Brown Barrel, White Lock?

[Panzerschwein]

Hey

I was at the Fort Charters rendezvous last week and boy it was a heap of fun. One gun being used by a shooter there had a browned barrel, yet the lock was left “in the white” as it were. I thought to myself “wow that’s a great looking combination” and was so pretty.

Any historical record of this being done on originals? Has anyone ever built a gun like this, or otherwise also enjoy the “two-tone” look? Just wondering. Thanks all!

Dillon

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Dillon:  this is the primary finishing technique I use on my builds, ie:  brown or blue barrel, and polished bright lock.  I have only done one rifle with bright barrel and lock, leaving the barrel to oxidize as it will, but the humidity here is low, so the barrel just went sort of grey and in truth, I am considering polishing it back and browning/bluing it.

[Daryl]

Here is one of Taylor's with almost bright lock and rust blued barrel.

[P.Bigham]

My rifles get like that over time. I always clean the lock more than the exterior of the barrel. I was there assisting with the shooting matches. 

[Eric Krewson]

I made my fowler about 8 years ago, I rubbed back cold blue to gray all the metal except the lock which I left bright. The gray metal developed a patina, the bright lock did not. I have never re-polished the lock and have kept the barrel well oiled.

[hanshi]

I like a bright lock and blued, browned, greyed, etc. barrel.  I had a nice Va. flintlock rifle with a gray(ish) barrel and lock.  In the humid heat of Georgia it quickly developed a patina as if the whole shebang had been left bright.  The patina made it look so very good.

[Frank]

I leave all my locks in the white and let them develop a patina over time.

[Osprey]

That's my favorite look, probably 75% of the ones I build end up like that.

[akroguy]

That's my plan for my Kibler Colonial...Laurel Mountain Forge brown on the barrel and leaving the lock as-is.  Fire blue sure looks nice but I'll have to try that technique on some scrap first!