Purpose of Ventilation Rib?

[BruceRDucer]

Is the Ventilation Rib just a sighting platform, and lacking in other purpose?


By the way, web searches produce no info on the invention, purpose, and so forth./
/

 

[haole_boySS]

AFAIK yes, its just a sighting platform with no other purpose.

 

[ZeSpectre]

I have been told (though I have no confirmation of this) that it was also designed to reduce "heat shimmer" along the barrel to improve sighting.

 

[Black Majik]

I seem to remember it also helping aleviate the mirage from a hot barrel/hot day.

 

[ImARugerFan]

Yeah, it's meant to disperse the heat, however I find it to be an excellent sight aid. I hate wing shooting without a rib.

 

[Eric-WA]

Don't know if it would help with your web searches, but the more common term is ventilated barrel as opposed to ventilation barrel.

Happy hunting

 

[Jorg Nysgerrig]

Searching on the proper term seems to reveal a few things:
http://www.hallowellco.com/ventilated_rib.htm
http://www.midwayusa.com/guntecdictionary.exe/termlisting?TermID=5100
http://www.simmonsguns.com/services.html

 

[mswestfall]

A raised rib is a sighting platform.

Raising the rib does help decrease distortion from heat waves.

A raised rib can also change the point of impact verses the point of aim. If you look at the rib of a Trap gun it will generally be closer to the barrel at the muzzle than it is at the chamber. Shot impacts higher on the target as you increase this angle. You see this expressed as 50/50, 60/40, 70/30, etc. This refers to the percentage of shot above the point of aim verses the percentage of shot below the point of aim.

A Field Gun usually shoots "flat"; 50/50. (This is also affected by the angle of the stock relative to the barrel.) Rising bird sports (Trap) generally use a gun with more angle in the rib verses barrel. This puts more shot above the point of aim; 60/40 or 70/30. This is done so you can see the bird above the barrel when you shoot.

Some guns have adjustable ribs so you can decide where you want it to impact verses where you aim.

 

[Loomis]

On a pistol, a raised rib is for looks and to jack up the price.

 

[ArmedBear]

BTW there are solid ribs, also.

I've gotten serious mirage on an old solid rib side-by-side. However, I have not had the problem on an old 1100 without any rib at all, just a round barrel and a bead on a post.

The rib is there to draw your eye to the right spot -- subconsciously. If I "sight" a shotgun, I miss. I have to focus on the moving target; the rib helps naturally point the gun by letting my peripheral vision pick up the barrel (sort of backwards of a rifle, where you focus on the sight and pick up the target).

The ventilation is to keep higher ribs light, and to help prevent mirage. (Also, per mswestfall above, raised ribs serve the further purpose of allowing the manufacturer, and sometimes the shooter, to adjust the point of impact).

 

[Bozo]

Many years ago during my dove hunting days we always referred to the vent rib barrels as air conditioned. Not only did it help in the site plane but it aided in the heat and humidity of the middle of the day and besides, a belgium browning auto was just plain cool with a vent rib barrel.

 

[ArmedBear]

The only downside to the things when hunting is that you can get all sorts of crud (dust, dirt, pollen, foxtails, twigs, mud, etc.) under the rib, and it can be a PITA to clean it out.

 

[Crazy Fingers]

I like a regular round barrel top, but you can't always have what you like. For me anyways, it seems like the less crap on there, the better. I am thinking about taking my single shot and doing away with the bead all together.