Barrel wedge taboo?

[longshot47]

Why are barrel wedges so rarely seen on smoothbores? [Bioprof's 3/15 post -this forum- is probably the first my novice eye has noticed] Factor out the banded military type stuff and think to the fusils and fowlers.
I'm conjuring up something akin to a colonial fowler and I like the idea [convenience] of barrel wedges. Is there a 'legitimate' precedent, -or maybe an architectural prohibition for such a piece?
~Longshot

 

[Swampman]

There's no need to remove the barrel except for major repairs or refinishing the gun. Wedges are unnecessary.

 

[Mike Brooks]

Because they are a pain in the Buttocks to put in. :cursing:
I build english fowlers with barrel keys and hooked breeches on occasion, but it's an expensive option as it is so labor intensive.

 

[musketman]

Why are barrel wedges so rarely seen on smoothbores?

It seems to me that the wedge is more so associated with hooked breeches, so this is why they don't appear commonplace on smoothbores outside the occasional double barrel...

 

[Mike Brooks]

Why are barrel wedges so rarely seen on smoothbores?

It seems to me that the wedge is more so associated with hooked breeches, so this is why they don't appear commonplace on smoothbores outside the occasional double barrel...

They are actually quite common on english made single barrel fowling pieces of higher quality too. Most export and trade quality english guns were pinned.

 

[Harddog]

Wedges were not very common early on, but they were used on some smoothbores and early rifles even without hooked breeches. Usualy the wedges you see used on early American made rifles and smoothbores do not have any escutcheons around the wedge slots.

Randy Hedden

 

[Stophel]

Here's a hook breech German bird gun from around 1760 with a wedge. (my other earlier German half stock gun has the barrel pinned, but it is not hook-breeched)

 

[longshot47]

Why are barrel wedges so rarely seen on smoothbores?

It seems to me that the wedge is more so associated with hooked breeches, so this is why they don't appear commonplace on smoothbores outside the occasional double barrel...

They are actually quite common on english made single barrel fowling pieces of higher quality too. Most export and trade quality english guns were pinned.

'High quality', 'english' lineage is where I'm headed, -glad to know I'm not runnin purely on imagination.
My thanx to all who replied, with special mention to Mike 'Obe Juan Kanobe" Brooks and the Musketman :thumbsup:
~Longshot

 

[AZ-Robert]

Here's a hook breech German bird gun from around 1760 with a wedge.

Thanks for that! I didn't realize the hooked breech had been around that long. Commonplace in mid 18th century? Regional? Or a rarity all around?

 

[Mike Brooks]

The english were using hooked breeches as early as 1720, they have always been common on english guns since then except for the most inexpensive guns like the guns intended for export or the indian trade.