Ladies and gentlemen – what tips do you have for cleaning the EXTERIOR of your brown bess to keep it looking new or return it to its best appearance. Try as I might my brass and steel just look like exactly what they are – well used. I have not used any abrassives – only hot water, oil and soft cloths to date. If anyone is willing to share their best cleaning techniques, I would be happy to hear them!
polish the brass and steel. If the steel is blued or browned, remove it and apply a new finish to it. You can only do so much cleaning of trim before you will have to polish it with some kind of polishing compound.
Does it function well? If so, I'd leave it as well used and keep on using it.
The originals were left bright, as far as I know, and the "Brown" was the natural patina from the rust being polished off. For me, the best look would be what you have now, assuming there's no pitting.
If you want the brand new shiny look, get some brass polish and try some Simichrome or a similar product for the steel. I wouldn't do it, but it ain't my gun.
I was a re-ennactor for a bunch of years (Black Watch Highlander) and carried a Pedersoli Bess. The only maintenance I did to the steel parts was to try to stay ahead of the rust with ultra-fine 3M Scotchbrite pads and/or 0000 steel wool. The barrel and lock eventually took on a kind of polished semi-bright patina that was pleasing to my eye. The brass I didn't touch with polish or abrasives. I preferred the soft luster of well handled brass. Since I portrayed a campaigning soldier I didn't want a showroom perfect musket.
One of my buddies carried things to an extreme. He insisted on using finely ground brick dust on a rag to polish with (as per period recommendations), and utilized animal lard from the skillet as a "rust preventive". (No salt in cooking grease, d'oh!!) We labeled his gun "the 'Rus(t)ket'" instead of "musket".