Barrel Surface Care

[brooktrout]

I see a great deal of time given to cleaning but have not found much in the way of how to best care for the surfaces of the wood and more importantly the barrel.  Recently saw a gun offered for sale which had "some surface wear" of the browning in a specific spot.  Claim was that it was from "handling".  OK, so it also could have been a not too well done job of browning?

So how do you best care for the barrel surface to retain the brown tone effect?

And this is probably really showing my level of knowledge but is not the "browning" just an approach to simulate age?  When a gun was made in 1790 what was the "color" of the metal in general and the barrel specifically?

[EC121]

Browning is more of a way to color the metal than to simulate age. 

[PPatch]

For the wood; Once the finish is well cured simply wipe the stock down to remove grit and powder residue then apply a coat or two of wax a few times a year. A microcrystalline wax is good.

Some wax their barrels also, I put a thin coat of gun oil on mine after each cleaning. From the posts here in ALR I have gathered that there is some controversy over what finish guns had back in the day. Some contend that guns were sold in the white and that the browning we see today is the result of natural aging, some say the browning came on the new gun - I think it was both ways as there are period advertisements stating that the gunmaker offered various finishes including a brown finish.  In any case browning is done both for the look and as a finish on metal in the sense that the metal has been pre-rusted. One has several options for treating the metal on a gun, you can leave metal in the white, fire blue it, brown, boil blue it or create a French Gray sort of finish. All of these except leaving it in the white are rusting processes which are done both for looks and as a preservative - the browning aids in preventing further, uncontrolled, rust. Some contemporary makers take the browning to an extreme in order to "age" a gun.

dp

[Daryl]

The browning of any barrel will wear if rubbed in an area for enough time. That is normal - it is expected.  Many guns are worn by the rubbing of a barrel against a bench when loading- others near the breech by cap flash or pan flash - again, normal and expected.

In this area no serious anti-rusting chemicals are needed to prevent rusting- a simple wipe down with WD40 after cleaning and drying is all that is necessary after a proper cleaning.

[Naphtali]

The best available "surface" care is Renaissance Wax, specifically designed for and used by museums to indefinitely protect pretty much all surface materials. The downside - there's always a downside - is its cost.

Hope this helps.

[jamesthomas]

 I wipe my barrel down with Barricade after a range trip. Also at the range I use a towel to lean my rifle against and one to put the buttplate down on.

[hanshi]

I've used everything from a silicone cloth to Type F (waxy) tranny fluid.  A slightly oily rag or even a dry rag can protect it.  Some people can just touch a gun and within minutes a rusting fingerprint appears; I've run across these types before.  In my case I can handle guns over and over for months and not even wipe with no corrosion.  Dripping sweat is another matter and I always wipe that (and blood, flintlocks, you know) off judiciously.

[frontier gander]

RIG-RAG

[axelp]

there are 18th C newspaper "advertisiments" of gunmakers who offered browing of barrels so it is a historical metal treatment, not just a cool way to make your gun look old.

K

[Joe S]

When a gun was made in 1790 what was the "color" of the metal in general and the barrel specifically?

Depends on the gun.  Charcoal bluing and chemical bluing and browning were all known and practiced in the late 1700’s.  Pre-1800, military guns were usually left in the white.  Civilian guns varied.

[WadePatton]

I see a great deal of time given to cleaning but have not found much in the way of how to best care for the surfaces of the wood and more importantly the barrel... 

This all depends entirely upon how you like your rifle/gun.  I am of the school that really likes the well-worn appearance/patina.  Some go to great lengths to accomplish this look.  Others prefer the gun-maker new "pristine" condition with perfect blue, brown, and/or white metal surfaces.

I accidentally banged my rifle into a solid object recently and my first thought was "WHOOPS" but right on the heels of that thought was "GREAT, natural aging in process!"

SO pick your poison.  One can go to great lengths in either direction.

For gun-maker fresh, you might pull the bbl and refinish it completely.  For "seasoned" just let it ride or patch it up, but not perfectly.  Time blends it all together.

[hanshi]

WadePatton, I'm one of those who likes his guns to look new and "pristine".  But the fact is they don't stay that way long as proven by the whack your rifle took.  I don't mind honest aging and FW&T; but cringe at whacks and dings.  Mine show a life of use.

[oldways]

I use ballistol to wipe down the barrel and lock and my stock.It cleans and protects all surfaces and doesn't leave an oily film. Also use it in the bore after cleaning to protect it from rust. Clenzoil is also a good product

[roamer]

Years age ,I figured once the barrel was browned warm it up in the hot sun and then simply rub a bees wax candle over it. The candle wax flows easy and evenly.Remove excess with fine steel wool or scotch guard pad,wala its done .NEVERlet me repeat,NEVER have any rust

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

The best available "surface" care is Renaissance Wax, specifically designed for and used by museums to indefinitely protect pretty much all surface materials. The downside - there's always a downside - is its cost.

Hope this helps.

for those that like Renaissance Wax and find it too costly, try buying it on Amazon. I just got 2 cans for the price of less than 1 can.

[thecapgunkid]

Ballistol smells like somebody was ill, WD abrades the barrel finish but prevents internal rust and moisture, I still can't read or pronounce the stuff in the labels of frozen food or gun cleaner cans and  nobody seems to object to browning ( except maybe those thirteen-stitches-to-the-inch types who linger long after nobody listens to them anymore).

One  gunmaker I have known for years uses a thin coat of Butchers wax after a thorough cleaning and his guns always look nice.

I've never seen a journal or diary where the author details cleaning his gun, so if anybody knows where one is please post.  I'd like to know what folks did back in the 1750's thru '8o's

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid

[stude283]

Thanks for the tip Micah! Big savings, especially for the 200ml size down the page.

[Hadden West]

Hey Brooktrout, I haven't seen an answer to the question, as to whether the original rifles were browned, or if that was just a condition that took place, after being around for years. I was curious about this myself.
 I use Johnson's paste wax on the wood and barrels, but all mine are well worn. In the case of a newly built rifle, I think I would ask the builder, because he would know  which browning process he used, and would be able to recommend how to maintain the finish. I would be curious to know the answer.

[Joe S]

Hey Brooktrout, I haven't seen an answer to the question, as to whether the original rifles were browned, or if that was just a condition that took place, after being around for years

Depends on the gun.  Charcoal bluing and chemical bluing and browning were all known and practiced in the late 1700’s.  Pre-1800, military guns were usually left in the white.  Civilian guns varied.

[Virginiarifleman]

When im done cleaning I coat the barrel in and out and wood with mineral oil..........works great