Barrel Browning Question

[BBOWL10]

Hello,
If I decided to brown the barrel on a Traditions Kentucky kit can the case colored side plate and percussion lock components be browned using the same method? I don’t think it would look right to have a browned barrel and a newer looking lock/side plate. Just my personal preference.
Thanks for reading!

 

[Rifleman1776]

Your preference. I think it would look weird. But, just go ahead and brown it as you would the barrel. Just don't gunk up the moving parts.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Back when firearms of this type were made color case hardening was done for a purpose on a few parts. It wasn’t just decorative. Case on the lock is probably more correct.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Hello,
If I decided to brown the barrel on a Traditions Kentucky kit can the case colored side plate and percussion lock components be browned using the same method? I don’t think it would look right to have a browned barrel and a newer looking lock/side plate. Just my personal preference.
Thanks for reading!

Yes you may use the same method BUT as with bluing, IF the steel is sufficiently different from the barrel, your results might not match, and there is probably no way of actually getting them to match if that happens.

Back when firearms of this type were made color case hardening was done for a purpose on a few parts. It wasn’t just decorative. Case on the lock is probably more correct.

Yes on the lock was usually where it was seen, and Phil is correct that it was more of utilitarian thing. I have an old manual on a back shelf that talks about hardening soft steel plates where they have been drilled and tapped to prevent the intended bolts from pulling free and ruining the threads in the bolt holes, for example. On flintlocks pre-1800 when you see color case hardening.... it's wrong. No, it was done, but craftsmen would then polish off the color as they thought it an unsightly biproduct of the hardening.

LD

 

[ronaldrothb49]

On the original guns parts were case hardened to create a surface equal to a low carbon steel because they were made of iron which is very soft. On a modern steel part there is no reason to do that other than for decoration. I think on a modern steel part you will find that it is a fake coloring and not a real case hardening.

 

[wiscoaster]

The "case hardening" on a Traditions Kentucky is a faux finish. So it's going to wear off in time anyway. On mine, I stripped it off and then rust browned the lock to match the barrel, like the OP wants to do, and this is what it looked like afterwards:

 

[BBOWL10]

The "case hardening" on a Traditions Kentucky is a faux finish. So it's going to wear off in time anyway. On mine, I stripped it off and then rust browned the lock to match the barrel, like the OP wants to do, and this is what it looked like afterwards:
View attachment 304278

Thanks for all of the comments. I guess my thing is if you are browning a barrel to make it look old then the rest of the rifle should look old too. If you are browning because you just like the color then I guess it doesn’t matter.

 

[wiscoaster]

... I guess my thing is if you are browning a barrel to make it look old then the rest of the rifle should look old too. If you are browning because you just like the color then I guess it doesn’t matter.

You hit it dead on. It's your kit. It's your build. You do it the way you want for your own reasons, and what you end up with is your gun. Enjoy!!