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Thinking about a New Barrel...

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TKelly

40 Cal.
Joined
Nov 26, 2010
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I'm thinking of getting a new barrel for the ole traditional ML.

I'd like to get a high blue polish on the new one.

You guys got any advice?

Thanx
 
The barrel will replace an 1861 Springfield .58 caliber, 40" long barrel.

1861 Percussion muzzleloader
 
Is the bore damaged? Did someone forget to clean it and it is rusted out? If the bore is in bad shape then you may have to replace the barrel, otherwise there is no reason to replace it. While the original M1861 Rifle Musket was issued and used throughout it's military service with a bright (burnished) barrel, it sounds like you may just want a blue barrel so take it to a good gunsmith and have him polish and blue it. New barrels only come in the white, no one offers them blued. You will have to have someone blue it.
 
Is it an original or a repro? Whitacre's machine shop sells new made barrels to fit original rifle muskets. I don't know if they would blue it though, as stated the originals were never blued, if not you would have to have it done elswhere. With sights included you would be looking at over $400 dollars before bluing, they are excellent barrels though.
 
KodiakHunter said:
I'm thinking of getting a new barrel for the ole traditional ML.

I'd like to get a high blue polish on the new one.

You guys got any advice?

Thanx

I had the good fortune (or was it misfortune!) to work for a top gunsmith while I was in high school so many years ago. The misfortune part comes in when trying to match his results at home without lathes, milling machines, buffing wheels and hot-dip bluing tanks. It's tough, if not impossible.

That high polish is done with a bench mounted buffing wheel and successively finer applications of rouge. I have never been able to match it using any other means. The closest I've come to hot dip bluing is "rust" bluing done with Laurel Mountain Forge browning solution. Directions are a sticky at the start of the Gun Building here on the site. It's a gorgeous finish, but distinctly "blacker" than blue.

Long and short, the best thing to do would be to deliver the barrel to a good gunsmith for polishing and bluing.
 
I'll reply, kodiak!
I think you answered your own question. But in my vast experience :rotf: , it seems that brown, blue, or in the white are a matter of personal choice. If you listen to gunsmiths,(ml of course) you will get varied responses. I, too, did the cf gunsmithing thing years ago, and making guns in this time period are totally different than it was then.
I wish I still had my bluing tanks, I'd help you out.
I wish you the best in your decision. :yakyak:
 
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