So I am looking for your opinions on coloring the barrel on a Kibler SMR. Finally I’ve gotten around to building one of four I purchased. This one is a 36 caliber with curly maple stock. I used what Jim seems to prefer on curly maple iron nitrate for me that was a pretty easy way to go. I applied a few coats of the laurel mountain sealer and will top coat it with the Laurel Permalyn Gun Stock finish when it gets here. It needs some luster I think. So my question is this; is a browned barrel appropriate for an SMR? My 45 in walnut and all metals were done with bluing I purchased from one of the forum members . Looks nice but it is not the most durable bluing finish if there is such a thing. Browning I think holds up better for what I’m capable of. Or being it’s an SMR with the rest of the hardware blued would it be an odd combination? Or maybe try the rust blue which I have not seen in person using the barrel brown solution? Rust Bluing. I’m in no rush. Thanks in advance!
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SMR common barrel color
- Thread starter Joemolf
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64Springer
75 Cal.
Search the internet and look at the thousands of different stock color and barrel color combinations that are out there.
Then pic a combination that YOU like.
Then pic a combination that YOU like.
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Your probably going to get a lot yays & nays on browning. The Kibler SMR is representative of a late, first quarter, 19th century rifle. You can find examples of browning then and a hundred years previous, but how wide spread it was I'm not sure anyone really knows. its my opinion that most SMRs would have been left in the white or fire blued.
Uncle Miltie
50 Cal.
Many original mountain rifles were not browned or blued at all: left in the white where they colored naturally. Some even had the forging scale left on the barrel.
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Most were left bright then darkened pretty quickly with age and use.
one pretty easy original method of finishing steel is with bees wax and linseed oil.
The steel doens’t need to be heated too hot only around 275-400, which can be done rather easily with a propane torch.
https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-blacken-steel-with-beeswax-at-home/
one pretty easy original method of finishing steel is with bees wax and linseed oil.
The steel doens’t need to be heated too hot only around 275-400, which can be done rather easily with a propane torch.
https://makeitfrommetal.com/how-to-blacken-steel-with-beeswax-at-home/
Rust blue is vastly more durable than cold blue or fire blue and involves two steps more than browning. First brown it, then boil in distilled water (1st additional step) for a few minutes and then rub the loose debris off the metal (second additional step) lightly with degreased OOOO steel wool or pretty firmly with some coarse cloth like denim. Like browning you will need or want to do a the process a few times. Unless you are pretty skilled in rust blue and have the tools and techniques down it won’t be blue, it will be much more black than blue and low luster. It is what I would do, you can rub it back with steel wool to get a worn finish if that’s what you are wanting, and it will still be a ton more durable than cold blue/blackened finishes that a lot of people use.
Hatchet-Jack
54 Cal.
The general consensus is prior to the Revolutionary war barrels were left in the white or charcoal blued. Smiths started browning barrels during the later 18th century. So browning a southern mountain rifle made in the 1820s would also be appropriate.
If you're really interested in rust bluing on the cheap check this out. This is a lot about restoration but can be used for general rust bluing.
Thank you all for the great comments and recommendations! I’m the anxious type so I went ahead and used the Brownells bluing solution. I just draw filed it and applied two coats. I didn’t sand it further it looked really nice draw filed and took the blue well. I’m going to apply another coat or two after I pick up some coarser wool. All in all it looks pretty good. Just got to get a couple of finishing coats on the stock (in the mail). The iron nitrate finish really worked out well. My son was impressed he’s a modern unmentionable guy but after I got it all pinned together he was quite impressed. Hats off I think is a given to all that build from scratch! This kit is a beauty Jim Kimbler really deserves much applaud. Mostly im happy I went with the iron nitrate on the stock it looks like the real deal.
Cheers!
Joe
Cheers!
Joe
i used jax black on mine and rubbed it back to a grey.
Jax Black is the stuff Jim Kimbler sells. I have a bottle but it says for brass nothing about steel. After I already applied the oxpho blue I bothered Jim and company on a different subject and asked about it. They said yes you can use it on everything. So for the future how did it hold up. I’ve touched up my other SMR with the oxpho blue which is really very easy
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The Jax Black is confusing since it does not mention steel, but it’s what I use and what Jim Kibler recommends for locks and barrels. Even more confusing is that Jax makes a named steel bluing product but evidently Jim doesn’t like it.
What was done originally is pretty much a guess as most all of these guns were heavily used and retain little to no original finish. I would choose any period appropriate finish that you like.
As to the Jax products, we use them just to create a grayish "patina" on the steel parts. I typically rub areas back and leave other areas darker. We experimented and preferred the appearance of the Jax brass black on steel parts. It was a little less harsh than their product for steel or iron.
Jim
As to the Jax products, we use them just to create a grayish "patina" on the steel parts. I typically rub areas back and leave other areas darker. We experimented and preferred the appearance of the Jax brass black on steel parts. It was a little less harsh than their product for steel or iron.
Jim
Thanks TDM maybe I’ll sneak in another question. I have the SMR all apart sitting here waiting for the UPS man to deliver the Permalyn top coat. I was also going to slot the pin holes as recommended by my little over priced coping saw blades did make a mark in the tabs. Holes are 1/16 approximately Jim provides a slightly larger bit for opening the after using his shop aid. Any I guess I just drill the tabs can I get away with one hole along with the original hole or do I actually need a slot so the barrel can move forward and aft in the stock. Is it even necessary for a 36 caliber smr
Thanks Jim
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Yes, the tenons do need slotting. I use a jewelers saw. It’s a pain in the neck in my opinion, but a necessary pain in neck. I don’t make long slots, maybe just over 1/16” either side.
Thanks TDM
kansas_volunteer
45 Cal.
Steel lengthens 1/10th of an inch per foot when red hot. I don't know the expansion of a hot blackpowder arm, but the barrels don't change color so the temp is low. A sixteenth of an inch slotting ought to be more than enough.
