Wow! That's a beauty, and can only get better once the finish is applied!

Thanks for the votes of confidence    I have safes full of rifles that the machine work is finished, the stocks are inletted and a few have the cheek piece finished so I don't get scuffed when I shoot it, there's only a handful that have made it all the way to completion...
I'm not a huge fan of maple especially for a Hepburn but the blank was just lying around...  I'm thinking the barrel is going to finish in brown and re-color case the receiver, does anyone have a tried and true method of browning that would give this the 120 year old appearance she deserves?
Thanks.

Schoyen's barrel browning was the finest I've ever seen! Don't know what his solution was, but his barrels have the deepest dark chocolate brown finish I've ever seen!

page 261 the muzzle-loading cap lock rifle ned roberts 
1 1/2 oz Spirits of wine
1 1/2 oz tincure of steel
1/2 oz corrosive sublimate
1 1/2 oz sweet spirits of nitre
1oz vitrol 
3/4 nitric acid 

I have browned and rust blued a few barrels, but I'm no expert by any means. Whether browning or rust bluing the same solution can be used to achieve the desired color, either brown or black.

Boiling the barrel between coats of whatever you're using to rust the barrel will result in a rust blued barrel. When browning a barrel I have scrubbed it down after the final application of browning solution with very hot water and baking soda to neutralize the acid that rusts the barrel.

Like I said, I'm no expert and maybe this is all wrong but that's how my friend showed me to brown or rust blue a barrel. I just don't want anyone to spoil their browning project by boiling their barrel.

I used to use Wahkon Bay Browning Reagent for browning but I don't think it's available anymore. It was a very slow rust brown but had a very pleasing color. Track Of The Wolf used to sell it but now they offer this product that I suspect will be a good one to use.

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Forgot to mention, that's a fine looking Hepburn you have. 

JerryH

Vall, I tried some of the over the counter stuff like this I'd picked up at the Mart brothers stores and such, generally took me to  my limits on frustration.   
I have used most of Brownells bluing methods with good to great success.  I've even experimented with different methods of rust bluing and discovered a few tricks - at altitudes greater than 4000 ft. (where I'm at) I aerated the water with oxygen before boiling and the rust formed better and the bluing seemed to go deeper.  I just never pursued going for "brown"

Jerry, This is what I was looking for, someone who has time on grade with different methods and products, the soda makes sense.  Thanks for some insights.  I'm going to try Tracks, and Laurel Mountain's solution.

Chuck, I've heard about the water being too hot, experienced it bluing with oxynate #7, so thanks for that heads up.  Appreciate the info about the linseed, I remember hearing or reading about one or the other to seal it up - boiled or raw, does it make any difference? 
 
If I recall, one can wipe or paint the barrel bore with shellac and allowed to cure, it protects the bore from any rust and it's removed with acetone or xylene when all is done, saves risking the corks and stoppers coming loose.  Does anyone have first hand experience with this or was this a random thought I had and it's all gibberish?   
G

Certainly agree about the cat. Ron Long had a solution that used citric acid. Never tried it.
Interesting periscope idea. My plugs either leak or difficult to remove.
I use two or three coats of shellac on a clean bore and not so tight plugs. Remove shellac with denatured alcohol.
Chuck