AmericanLongRifles Forums

General discussion => Antique Gun Collecting => Topic started by: Granville on May 05, 2022, 04:58:36 PM

Title: Barrel finish?
Post by: Granville on May 05, 2022, 04:58:36 PM

Can anybody tell me what the original finish was on 1850-70's, Damascus steel double barrel shotguns? Thanks

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Clark Badgett on May 05, 2022, 05:18:22 PM

High polish browned

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Daryl on May 06, 2022, 02:48:41 AM

Exactly - at least all the ones I have seen.

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Pukka Bundook on May 07, 2022, 03:33:10 PM

The brown wasn't just a plum brown, but an acid concoction that rusted the iron and steel at different rates, bringing out the twist, whether a stub iron or a true "Damascus".
Just making this point in case anyone read this and gummed up their nice twist barrels with a modern commercial brown.

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Daryl on May 07, 2022, 06:58:24 PM

Someone here has done a perfect job on twist steel barrels, or perhaps it was on the NE forum?

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: J.M.Browning on May 08, 2022, 01:27:02 AM

(https://i.ibb.co/Xtf84RH/thumbnail-IMG-3652.jpg) (https://ibb.co/bXjJ39t)
Hope this helps .

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Dan Fruth on May 08, 2022, 02:50:42 PM

The double gun journal had an excellent how to for your barrels. PM me and I'll send you a copy. It requires rusting, carding, and etching in acid, several times to achieve the proper finish. This was the process used back when your gun was new. Here is a photo of a double I just finished with a plum brown instead of dark blue.

(https://i.ibb.co/JCjNKBs/IMG-0335.jpg) (https://ibb.co/8XgJ0K7)

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Pukka Bundook on May 08, 2022, 04:30:05 PM

Lovely job, Dan!
Is that a two stripe Damascus?

Double Gun is a very valuable resource for this type of stuff!!

Here's an old percussion, been re-done of course...
(https://i.ibb.co/bFJp2b9/dscn3076-105.jpg) (https://ibb.co/f9vmnDw)

Stub twist in this case.

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: smart dog on May 09, 2022, 01:26:38 AM

Hi,
Here is a great Mortimer stub twist.

(https://i.ibb.co/k6bH85D/Mortimer-barrel-2.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qFqys7g)

(https://i.ibb.co/VWpnWH6/Mortimer-barrel-3.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HDpwDNZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/p21bx3R/Mortimer-barrel-4.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Y2NP3ty)

(https://i.ibb.co/dbkqTFq/Mortimer-barrel-5.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CJVZcgZ)

(https://i.ibb.co/jvKPjRY/Mortimer-barrel-6.jpg) (https://ibb.co/wNHF2sq)

dave

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Granville on May 11, 2022, 01:46:46 PM

Thanks for the information and the photographs. It was well received. Joe from NC.

Title: Re: Barrel finish?
Post by: Marcruger on May 11, 2022, 08:31:16 PM

I recently studied a drilling, with damascus (not twist) shotgun barrels and a rifle barrel underneath.  The gun was in original finish.  The shotgun barrels were browned, and the rifle barrel was polished blue.  I found that interesting.