How bright?

[Kansas Volunteer]

How bright is armory bright? If making a longrifle to be left in the white what level of polish would be need to duplicate authentic armory bright steel?

[Clark Badgett]

Armory bright meant it wasn't browned or otherwise colored. From what I can tell it was a light dull gray. If they left the Armory bright in the new state, they would have been cleaned to the dull state in short order by troops that had only brick dust and oil to remove oxidation.

[RichG]

The smoother the metal the less rust/tarnish you'll get. I usually polish to 400 grit. Don't know how it would of been done originally.

[Dphariss]

Once in service the brightness would be determined by the Commanding Officer or Sergeants. The level on polish when new might be up to the inspector.  Somewhere I read of barrels being polished so much that in time they became too thin walled  for service.

[Clark Badgett]

Once in service the brightness would be determined by the Commanding Officer or Sergeants. The level on polish when new might be up to the inspector.  Somewhere I read of barrels being polished so much that in time they became too thin walled  for service.

Good point. I’m sure each regiment would vary depending on the quality of brick dust or tripoli the commander could procure. Here are some examples of as made muskets.
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=62266.msg624665#msg624665
https://americanlongrifles.org/forum/index.php?topic=62750.msg629235#msg629235






Images courtesy of Kent Johns from the Antique Gun Collecting sub-forum.

[Daryl]

As Dan noted, this is my understanding as well. Many were so badly "rubbed" that some barrels were rubbed/worn almost though to the bore. Some militaries issued bone or other materials for "rubbing" the barrels and furniture, but some or perhaps most soldiers used their steel ram rods as no other material would get them bright enough for some commanders.
Noted in Firearms of the American West, oft times, T-guards, butt plates etc, were bent from polishing off the muskets and were sent to the armorer because they no longer fit.

[Clark Badgett]

As Dan noted, this is my understanding as well. Many were so badly "rubbed" that some barrels were rubbed/worn almost though to the bore. Some militaries issued bone or other materials for "rubbing" the barrels and furniture, but some or perhaps most soldiers used their steel ram rods as no other material would get them bright enough for some commanders.
Noted in Firearms of the American West, oft times, T-guards, butt plates etc, were bent from polishing off the muskets and were sent to the armorer because they no longer fit.

Reminds me of something I read many years ago about an exchange that took place between a US regular soldier and one of the state soldiers during our Civil war. A column of state troops were marching towards a battle and as they passed a regiment of regulars, one of the full timers made a remark about the unkept condition of the muskets. One of the state boys hollered back that if the regulars ever got in a fight then their muskets would be filthy as well. Prior to the last part of the 20th century the standing US military was largely detested, and state militias did about 98% of the war fighting.