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Woodsrunner barrel coloring

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Soooo, if I try the Jax or Oxpho finish and don’t like it, how much trouble will it be to get the barrel back to the point that it can be browned? Thx, E..

Oxpho blue is pretty easy to remove. It's far from a durable finish. I'd guess most folks who are using it (myself included) are doing so to get the look of a patina or French gray. If you'll note the fowler pictured a few posts up that's finished with Oxpho blue and mostly rubbed back, it looks nearly unfinished. I did similar on my Woodsrunner build using some CLP and Scotchbrite.
 
Yeah, Jax would be pretty easy to almost entirely rub away as well. The barrel might never go back to completely brand new bright, but it would be pretty close with the appropriate level of scotchbrite rub. My last rifle I did a similar treatment and the barrel was eventually almost nearly bright again just from typical cleaning.
 
My next Kibler will have no metal finish. I will opt to polish the barrel. The lock I will leave as is. What I see in my head is gorgeous. An uncolored and super smooth bright finish will not rust if you maintain it like you would any gun barrel. If surface rust should appear, what an easy chore it is just to touch it up with the fine grit paper you finished it with.
I love a slow rust brown finish, but I really, really dislike a gray or flat bluing even if they might be HC.
 
My next Kibler will have no metal finish. I will opt to polish the barrel. The lock I will leave as is. What I see in my head is gorgeous. An uncolored and super smooth bright finish will not rust if you maintain it like you would any gun barrel. If surface rust should appear, what an easy chore it is just to touch it up with the fine grit paper you finished it with.
I love a slow rust brown finish, but I really, really dislike a gray or flat bluing even if they might be HC.
Mike,
Here is something to consider.

Armory Bright is not a finish seen on an American Longrifle.
Now nothing is wrong with a clean “bright” barrel but not polished to armory bright like a military musket would be.
Part of the brightness of military muskets was discipline and intimidation. The sun glaring off of 300 musket barrels and their bayonets heading your way can be very intimidating.

Most military rifles were not polished bright. A good example is the M-1803 Harpers Ferry in it’s original configuration.
Later some are found bright but that is due to “musket” minded officers getting away from the original concept of the Rifle Regiment.

Plain unfinished barrels can be a good but do not over do the polish.

A polished rifle may be very difficult to shoot in the bright sunlight.
It can be difficult to find the front sight on a bright barrel.
Heat mirage may become a problem on a bright barrel even an unfired barrel on hot day in the sun.

This is why P-51 Mustangs and P-47 Thunderbolts in bright aluminum always had the cowls in olive drab, so the pilot would not be blinded.
 
My next Kibler will have no metal finish. I will opt to polish the barrel. The lock I will leave as is. What I see in my head is gorgeous. An uncolored and super smooth bright finish will not rust if you maintain it like you would any gun barrel. If surface rust should appear, what an easy chore it is just to touch it up with the fine grit paper you finished it with.
I love a slow rust brown finish, but I really, really dislike a gray or flat bluing even if they might be HC.
Polished like an india gun?
 

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