Browning or Blueing

[northmn]

I am is the process of making an English inspired halfstock based on pictures I have seen on this site.  They were B&W.  I often fire blue iron parts such as thimbles, BP's and guards but have browned barrels.  I was wondering about bluing or browning barrels.  Most longrifles are seen browned, but I understand some have been blued.  Were the English guns browned or blued?  How about other styles like the Southern models?

DP

[jerrywh]

All the english guns were browned. I have never seen an exception.

[Pete Allan]

The originals I have seen had a very smooth lighter colored brown -- not the dark frosty brown I see on most modern made long rifles. To me what really stands out on English guns was the high quallity color case hardening in combination with the lighter colored browning.
Lets see pictures when it's finished.

[B Shipman]

This English browning is done by building up a slight brown and polishing it back using a very fine polishing wheel. Mine I got from Brownell's. It's called the baby's bun. This is done over and over until you get this translucent brown. Basically a shiny brown. Very time consuming. I got this from Mark Silver.

[California Kid]

How early of a gun is browning appropriate for, 1750 ? I know you guys are talking about a later half - stock gun, but was this process used on 1760 and earlier guns? Finished bright, blued, or what.

[jerrywh]

  I know they were browning them in 1765. before that it gets controversial. It has been argued for all my adult lifetime.  since I don't think anybody knows for sure I guess you could stretch it some more.
 They were fire blued probably as long as they made guns with stocks because they were fire bluing swords before guns were around. In the beginning it was the sword Bluer's who blued the guns in England. Gunsmiths didn't do it normally because it was a guild thing. The Bluer's did it. Just as all the silver mounts were done by the silversmiths and the engraving was done by professional engravers.
  I believe the engravers were in the goldsmiths guild. 

[northmn]

Appreciate the replies.  I call my work English inspired because I do not pretend to be able to meet their quality.  Doesn't mean I am going to slap things together, just know my limitations.  Heck I have only checkered one gun.  Sounds like they may have browned the barrel but case hardened other parts?

DP

[jerrywh]

Northmn.
  Evrything except the barrel was case hardened. Even the butt plate and trigger guard, unless they were silver.