Browning a barrel for the first time.

I got a Lyman Plains Pistol Kit for Christmas and I'm to to the point where I'm browning the steel parts. I'm using Birchwood Casey browning solution which requires heating the steel to 275 before applying the solution. I'm using a toaster oven (without my wife's knowledge) as a heat source. I'm having a problem getting an even looking finish. I'd like a nice, even dark brown, but there are streaks and spots that just look like rust. Honestly, for all I know that's how it's supposed to look, but I'm not sure. Am I doing something wrong? Perhaps using too much solution on each coat?

Just heat it until a drop of water sprits off and drys.
Overheating can cause a rough finish in spots as well as not completely decreased and polished.
Use a long even sweep with a cotton ball held with a clothes pin or forceps.

Doco Overboard said:

Just heat it until a drop of water sprits off and drys.
Overheating can cause a rough finish in spots as well as not completely decreased and polished.
Use a long even sweep with a cotton ball held with a clothes pin or forceps.

Click to expand...

This ^^^^^

I have use Birchwood Casey with a hand torch on rifle barrels and it does really well. The most important thing is to get the barrel totally oil free. I use oven cleaner two times and then a real hot rinse. Card it between coats and it will be nice and smooth.

Boiling longer barrels and then plugging them with the boiling water still inside will help maintain an even temperature. Then use a torch without the flame hitting the metal. Throwing a tablespoon of washing soda into the boil on small parts prior to finishing will remove the oil and contaminants that have been missed inside of screw holes slots and milled out re-cesse's. I have always used Birchwood Casey products for an express brown because it works well and is easy to use.
Im getting ready to do a Krag re-pop barrel once it arrives from the cmp. Im going to use distilled water mixed with a couple of tablespoons of table salt. Only this time the bore will need to be greased and plugged, boiled and then swabbed with the mixture, left to rust and then carded off, then again as necessary to get a decent antique finish. Probably should just blue it but what the hell.
The mixture used in US armories was; 1 1/2oz of grain alcohol, 1 1/2 oz. of tincture of ferric chloride, 1/2 oz. mercuric chloride, 1 1/2 oz. ethyl nitrate, 1 oz. copper sulfate 3/4 oz. nitric acid.
Laurel Mtn. brown works good too. For a Rough finish, ( like overheated BC plum brown) just apply it to a plugged oiled bore and let it work. Then again with a damp second coat so you dont remove the first coat, until finish is satisfactory. (Could be many coats here) Do not boil or the metal will be blackened. Scrub off when done with tap water and dissolved lye then wax with Min-wax furniture polish when done.
Browning parts is good for the hobby bubba work that I do for myself, the metal prep can be mostly done by hand without expensive equipment and the results are easier to get if you blow a part of the process.
The Laurel mtn. way is good for de-farbing Bp pistols to get rid of the pimp look they have when new.

Toaster ovens are terrible at making even, consistent heat, and the heat ranges are often wrong.