1½ oz. of Spirits of wine,
1½ oz. Tincture of steel,
½ oz. of Corrosive sublimate,
1½ oz. of Sweet spirit of Nitre,
1 oz. of Blue vitriol,
¾ oz. of Nitric acid.
are to be mixed and dissolved in one quart of soft water.
Previous to commencing the operation of browning, it is necessary that the barrel should be made quite bright with emery or a fine smooth file (but not burnished), after which it must be carefully cleaned from all greasiness; a small quantity of pounded lime rubbed well over every part of the barrel is best for this purpose: a plug of wood is then to be put into the nose of the barrel, and the mixture applied to every part with a clean sponge or rag. The barrel is then to be exposed to the air for twenty-four hours; after which it is to be well rubbed over with a Steel scratch-card or Scratch-brush, until the rust is entirely removed; the mixture may then be applied again, as before, and in a few hours the barrel will be sufficiently corroded for the operation of scratch-brushing to be repeated. The same process of scratching off the rust and applying the mixture is to be repeated twice or three times a day for four or five days, by which the barrel will be made of a very dark-brown colour.
When the barrel is sufficiently brown, and the rust has been carefully removed from every part, about a quart of boiling water should be poured over every part of the barrel, in order that the action of the acid mixture upon the barrel may be destroyed, and the rust thereby prevented from rising again. The barrel, when cold, should afterwards be rubbed over with linseed oil, or common oil. It is particularly directed that the use of the hard hair-brush be discontinued in browning, and the steel scratch-card or scratch-brush used in place of it, otherwise the browning will not be durable, nor have a good appearance. The browning mixture must be kept in glass bottles, as it will soon lose its virtue if kept in earthenware.
The locks are on no account to be made of the hardening colour, as the repetition of the operation of hardening has a very injurious tendency.
PERCUSSION FIRELOCKS.
Muskets with Percussion locks require to be carefully handled, to prevent the cocks being made loose, by which their direct fall on the nipples would be rendered uncertain.
They will, at all times, when unloaded, be used with the cocks down upon the nipples; but, when they are loaded, the caps, or primers, will be put on, and the muskets carried at half-cock for safety, there being then less risk of accidental explosion than with the cocks resting on the caps.
When marching with the cap on, the cock will be brought up under the arm-pit, the sling resting on the arm; but at other times the firelock may be carried with the barrel downwards, the right hand grasping the piece between the loop and swell; and the left the right arm just below the elbow.