Are Antique Browned Barrels Less Valuable?

[Snakejaw_Joe]

It's always been my understanding that barrel browning was a process done in the earlier days of firearms, as a predecessor to bluing. I've found some old recipes from British arms books ca early 1800s that specified use of Nitric acid and Copper Sulfate in specific ratios along with a few other chemicals to brown musket barrels. I have recreated these recipes in my lab and browned a few sets of barrels with it myself and the results look great after burnishing. Here's an example of the brown finish on my coach sxs gun barrel:

 

 

It was my understanding that in the mid 18th century, bluing started being done by steaming the browned barrels, converting the specific brown oxide to a black oxide. But on certain guns I really like the old world chocolate brown look.

 

I came across this video by Larry from Midway USA, and at timecode 00:20 seconds in he says, 'collectors would call this an 'old brown gun', as all of the original finish has turned brown, and not much collector's value remains'.

 

 

This is confusing to me. Would a firearm with a traditionally browned finish be considered less valuable? Or is he just referring to guns that lost their bluing entirely and succumbed to rust?

 

At timecode 03:59 it kind of looks more like the barrel lost its bluing and rusted over... instead of the rich even chocolate brown you get with a browning treatment, there is a lot of red and brown speckling/variation that suggests the barrel is just surface rusted.

 

But do we call rusted barrels 'browned' now? And how would we refer to a traditionally and properly browned barrel, if not also 'browned', without diminishing its value to being in the same category as rusty barrels?

 

[largo casey #19191]

I am working on a 76 in 40/60 .I have a new barrel ordered & gonna try to brown it to match the reciever.

I have some plum brown to use.Im hoping I can match up to the reciever.I like the antique finnish on my Cowboy Guns.

                                                                                                                                                                                                              Largo

[Joke 'um]

Collector value is generally based, among other factors, on the amount of original finish remaining.  If the gun was originally brown, but later blued, much value would be lost because no original finish is left.  The same is true for originally blued guns that have rusted away the original finish.

There are any number of MilSurp guns that were bought cheap in the 50's or 60's and buffed down and nickel plated.  Trying to convince a proud owner that his pride and joy is worth less than the 40% pitted one on the table is always a sad chore.

The key is "original".

[Seamus McGillicuddy]

I believe that in the video Larry is referring to the brown or plum patina color many old blued guns develop over time. I love my antiques with the plum look. 
 

Seamus

[Snakejaw_Joe]

9 hours ago, Joke 'um said:

Collector value is generally based, among other factors, on the amount of original finish remaining.  If the gun was originally brown, but later blued, much value would be lost because no original finish is left.  The same is true for originally blued guns that have rusted away the original finish.

There are any number of MilSurp guns that were bought cheap in the 50's or 60's and buffed down and nickel plated.  Trying to convince a proud owner that his pride and joy is worth less than the 40% pitted one on the table is always a sad chore.

The key is "original".

 

That makes a lot of sense.

 

Basically, an Enfield that was factory browned, should stay browned. A 1873 that was factory blued should stay blued. If the blue wears off and starts to rust, it would appear 'brown' even though not 'browned', and is less desirable than one that retained the original blue, but more desirable than one thats been Cerakoted lol

 

[El CupAJoe]

I too love the color of my 1900's Crescent SxS, I'm pretty sure the browning was the original finish, but either way I think it's awesome just for the fact that you don't get guns that way these days.  My friend left me his CVA kit 1860 Army when he passed away and he was never able to get the bluing to take on the barrel.  I really like the patina it has developed and he's not around to complain anymore, so I am inclined to leave it like it is.  

 

In terms of value, I got my antique SxS for $200 shipped and transferred back in '14, but it was a bottom of the line hardware store gun to start out, so the fact that it's still shooting is it's main value.