I don't know if this color will help but what I did was sand down about 3/4 of the red and went over with EBONY minwax #2718 and I love the way it looks
For some cheap steal plates just go a walk around your local RR tracks and you will find 6" by 10" steal plates that were used under the tracks and where ether replaced or just slid out from the wood rotting away. they are very heavy and will hold up to you 22 all day long. I have gone 2 times to try and find some and have found them just laying in the rocks near the tracks within five minutes.