How do they do it question...

[Milkmaster]

I have a Browning BL22 that has gold coloring in the receiver scroll work. I doubt that it is real gold inlay for a mass produced rifle of this value. I have been searching online with no luck to see how that gold coloring is done on this and/or other mass produced firearms. Anyone know how it is accomplished?

 

[FROGO207]

Would assume it is electroplated on. Paint/dip the entire receiver after bluing, laser etch coating away to raw steel and plate. Remove coating and assemble. Simllar to making a printed circut board.

 

[gunlaw]

That’s Purty.

 

[chicharrones]

If that engraving is really a roll mark, I'd guess gold colored paint was filled in and the excess wiped off.

My Marlin 39AS came from the factory with gold paint in the roll mark on the barrel for the words "Original Golden 39AS". Which has long ago disappeared due to oils and such.

 

[Dudedog]

Trigger appears to be gold could be real gold in the engraving.
Something to remember is gold can be made really thin so the amount of gold to fill the engraving would really not cost that much.
Not and industrial guy or engineer, but it might be possible to put a gold sheet on the side of the receiver then roll mark the engraving thru the sheet depositing the gold when the engraving is created.
I would be curious to find out if it is real gold and how they did it..

I would be tempted to email Browning and ask Customer service those questions, might get an answer, and you might not, but all you have wasted is an email.

 

[Tommygunn]

I have a BL-22 with engraving like that, but it's not gold inlaid. That's nice. A bit garish perhaps. Probably done like FROGO207 said.

 

[jmr40]

It is probably real gold. They can get it so thin that there is very little gold used. The GA state capital dome is covered in gold. There is only about 2 1/2 lbs used to cover this.

 

[DustyGmt]

It is probably real gold. They can get it so thin that there is very little gold used. The GA state capital dome is covered in gold. There is only about 2 1/2 lbs used to cover this.

View attachment 981075

One oz of gold can be made to stretch into a 5 micron wire 50 miles in length. They just redomed the VT capitol dome in montpelier

 

[Milkmaster]

Trigger appears to be gold could be real gold in the engraving.
Something to remember is gold can be made really thin so the about of gold to fill the engraving would really not cost that much.
Not and industrial guy or engineer, but it might be possible to put a gold sheet on the side of the receiver then roll mark the engraving thru the sheet depositing the gold when the engraving is created.
I would be curious to find out if it is real gold and how they did it..

I would be tempted to email Browning and ask Customer service those questions, might get an answer, and you might not, but all you have wasted is an email.

Maybe I will ask Browning. I found out the hard way that the trigger is actually plastic! I never knew that until the gold finish came off it and then I replaced it. Both the original and the new trigger are plastic. Oh well...they do work never the less.

 

[CapnMac]

Old technique was to put a layer of gold leaf (whisper-thin--0.1µm/4-5 millionths inch--high karat gold sheets) over the surface and then use a stamp or roll-mark to compress the gold (typ. 22kt) into the engraving.
The flat surfaces can then be polished to leave gold in the engraved lines.

The excess can be wadded up and collected and resold.

Plastic items can be given a gloss lacquer finish, then a metallic paint applied electrolytically, then given another gloss clear coat.

There may be improved ways to achieve the effect now.

 

[Steel Horse Rider]

Brass electroplating?

 

[Larry Ashcraft]

Easy. Gold Rub-n-Buff from Hobby Lobby. I've used it on hundreds of laser engraved plaques.

 

[Hartkopf]

I was thinking laser engraving then add gold. Or possibly some new chemical reaction techniques while laser engraving that leaves (pun) a gold color.

 

[gyp_c2]

Seems like I remember Browning advertised gold triggers way back when.

 

[tarosean]

Gold leaf is extremely cheap.. so cheap that its in foods and beverages.

 

[CapnMac]

Brass electroplating?

Gives an excellent result, but over the entirely of the metal object.

The really old-fashioned way was to actually press high-karat gold wire into engraved grooves in the target object. The engraving wanted an under-cut to pinch the precious metal into place. This stopped being very common in the 19th Century.