles this winter from factory blue to brown, but neither are a limited edition rifle, :idunno:
Black Hand
Cannon
- Joined
- Mar 17, 2005
- Messages
- 9,348
- Reaction score
- 897
Plum Brown (hot brown) from Birchwood Casey will allow you touch up those areas without re-browning the entire barrel.
If the scratches are not wide a "cold instant bluing" like Birchwood Casey "Perma Blue" can be used to cover them.
Although it is a bluing, in small amounts like in a scratch it will blend in with the browning around it and usually won't be noticed unless it is pointed out to folks.
Although it is a bluing, in small amounts like in a scratch it will blend in with the browning around it and usually won't be noticed unless it is pointed out to folks.
hanshi
Cannon
As a matter of fact I've tried both Plum Brown and Perma Blue on browned barrels to cover up small scratches. The Blue blended in better than the browning solution. On small areas it's not that noticeable.
paulvallandigham
Passed On
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2006
- Messages
- 17,537
- Reaction score
- 94
Covering scratches,and other imperfections is a two-stage process, for me. I like Plum Brown, from Birchwood Casey, because it gives a dark brown color.
Clean the area around the scratches, and remove the barrel from the stock. If the area is next to a piece of brass, wrap the brass with a damp rag to act as a "Heat Sink" during the process.
With the surface clean, heat the barrel up to about 275 degrees F. with a torch. Water should "Sizzle" off the metal when you flip some drops on it with a wet hand. Now, apply the solution with a Q-tip. The solution will also steam off, leaving a yellow/white residue on the surface. Repeat the application until you get a similar dark tone as you see on the surrounding metal.
Cool the barrel under a faucet running cold water, and use a rag to rub off the residue. Then clean the surface again of all oils using denatured alcohol.
Now, heat the barrel up again. When its hot again, spray it with oil- I use WD40 because I have it on hand. But, any spray gun oil will work. The oil will burn and smoke off, as it cools the barrel. It Also darkens the color of the new browned area.
Let the barrel set for 24 hours with the oil on the barrel. The oil seems to help the color set, and it will be a bit darker than the surrounding area for awhile. However, exposure to UV light seems to lighten up the ciolor of the patch a bit, and the colors blend better over time.
In the meanwhile, coat the barrel with oil, and the patch is simply not visible to the casual observer.
The browning on a Browning Mountain Rifle is fairly dark as colors go. This method is the best way to fix patches and scratches that I have found. If you feel like you are becoming an Alchemist, brewing a witches brew, you are. I played with these solutions on scraps of metal to find this particular method which seems to work better than all the others I have tried to date. I am always listening to, and reading, comments by other gunmakers and gunsmiths to see if they have a method that will work better than this one.
I have no pride. I will steal('er,use) anyone else's better idea in a heartbeat! :shocked2: :blah: :grin: :thumbsup: My Late Friend, Dr. Oscar Gaddy, who re-invented Bone Charcoal Color Case Hardening, was my mentor when it comes to finishes. You can still read his articles on both case hardening, and refinishing damascus steel shotgun barrels in back issues( 1997, 1999) of The Double Gun Journal. What we shared in common was our willingness to try anything that sounds like it might work.
Please do remember that scratches and scars on a gun come from using it. They should be viewed with pride. Anyone can buy a new car with a shiny finish. Not too many cars out there with their finishes well worn, and still working well are for sale. That doesn't mean that a gun can't stand some tender loving care, periodically, but I know people who are obsessed over the finishes on their stocks, and one scratch has them putting the gun up on the wall, never to be taken into the field again.
A good friend of mine, near Prince George, is the only gunsmith in British Columbia North of Vancouver. He has had Old Winchester Model 1873s, .38-40, lever action "carbines" brought to him by Inuits, living far North of him, to "fix". There is no finish left on the guns. The barrels are literally shot out. The owner only has 2-3 original, balloon-head casings, 2 of which have cracks in the necks. The wrist of the stock has been repaired, with nails, baling wire, some kind of hide glue, and raw hide, from multiple brakes. The stock looks like has been dragged behind a car for a few thousand miles. Internal parts are missing or worn out.
He puts a liner in the barrel, to restore it to its former caliber dimensions. He replaces parts, and replaces both pieces of the stock. He will refinish the metal parts IF the owner wants it. And, he acquires new casings, & loading components, for the owner to go along with the "new " gun. It costs a lot of money to restore these old guns. But, he gets repeat business- always appearing out of the woods north of his home, with no prior warning he is to receive a visitor/customer. The gun owner always appears with his family, and then leaves to return when
Curly expects the gun to be ready. Where they stay is a mystery to Curly, who has ridden the back country north of his home for days on horseback, and found no sign of human habitation. Curly said the best thing to happen to old gunsmiths like himself is the current fad of Cowboy Action Shooting, as there are now replica guns being made of all the old models, and the parts for the new guns will usually fit the originals. He no longer has to make the parts from scratch. As to the wood finishing, and metal finishing, his customers are very pleased with the durable finishes he gives the wood, and also like what he has done with the metal parts. But, THE DON'T WANT new barrels. They want that old, scratched up, rusted, marred barrel that was on the gun when their great grandfather bought it new. They do like the idea that he can bore them out and put a new STEEL liner in these old soft barrels, so that the gun can be used by their family for another 100 years and more.
There should be a lesson to learn in that somewhere...... :thumbsup:
Clean the area around the scratches, and remove the barrel from the stock. If the area is next to a piece of brass, wrap the brass with a damp rag to act as a "Heat Sink" during the process.
With the surface clean, heat the barrel up to about 275 degrees F. with a torch. Water should "Sizzle" off the metal when you flip some drops on it with a wet hand. Now, apply the solution with a Q-tip. The solution will also steam off, leaving a yellow/white residue on the surface. Repeat the application until you get a similar dark tone as you see on the surrounding metal.
