Good post smart dog! Your postings along with Bill's (and others) are a gun build education. Wondering yet Sand Watcher what method/product you finished the barrel with. Between browning and bluing if I had only one choice to make between the two I'd choose bluing even if a build wasn't the so-called 'period correct', although browned barrels do look nice.
The barrel was treated with Birchwood Casey's Super Blue, which is about as basic as it gets.