Trade gun barrel finish

[oldtravler61]

  Finishing up two trade guns an one barrel I did French gray kind of. The other I haven't put any finish on.  With the dark walnut on one the grey actually looks not bad. Now as to H.C. I'm getting mixed opinions from books . What say you more knowledgeable people...?
  Oh an their fun to make...

[reddogge]

I did a NW trade gun in the 80s and also a copy of a J. Henry trade rifle for my son. Both were browned but I didn't know much back then.

[mgbruch]

Most Northwest Trade guns had barrels that were blued, with the trigger guard and trigger left white.

[Clark Badgett]

Barrels blued from about 1780/90 on. Locks and TG left natural.

[Mike Brooks]

Barrels blued from about 1780/90 on. Locks and TG left natural.

I'll bet those locks were case hardened with the color polished off. They almost have to have the plates hardened to work for any length of time. No internal bridle you know.

[Clark Badgett]

Barrels blued from about 1780/90 on. Locks and TG left natural.

I'll bet those locks were case hardened with the color polished off. They almost have to have the plates hardened to work for any length of time. No internal bridle you know.

You are most likely correct.

[oldtravler61]

   Thanks everyone...time to put Waynes blueing method to work...

[reddogge]

I just pulled my NW trade gun out and by golly, I had rust blued the barrel, not browned. The lock was in the white but I hit it with Clorox so it's weathered looking.

[oldtravler61]

  Just Gor done finishing my trade fun using Waynes method. Only difference is I didn't do it to Wayne's perfection. Wanted it to look more used.  These guns were a well used weapon but there's nothing wrong with perfection...

[Duane Harshaw]

What is the method of blueing?

[oldtravler61]

  Duane it is in the tutorial section under metal finish. I followed Waynes method to the letter. But I got some imperfections in the finish. So I redid it two times. Not sure what caused it because I sanded the metal with 600 grit and cleaned it with acetone the first time. Second time with Birchwood Casey's cleaner rinsed and cleaned again with alcohol. Still got the weird results. So maybe it's something in the !metal make up of the barrel. In an odd way I actually like it...

[Duane Harshaw]

thanks OT