Barrel Finish

[mustanggt]

To what level of finish through draw filing and sanding is usually done and what should it look like? I have a rifle made by Trapper (whoever that is) and it isn't a gleeming finish of the metallurgical art but it is a very well done rifle and am proud to own it. It has a Wm Large target barrel on it. Heavy s.o.b. I've only seen rifles completed and not up close photos of bare barrels.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

Certainly you want to draw file out any of the machining marks left behind.  After that it is up to personal preference and how you intend to finish it.  If you want to leave it plain metal or bright, you will polish down pretty thoroughly.  If you are going to brown the barrel you may not want to polish to a mirror finish. 

Coryjoe

[Acer Saccharum]

Browning solution needs some 'tooth' in the finish or the solution just beads up when applied, leaving a spotty color until all the bright spots have been etched.

Far easier to leave it at a 220 or 320 grit finish, and the solution gets a much easier start.

[Mark Elliott]

If the barrel hasn't already been well sanded to remove the machine marks,  I drawfile and stop with the drawfiled finish.   If I have to clean up a well sanded finish,  I use 320grit emory cloth. 

[Daryl]

Seems to me, Taylor uses 220 paper or emery as the last step before browning.
Carding between coats of browning, will give a shinier, smoother finish - letting it rot/rust longer & no carding will give a rougher, probably tougher finish.

This one was 30 years old last February, finished kinda rough - like me. She's had 5,000 rounds through her, probably more.





If you stand back and squint a bit, it looks GREAT!

[mustanggt]

Thank you fellas. I'm enjoying the education. Just came in from the shop applying what you taught.

[Keithbatt]

I don't think this is too far off topic for this thread so here goes:

If you are treating a barrel or iron parts with a rust brown like LMF's and want a more antiqued finish, I understand that a rougher surface finish (relatively speaking) to start with won't hurt and that the solution is left for longer to accumulate more rust between carding. So, when polishing castings, I'm at a point where 220 grit paper after filing casting voids is smooth and consistent without showing voids, deeper scratches, etc.

Is there any reason to do more than that at all?

I'm looking for a slightly weathered look on a Southern mountain rifle. 

[mustanggt]

How do you guys keep yourself from rocking the file and breaking the edge of the flat on the barrel. I slow way down but still feel I'm going over the edge?

[Bob Roller]

How do you guys keep yourself from rocking the file and breaking the edge of the flat on the barrel. I slow way down but still feel I'm going over the edge?

PRACTICE the job of draw filing with a dead barrel. If in doubt,DON'T do it
on the barrel you're using.FEEL that you're going over the edge?? That can
be seen in the progress of the job.

Bob Roller

[thimble rig]

I always paint the flats that I'm working on with a black laundry marker or blue dykem Sorry for the spelling.That helps me to see my progress also I use the widest file that I have.And I start on the bottom flats first Some people don't bother with those just to get some practice  before I do the top flats.

[Scota4570]

The last one I did I draw filed with a new file.  It ran smooth and did not pin.  I then went over it was a coarse, burgandy color, scotch brite type pad.  I then used cold blue.  It looks really good.  It looks more like original rifles.   In the past I have taken it to #600 paper with the cross polishing routine.  I kept the corners razor sharp.  That does not look real.  I now think that the OCD polishing is a waste of time. 

[hanshi]

Owning both types of barrels (smooth and rough), I find I prefer the slightly "rough" finishes that are just a little like a sandblasted finish; just rough enough to feel it with a finger nail.