The response to my first question was so great, I'll try another.
Is there a decent way to blacken brass? I tried the Birchwood Casey Brass Black on a backstrap a long time ago. It didn't seem very durable.
Is there some other, better way? It's for an Investarms Cabelas .54 Hawken Rifle.
Failing that, are there replacement iron parts available for the Buttplate, Trigger Guard, Patch Box parts, Ramrod Thimbles and Forend Cap? I suppose I could leave the patch box assembly in brass...