Cool the barrel under a faucet running cold water, and use a rag to rub off the residue. Then clean the surface again of all oils using denatured alcohol.
Now, heat the barrel up again. When its hot again, spray it with oil- I use WD40 because I have it on hand. But, any spray gun oil will work. The oil will burn and smoke off, as it cools the barrel. It Also darkens the color of the new browned area.
Let the barrel set for 24 hours with the oil on the barrel. The oil seems to help the color set, and it will be a bit darker than the surrounding area for awhile. However, exposure to UV light seems to lighten up the ciolor of the patch a bit, and the colors blend better over time.
In the meanwhile, coat the barrel with oil, and the patch is simply not visible to the casual observer.
The browning on a Browning Mountain Rifle is fairly dark as colors go. This method is the best way to fix patches and scratches that I have found. If you feel like you are becoming an Alchemist, brewing a witches brew, you are. I played with these solutions on scraps of metal to find this particular method which seems to work better than all the others I have tried to date. I am always listening to, and reading, comments by other gunmakers and gunsmiths to see if they have a method that will work better than this one.
I have no pride. I will steal('er,use) anyone else's better idea in a heartbeat! :shocked2: :blah: :grin: :thumbsup: My Late Friend, Dr. Oscar Gaddy, who re-invented Bone Charcoal Color Case Hardening, was my mentor when it comes to finishes. You can still read his articles on both case hardening, and refinishing damascus steel shotgun barrels in back issues( 1997, 1999) of The Double Gun Journal. What we shared in common was our willingness to try anything that sounds like it might work.
Please do remember that scratches and scars on a gun come from using it. They should be viewed with pride. Anyone can buy a new car with a shiny finish. Not too many cars out there with their finishes well worn, and still working well are for sale. That doesn't mean that a gun can't stand some tender loving care, periodically, but I know people who are obsessed over the finishes on their stocks, and one scratch has them putting the gun up on the wall, never to be taken into the field again.
A good friend of mine, near Prince George, is the only gunsmith in British Columbia North of Vancouver. He has had Old Winchester Model 1873s, .38-40, lever action "carbines" brought to him by Inuits, living far North of him, to "fix". There is no finish left on the guns. The barrels are literally shot out. The owner only has 2-3 original, balloon-head casings, 2 of which have cracks in the necks. The wrist of the stock has been repaired, with nails, baling wire, some kind of hide glue, and raw hide, from multiple brakes. The stock looks like has been dragged behind a car for a few thousand miles. Internal parts are missing or worn out.
He puts a liner in the barrel, to restore it to its former caliber dimensions. He replaces parts, and replaces both pieces of the stock. He will refinish the metal parts IF the owner wants it. And, he acquires new casings, & loading components, for the owner to go along with the "new " gun. It costs a lot of money to restore these old guns. But, he gets repeat business- always appearing out of the woods north of his home, with no prior warning he is to receive a visitor/customer. The gun owner always appears with his family, and then leaves to return when
Curly expects the gun to be ready. Where they stay is a mystery to Curly, who has ridden the back country north of his home for days on horseback, and found no sign of human habitation. Curly said the best thing to happen to old gunsmiths like himself is the current fad of Cowboy Action Shooting, as there are now replica guns being made of all the old models, and the parts for the new guns will usually fit the originals. He no longer has to make the parts from scratch. As to the wood finishing, and metal finishing, his customers are very pleased with the durable finishes he gives the wood, and also like what he has done with the metal parts. But, THE DON'T WANT new barrels. They want that old, scratched up, rusted, marred barrel that was on the gun when their great grandfather bought it new. They do like the idea that he can bore them out and put a new STEEL liner in these old soft barrels, so that the gun can be used by their family for another 100 years and more.
There should be a lesson to learn in that somewhere...... :thumbsup:
longcruise
70 Cal.
Probably is, but I don't expect to live long enough to read your entire post! :shocked2:
To the original question...
Just a few days agp I used Plum Brown to do a touch up on an older barrel. In this case, I was using an old barrel as a part of a new gun. Bought the barrel used. The "new" gun needed an underrib so I sanded the underside of the barrel and attached the underrib. There in the process much of the original browning had been sanded free on all of the three lower flats. Also had removed a lot of the original browning in rebreeching the barrel and installing a powder drum. Don't know what the old browning was but the barrel had been used for close to 12 years and the browning was still in great shape.
Anyway, two treatments of plum brown has the entire barrel looking like a whole new browning job.
rafterob
62 Cal.
Yeah,but you gotta admire Paul's skill with a keyboard.
Ghettogun said:
:haha: I was thinking that same thing, crossed my mind that maybe he's got some really great voice recognition software.
Well, after several posts that have absolutly nothing to do with the original Topic I suggest that we either add some advice to the scratch problem or keep out thoughts about other members to ourselves.
OK . . . I'll cast my vote for the cold bluing. If the scratches/marring are big/bad enough then strip the old off and do it again. Most of the "blemishes" on my MLs are affectionately called "beauty marks".
I really messed up my browning job when I changed my brass front sight for an iron one. I browned my barrel with LMF and started reapplying it to try to cover up my mess. I was able to restore the top oblique flats to the original brown. The top flat did not come out as well and still has a bright spot. I quit on my fix to go hunting but think I can keep putting LMF on and eventually have it back to the original finish.
Did the same around my rear sight a year or so ago and it came out fine.
I cleaned the area with acetone, sanded lightly and started putting coats of LMF on wit a Q-tip.
Did the same around my rear sight a year or so ago and it came out fine.
I cleaned the area with acetone, sanded lightly and started putting coats of LMF on wit a Q-tip.
