PC barrel length

[tg]

"
I guess jager rifles are not pc since they have such a short barrel. Nice to know ther are so many pc experts out there"

I just couldn't let it go....this is a prime example of someone jumping in and showing just how amazingly little they really know about gun history then sarcasticly commenting on the PC experts it is almost amusing if it weren't so pathetic..

 

[Stophel]

What the 7734 is goin' on here? First off, the question was asked "IS THIS PERIOD CORRECT". The poster of the question was obviously interested in finding out, and folks here simply answered the question. NO ONE here said that a 38" barrel was "incorrect". The most anyone here said is that longer barrels were more commonly seen. That's it, and that's all it takes to get the "anti-PC-Nazis" stirred up. First one, now another, who had nothing do do with the conversation, nothing to add to the conversation, and apparently, not even any knowledge of the conversation. I don't understand this desire some of you have. The moment someone asks "is this historically correct", and someone answers "yes", or, horror of horrors, someone says "no" :shocked2: , here they come.... :nono: "you PC nuts, what difference does it make, it shoots good, that's all that matters..." etc. ad nauseum. :redface:

Do I "barge in" on your conversations, when one yellow-buckskin wearing mountain man named "Griz" asks a question on how to refinish the stock on his Cabela's "Hawken" rifle, and another calico-and-Dyer-clad-tepee-residing-"longhunter" answers that the best thing to use is neatsfoot oil and parrafin wax? Do I, or anyone else here, jump in and say anything like "you dummy, that piece of crap isn't worth refinishing with anything, why bother, it doesn't even resemble any historical gun, not to mention the quality is not exactly outstanding....". No, of course I don't. I may think such things, but I don't care to butt in and offer such an opinion, since obviously the participants in the conversation don't want it, nor do they seem to be the least bit interested in what would be "historically correct", and you know what? That's fine with me. They can do whatever they want, doesn't bother me a bit. I may find it goofy, or whatever, but big deal. Doesn't ruffle my feathers at all.

Some people, on the other hand, seem to take great offense at anyone who is interested in doing ANYTHING in a "historically correct" manner, and proceed to tell all the participants of the discussion just what morons they are for worrying about such things to begin with.

Just go away.

 

[Runner]

The man specifically asked what was and was not PC. It is pretty hard to answer that without answering it.

 

[Stophel]

Apparently, no one should even ask the question to begin with...

:shake:

Hey, BP, you didn't know what you were getting into did you? :haha: Don't let this nonsense discourage you! :winking:

 

[Zonie]

Gentlemen: The subject is the correctness of a 38 inch swamped barrel on a early Virginia Rifle.
The subject is not bashing people or their posts.

I will assume we can stick to the subject and refrain from using words like 'nazis', 'stupid' and similar antagonistic words and phrases?
zonie

 

[Mike Brooks]

Would a 38" swamp barrel be PC on an early virginia style rifle?

What is your definition of "early"? A 1770's gun may have a 38" barrel. There is some precidence for even shorter barrels, altho these were colonial restocks of euro guns.
A 38" barrel would be fine. They aren't any easier to hunt with than a 48" barrel, assuming they are both high quality swamped barrels.

 

A 38" barrel would be fine. They aren't any easier to hunt with than a 48" barrel, assuming they are both high quality swamped barrels.

True, however, transporting it to the happy hunting grounds can be a PITA. My hunting rifle has a 44" barrel and the only practical way to transport it is in a case in the box of the truck. Don't particularily like it bouncing around back there. Once you're in the field, 44" or 24" makes no difference to me.

 

[Stophel]

Sorry, y'all, I just have to vent every once in a while....

 

[rich pierce]

Good points on barrel length practicality. The only time long barrels are a problem is when they are in the car!

We surely do not know enough about early rifles from Virginia or anywhere else, having so few examples and next to none of them dated, to say what the "norm" would be. But given that some guns that have "early" architecture, furniture, barrel profiles, locks and etc. have barrels from 32-48" in length, you could design a rifle in that range and have precedent.

I have built 3 early rifles with 38" swamped barrels in D weight and like them very much. These all were based on originals from the Allentown/Bethlehem/Christians Spring areas but such barrels could work well with Virginia styles too. Right now I have a hankering for longer barrels, having fulfilled my "shorter barrel" desires.

 

[rich pierce]

Sorry, y'all, I just have to vent every once in a while....

How often would you say that is, Chris? Is it a monthly thing? :rotf:

 

[Stophel]

Ugh...men.... :cursing:

 

[Roy]

Good points on barrel length practicality. The only time long barrels are a problem is when they are in the car!

:hmm: Just need a bigger car :haha:

 

[khwils]

For the car to be PC in early (pre 1790) Virginia it would probably be a Mustang or a Pinto in a 1 HP. :haha: :haha:

 

[3 stinky dogs]

sorey to boot leg the thread, But how about efficiency ? Do you need to have the 40 + inch barrel to get the best performance out out of your hunting loads in .50 cal or higher ?

 

[Stophel]

Probably not anymore. I read somewhere years ago that an average .50 cal. rifle load would burn completely in something like 28" of barrel with modern good quality black gunpowder.

 

[BP]

Looks like I stirred up a hornets nest with that question!

I'm really just trying to figure out what to build next. And exactly how much of it I can do with my limited experience and tools...

I'd love to start with a stock blank and inlet a swamped barrel, but I'd probably end up with an expensive ax handle......

 

[Russ T Frizzen]

One benefit of a longer barrel is a longer sight radius. Especially useful to folks with old eyes. I've never had a problem with barrel length on any of my guns and I prefer longer barrels where appropriate. My new fowler will have a forty-eight inch barrel, and I don't anticipate any difficulties at all.

 

[Stophel]

Here, BP, I have a sort of "tutorial" on how I inlet a rifle barrel. [url] http://photobucket.com/albums/v326/Fatdutchman/Flintlocks2[/url]

The photos are in reverse order. Hopefully they make sense. I made a plane to cut my "starter groove", but it can be done with a Skil saw...very carefully. I can inlet a swamped rifle barrel in about 3 1/2 hours. 3 hours has been my record time. I don't see me ever breaking it. Inletting this way, swamped or straight, makes no real difference. I don't like round barrels. It is much easier for me to inlet an octagon barrel than a round or part round one.

 

Nice tutorial. Wish I could do this in 3 hours. Practice, practice, practice...

Sean

 

[Stophel]

You know how long it took me to inlet my first barrel? Three months. I inlet that sucker all the way down, blacking and chiseling, blacking and chiseling. I had no real instruction, so I was goin' at it blind. It was well inlet, though, with ridiculously perfect contact all the way up and down the barrel channel. After a little bit of instruction, and seeing a few original guns, I quickly abandoned everything I thought I knew about gunbuilding. I have an entirely different approach now. I still have enough learning to do to keep me occupied for quite some time.

I built my first gun in 1995. There was no internet (as far as it related to me)..."internet"...what's that? I don't think I even had the Dixon book until after attempting a couple of precarve stocks. Now, people have several really good websites, where there are people to help you. I see where people now are showing the first guns they built and the things look pretty durn good! Much better than my first several guns! They had guidance. I had squat, so take full advantage of the internet, and ask everybody how they do this or that, and they'll be glad to tell you and help you out and help you make your first gun one that is worthy of keeping (my first two or three no longer exist...I deemed them too poor an effort, and they were cannibalized for parts!).

I have to inlet a barrel tomorrow...