Difficulty with browning my barrel

[[email protected]]

That rifle looks very good and the barrel is great, IMO.

Thanks, put a lot of effort into it, and it has given me great pleasures over 35 years. Held up well hunting and the range.

 

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Thanks, put a lot of effort into it, and it has given me great pleasures over 35 years. Held up well hunting and the range.

The browng seems to be the difference between the chemicals used then and now. I may go back to the bichloride of mercury process on the kit I have for my son if the newer processes are not good as that.

 

[ElkFever]

Try five or six coats, don't get too aggressive with the carding, then oil the heck out of it and let it sit to soak the oil up for at least 24 hours.

Then we need to see photos!

~WH~

What is carding?

 

[[email protected]]

In researching bluing/browning a gunsmith book referred to another called Firearm Blueing and Browning by R. H. Angie 1936, 151 pages, and 230+ formulas. I found a used one on Amazon should be interesting.

 

[Hanshi]

What is carding?

"Carding" is the use of a material, - denim, for instance - to wipe the scale off the rusting (that's what bluing/browning is) barrel so the next application goes on an even surface.

 

[Buck Conner1]

Any of these solutions don't stress the parts need to be as clean as humanly possible, even your hands have oil that will effect the end results. Cleanliness is the key to the results you want, period.

 

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Any of these solutions don't stress the parts need to be as clean as humanly possible, even your hands have oil that will effect the end results. Cleanliness is the key to the results you want, period.

Clean and wear powder free car mechanics type gloves to handle that way no skin oil and no skin absorption of the chemicals you are using.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Yep. Gloves. Always a great idea. nitrile.

 

[muzzleloader48]

Browning the natural way doesn't need chemicals and comes out great. However, I noticed as we get older, the only thing that really gets worse is: STUBBORNNESS

 

[Winter Hawk]

Laurel Mountain Forge solution is a degreaser as well as browning medium. Still, starting out with metal clean and keeping oil, grease, fingerprints etc. off sure can't hurt!

~WH~

 

[Buck Conner1]

In recent years TOTW purchased the old Wahkon Bay line of finishing products Tru-Brown was the best available at the time. It used conions nitric and hydrochloric acids requiring a well vented area.

See: https://www.frontiermuzzleloader.co...h-browning-my-barrel.13143/page-2#post-117665

​

 

[[email protected]]

Laurel Mountain Forge solution is a degreaser as well as browning medium. Still, starting out with metal clean and keeping oil, grease, fingerprints etc. off sure can't hurt!

~WH~

Exactly, and keeps the human safe too. Just best practice all around.

 

[Billy-by-gosh]

Just got to thinking about my old bud Charlie Maggard. He made excellent repairs, and always seemed to get a beautiful butternut-brown finish on steel. I finally pinned him down as to the secret ingredients. He grinned, and opened a tall cabinet in the corner of his workshop. Inside the cabinet there was a gallon jug of distilled vinegar, and a wool blanket enclosing a barrel being browned. It was suspended over a pan of warm water (his workshop wasn't refrigerated, and summertime in Phoenix was a bit over 105 degrees in the evening). Warm barrel treated with vinegar, and enclosed over warm water. For him, it worked perfectly.
I guess it's not just the ingredients, but the details and know-how that ultimately determine results.

 

[[email protected]]

Just got to thinking about my old bud Charlie Maggard. He made excellent repairs, and always seemed to get a beautiful butternut-brown finish on steel. I finally pinned him down as to the secret ingredients. He grinned, and opened a tall cabinet in the corner of his workshop. Inside the cabinet there was a gallon jug of distilled vinegar, and a wool blanket enclosing a barrel being browned. It was suspended over a pan of warm water (his workshop wasn't refrigerated, and summertime in Phoenix was a bit over 105 degrees in the evening). Warm barrel treated with vinegar, and enclosed over warm water. For him, it worked perfectly.
I guess it's not just the ingredients, but the details and know-how that ultimately determine results.

Always the details and environment to be sure.

 

[user 23626]

Determination ( not to confused with stubbornness) is starting to pay dividends. I'm very glad I started this subject, got lottsa info for every one. Started over and got the bbl hotter and suspended it by the rod guide, and 4 coats later made the mistake of applying heavy old car paste wax on the bbl WRONG move! Stripped the wax, steel wool and another app of solution. Wiped on mach oil and let cure. And it is what I was looking for. More oil and set aside while I put the patch box in and finish the stock. Russian Olive wood is not a disappointment. Light coat of walnut stain, It was a little too light for me, and a few coats of True Oil. When done 4 O steel wool to soften the finish then stock wax. Ordered a Williams peep NOS for a 760/742 Rem on Ebay, looks like it may fit the center of the action curve. A few pics of what it done so far..Out Here

 

[[email protected]]

Determination ( not to confused with stubbornness) is starting to pay dividends. I'm very glad I started this subject, got lottsa info for every one. Started over and got the bbl hotter and suspended it by the rod guide, and 4 coats later made the mistake of applying heavy old car paste wax on the bbl WRONG move! Stripped the wax, steel wool and another app of solution. Wiped on mach oil and let cure. And it is what I was looking for. More oil and set aside while I put the patch box in and finish the stock. Russian Olive wood is not a disappointment. Light coat of walnut stain, It was a little too light for me, and a few coats of True Oil. When done 4 O steel wool to soften the finish then stock wax. Ordered a Williams peep NOS for a 760/742 Rem on Ebay, looks like it may fit the center of the action curve. A few pView attachment 668View attachment 669View attachment 670View attachment 671View attachment 672View attachment 673ics of what it done so far..Out Here

Super, perseverance always pays off. Great job in the end.

 

[White Fox]

The only way I was able to get a good even appearance using BC Plum Brown was to call on my buddy who runs a pizza place. With his huge pizza oven on low it is possible to heat the entire barrel, then apply the solution. I compensated him with a six pack of Guinness.

I really prefer the Laurel Mtn. Forge product. Being on the edge of the "Great American Desert" there isn't enough natural humidity to keep the controlled rusting process going. My solution is a four foot tube of 6" plastic piping with a cap on the bottom and screw on plug at the top. Two holes allow baling wire to support the barrel. A damp rag is dropped in before carefully guiding in the barrel. The loaded tube stands upright.

Despite the claims of LMF, my best results have come after degreasing with acetone before wiping on the chemical solution. Chemicals are applied with a quite damp pad of cloth, one swipe down each flat, then into the tube. After three or four hours a second coat is applied while avoiding touching the barrel, and back to the tube. After that the barrel is carded with coarse cloth (burlap) and degreased before each of two or three more coats of browning agent. When I'm happy with the appearance the reagent is neutralized with saturated solution of baking soda and water, then rinsed with plain water. The barrel or other work piece then sits for a day or three before being heated with a hair dryer and beeswax rubbed in to seal.

All this does take some time, but the results are attractive and durable.

 

[Standing Bear]

Mount an old aluminum arrow vertically, slide the barrel over the arrow and apply Homer Dangler’s Browning Solution per instructions.

 

[muzzleloader48]

Mount an old aluminum arrow vertically, slide the barrel over the arrow and apply Homer Dangler’s Browning Solution per instructions.

Standing Bear, you hit the nail on the head. You also adhere to old saying "KISS". Me too.