422 lewis' AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



"Muriatic tincture of steel si; 

 Spirits of wine oi ; 

 Muriate of mercury 3ii ; 

 Nitric acid (strong) 5ij ; 

 Blue stone 3i 5 

 Water Oii. 



"These ingredients, being thoroughly incorporated, are al- 

 lowed to stand a month before using; the barrels are then 

 freed of all oil or grease by the aid of lime, and tlie mixture 

 laid on lightly with a sponge every two hours, and scratched 

 off with a steel wire brush every morning until the barrels are 

 dark enough, and then the acid is destroyed by pouring on the 

 barrels boiling hot water, and continuing to rub them until 

 nearly cold." 



The above method is the plan recommended by Greener for 

 staining the best barrels; but inferior weapons are also stained, 

 by cunning artists, to make them resemble as far as possible 

 those of a superior qualit}^, and in most instances they succeed 

 to perfection in deceiving those that are unacquainted with the 

 tricks of the trade. 



The only kind of staining in which there is no deception, and 

 of which there is no counterfeiting, is that termed "smoke 

 brown," as no barrel forged of common metal can receive this 

 peculiar stain, owing to the chemical affinities that exist, or are 

 brought into action during the process. 



Under this head, Greener remarks: "The only method in 

 which there is no deception, is the smoke brown or stain; and, 

 plainly speaking, this and no other is the reason the Gunmakers 

 condemn it. As the acid is decidedly weaker, and of course 

 least liable to impart injury to the iron, by it no barrel can be 

 browned to look well and line but the best; or, in other words, 

 none save those possessing steel in their composition. Persons 

 so much in the habit of using or passing off as stub-twist, char- 

 coal iron barrels, of course find by it a complete stop put to their 

 impositions; hence their eagerness to cry it down. But let 

 Sportsmen only insist on having no other, and they will do more 

 to improve the make of guns than all I can write. 



" The method of staining is this : The barrels are anointed 



