Browning agent

[Mauser06]

Thanx all!  Plenty of ideas and some beautiful rifles!   



Daryl, that's why I am leaning away from Clorox. Just a bit too aggressive and not as controllable.

[WadePatton]

Little Joe,
What is BBI. Not familiar with that acronym. Thanks.

I'm no Little Joe, but when I use "BBL" or "bbl" I'm referring to a gun or wine or whiskey barrel.

[davec2]

Living in southern California, the humidity is not often conducive to browning.  I didn't have room for a wooden damp box, so I use a disposable cardboard box.  Here is a link to an old post:

http://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=21382.msg203054#msg203054

[smallpatch]

Mauser,
I use LMF, or Dangler.  Both work very well with a sweat box.
You don't card back.  When you're satisfied with the browning/pitting, you sand it all off. Leaving just the pitting.  I use 220 grit to get rid of the browning. 
I use gray or maroon Skotchbrite after bluing with Breakfree CLP to set/preserve the finish.
Beware of getting metal too shiny.  It takes the chemical better if metal isn't polished.

[Mauser06]

Thanx guys!   

Great info as usual!! 



I didn't plan to take my metal to a polish.  Have it filed to clean it up...I will hit it with paper to take out major file marks and call it good.  On this build and the finish I want, I don't want it to look perfect.  Never understood why some builders will do an aged finish but everything is perfect and Sharp.  Like someone mentioned, barrel flats...flats on the pipes and buttplate return etc shouldn't be crisp and clean. 

A couple file marks, marks in the wood from scraping etc just give it character and show it was built by human hands.  My hands and eyes sure aren't perfect.   

[flinchrocket]

I rarely go past 150 grit if I'm going to brown or rust blue, But the use of a maroon scothbrite pad will give you a lot more control when carding. If you use the cold blue like you are talking you might also get some gray scotchbrite pads, they are not aggressive at all.

[Mauser06]

Appreciate it!  I have the maroon and gray on hand. We'll see what I turn out....lol.

[Mauser06]

I appreciate all the info from this thread. 


Still a "work in progress" but I am happy with the results I've gotten!







Pics don't really show the barrel off well. I think when the rifle is done and I get it in different light it'll photograph better...it looks much better in person. Every day it actually looks better. Still getting a little cold blue and rust off each time I rub it down with oil.


Browned for about a week. Tried to add 2-3 coats a day and never carded. Used an entire bottle of TOTW browning solution. 

After that, I carded the heavy stuff off with maroon scotchbrite....then the "fun" began.  Sanding all the rust off.....found that basically wet sanding worked best to get rid of the rust and keep the paper from clogging.  It was more involved than I thought it'd be. And a mess lol.


After that, I cold blued..rubbed back with gray scotchbrite. I did 2 coats of cold blue. 


Still have a ways to go to finish the gun...but I shot it "in the white" and while cleaning it, figured I may as well finish the metal.