ontarget
Member
Hey guys, I have been looking at flintlock rifle kits and see an option for a swamped barrel. What does this mean? anyone have pictures?
swamped ??
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Busyhands94
Member
It's kinda like some shotgun barrels in how it is shaped, it points better than a straight barrel.
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A swamped barrel is ground such that it is thick at the muzzle, thins as it goes toward the center and then flares out near the breech end to the same thickness of the muzzle. The advantage is a much lighter gun (thanks to less metal). I'm told that straight barrels are more accurate though.
BCRider
Member
At least up until the point that your arms are shaking so much from the weight that all bets are off...
I've got two rifles now that have heavy straight octagonal barrels. One is the sort of thing I'll only ever shoot from a rest, prone with short crossed sticks or standing with long crossed sticks. The other is my Lyman GPR flinter that I use for my club's black powder shoots where I'm not allowed to brace against anything... incuding tucking my elbow into my rib cage. With that one my goal is to establish my sight picture and squeeze of the shot all within a few seconds before my arms give up the ghost.
A swamped barrel seems like a pretty good option after a day of hefting that big piece of iron around...
St8LineGunsmith
Member.
go to track of the wolf and look at their long rifle barrels they will have pictures of both straight octagonal barrels and swamped octagonal barrels.
Swamped barrels can be a PITA to inlet into a stock but worth the effort if you plan on doing any amount of shooting unless you are planning on shooting off of a bench.
Swamped barrels can be a PITA to inlet into a stock but worth the effort if you plan on doing any amount of shooting unless you are planning on shooting off of a bench.
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Huh?
Sorry, but that's not my experience. Octagonal barrels are no easier nor more difficult to inlet than round barrels. And why would they be 'worth the effort' for offhand shooting rather than bench shooting? That comment is very puzzling.
St8LineGunsmith
Member.
Sorry I meant swamped barrels can ba a PITA to inlet
straight octagonal brrels are just as easy to inlet as a round barrel if not easier
tapered shotgun barrels er also difficult IMO
YMMV
straight octagonal brrels are just as easy to inlet as a round barrel if not easier
tapered shotgun barrels er also difficult IMO
YMMV
Armored farmer
Member
It's my understanding that barrels were swamped(tapered) in order to keep the weight of a long barrel back in your hands.
St8LineGunsmith
Member.
that is correct
Prairie Dawg
Member
Holds like a dream though.
If you hunt with a long-barreled rifle, swamped is the only way to go, IMHO.
--Dawg
If you hunt with a long-barreled rifle, swamped is the only way to go, IMHO.
--Dawg
St8LineGunsmith
Member.
pretty much any kind of tapered barrel is going to be a tough inletting job
St8LineGunsmith
Member.
This is very true
rodinal220
Member
Armored farmer
Member
I should get some pics posted of my new .45 flinter.
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ontarget
Member
Please do. I would appreciate that.
Loyalist Dave
Member
I have both swamped and straight sided, octagonal barreled rifles. I like my 13/16ths x 42" .40 caliber with a straight barrel, but I LOVE my .54 with a swamped barrel. When given the option, even if it costs more, I'd buy swamped.
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