To blue or not to blue? 1750 English rifle

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

OK were they always bright or did they blue the steel in England mid 18th century.......??

The Walnut is going to be pretty dark so blue would look nice, but so would bright......
So what is historicallybest??

[keweenaw]

By the late 1700's the iron mounts would have been charcoal blued, the lock case hardened and the barrel browned but shiny with no pitting.  There is some debate about the dates that browning started, 1750 is a bit early.  If it were mine I might do a rust blue on the barrel along with the case hardening of the lock and charcoal bluing of the mounts.  But I may be wrong.

Tom

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

The pictures I have seen from museums and collections seem to that they might have been left bright, but I really can't tell much.

[J. Talbert]

This one has a browned barrel, color casehardened lock, breech, and trigger plate, and Mark Lee Express blue trigger guard, butt plate and entry thimble.
I was quite happy with the result.









Note: The splotchy color of the brown in the last picture is the result of a foam lined case and the oil on the barrel, the color is really quite uniform.

Jeff

PS : Engraving by Ron Ehlert

[Joey R]

Jeff, That is one beautiful rifle. Mike and I used Mark Lee's express blue on my Turvey English sporting rifle and we were quite pleased.

[Dr. Tim-Boone]

That is a beauty Jeff.  I have some Vann's blue an dlike it a lot.  My question is only how a 1750 English rifle would have been treated?   Bright or blue.  I am pretty certain they did not use brown at that date.  But hey I have been known to be wrong.  Somebody must have some originals or some good pictures?

[James Rogers]

Fire blue it or leave it bright 

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

Tim, I would not hesitate to brown the barrel, but as said, polished without the matte roughness.  Butt plate and guard, and perhaps the entry pipe, rust blued.  Trigger and plate, all screws, escutcheon plates and key, and lock, case hardened.

...gorgeous, Jeff!