Brownig

[Tad Houston]

How much Laurel Mountian Forge browning will i need for my GPR? Looks like they sell it in 2 oz. bottles.  Thanks

[flintlock]

Tad...One bottle will do an entire barrel...just make sure you degrease
barrel first...I usually use cotton swabs held with an old pair of needle
nose pliars to swab down...Good luck...flintlock

[Tad Houston]

Should i get two bottles then- one for the barrel and one for the rest of the metal parts?

[swecology]

Tad,

I just completed mine over winter break.  

One bottle will do.  I was very liberal with the solution and the time permitted, and had more than enough left over to do another project.  

FYI - make sure you card it very well.  You will get a better finish.  Also, when you finally wax the barrel, use pure beeswax.  It's very durable.

Matt

[Tad Houston]

Sounds good, also should i leave the grease on the inside of the barrel to keep rust from forming in there? Goes against my grain to put the barrel in a humid enviroment to rust it!  Thanks again-Tad :-)

[swecology]

Tad,

A 2 oz. bottle should do it.  I would go ahead and grease the inside of the barrel too.  Use a non-petroleum lube, like Track of the Wolf's Mink Oil or TC's Bore Butter.  I didn't, and used Break Free instead (not knowing any better) and had a hell of a tarry mess after three shots.  

One other thing.  Go to the drugstore and get some latex gloves.  LMF's Barrel Brown will stain your fingers.  The gloves prevent this, and also help to keep stray finger prints off of your work.  It was worth the five bucks.

Matt

[KING]

DONT FORGET TO PLUG THE BBL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.  I would also grease the inside very well and also plug it.  A sweat box for a warm temp is easily made with a 40 watter and some scrap lumber.  Thermometer for good temp control also.  The most important thing is to make sure everything that is going to get browned is degreased.........After doing it......do it again,then go over it with hot water (boiling) out of a teakettle.  Proper degreasing will make for a much better job..................stay safe.King

[1860]

Just get one bottle, if you run low you can have mine ..

Have any of you had good results with Laurel mountain?  I tried it on my last gun and was dissapointed.  No matter what I tried, cold, warm, Hot metal, it came out a little on the copper colored side.  After a few tries I started all over with  Birchwood Casey and it came out great.  Just wondering what I did wrong or is L/Mtn. the trouble.

Thanks
1860

[Tad Houston]

Well, i finished the GPR. The browning turned out really nice. Like 1860 said it turned a funny green copper color, but i kept going, following instructions, and the brown turned out nice. At least i think it did, i have nothing to compare it to. The rifle does look very handsome though, i wish i knew how to post a picture of it here. Now i just need to find time to shoot it! Thank you to all who have given advice on this project.

[HWooldridge]

I have not used Laurel Mountain but have used Birchwood Casey Plum Brown a great deal.  A little judicious heat (propane torch) helps the solution bite.  I use an oxy-acetylene torch for heat but don't recommend it unless you are very careful and watch what you are doing.  Wear rubber gloves and use an old cotton T-Shirt for swab material.  I oil the bore but do not plug the barrel since I'm using heat.  Degrease the outside of the barrel, then heat to a "spit sizzle" and swab it on.  Continue swabbing until no more sizzle and then repeat the process until you get the desired brown consistently over the whole barrel.  Wipe clean and lightly scrub with fine steel wool soaked in WD40.  The next day, it will often show fresh rust in places but simply do the steel wool trick again until the active rust stops.  You can get a color from light brown to almost black using this method.  My barrels usually look like dark chocolate and shoot just as sweet...