Swamped or Straight?

[anchorsawy]

Okay Guys, (and Gals?), I've been purusing this forum for awhile now and finally have a question for the group. I'm going to order a kit from Pecatonica River within the next few months and am leaning towards the "Armstrong" rifle. I was at their shop last Friday looking at the components/stocks, and asking a lot of questions. The last thing I have to decide now is the type of barrel. I want a 42 inch 50cal. and had my heart set on a swamped which costs more for the barrel and the inletting. The other choice would be a straight 13/16 or 7/8. Is there a big difference in the way these barrels would feel when I shouldered the gun? And, would the straight barrel be more accurate then the swamped? Thanks....and I really have been enjoying the exchange.....

 

[loophole]

there will be a big difference in the balance and feel of a rifle with a swamped barrel and one with a straight barrel. The swamped barrel puts the weight between your hands, whereas any rifle with a 42" straight barrel is going to be muzzle heavy. I'm building a Gillespie with a 7/8 straight .45 cal barrel 42" long (I have had the barrel for years and I want a rifle to hang in the office, so I'll build this one mostly for looks). The stock is roughed out and the barrel inlet--it is very muzzle heavy and awkward to handle compared to any of my swamped barrel guns.
If you are building one to carry and shoot the extra price of the swamped barrrel and inletting is a good investment.

 

[loophole]

P.S. I have never believed there is any difference in accuracy--some people shoot the gun with the swamped barrel better because of the better balance, but I've seen many matches won with each type.

 

[squirejohn]

Insofar as shooting is concerned, I find the weight of the muzzle heavy straight barrel holds steadier than the two swamped barrel guns I have.

 

[LRB]

If you want the rifle to be correct, you want a swamped barrel, and the balance is unbeatable. If you want a good swamped barrel, get a Getz or a Rice. In the end you will never regret the extra money. It is unwise to pay too much, but it sometimes is worse to pay too little. You may end up with something that does not do the intended job.

 

[jerrywh]

The first two longrifles I built were straight barrels. That is because you couldn't get swamped barrels then. The third one was a Douglas swamped barrel. I never built another straight barrel
gun since then. That wast 30 years ago.
One should convince you for life. If you get what you want the first time it will be cheaper than always wishing you did.

 

[Slowpoke]

If you're building an Armstrong, you need a swamped barrel. If you go with a swamped barrel, get a Rice.

 

[vermontfreedom]

I have a swamped 44-inch Rice barrel for a custom .54 and can't imagine what the balance would be like if the barrel was straight. I recommend the swamped barrel for look, feel (balance), and period correctness.

All else being equal, however, if you are an accuracy nut, the straight barrel will be heavier, thereby reducing recoil and making a more accurate rifle. You need look no farther than any competition shoot to see that the most accurate shooters typically use the heaviest rifles, which naturally have the thicker, straight barrels.

 

[anchorsawy]

Thank you everyone for the input. I really had decided the swamped barrel was what I wanted and you gentlemen have confirmed it. While I was at Pecatonica they showed me a few barrels, two were 42inch Green Mountains, one straight and one swamped, and a shorter swamped Getz. The Getz had quite a bit more "swamp" to it then the GM. They did mention the higher price and unavailablity of the Getz's. I didn't see a Rice although they seem to be highly thought here. More decisions!

 

[SimonKenton]

Vermonter,

I picked the same Rice barrel for my southern longrifle. After endless tirades that even early southern rifles all had straight barrels. I called a few custom builders and stockmakers. Most agreed that it was appropriate and one even stated that he'd examined an old forged iron Appalachian rifle which did have a slightly swamped barrel possible "recycled" from a North Carolina longrifle made years earlier.

My previous rifle on the same pattern with a 42" straight barrel felt about 2 lbs. or more heavier and had the balance of a wrecking bar. This one hangs perfectly and has DEEP round groove rifling for easier cleaning and a 1 in 72" twist (same as the Sharon barrels) for accuracy with heavy hunting loads and she's a .54 like yours.

From now on you couldn't give me a rifle with a straight barrel. :thumbsup:

-Ray

 

[MSW]

it's good that you were able to a side by side comparison. i wasn't, and, as a result, spent money i didn't have to on a barrel in a rifle that i will doubtless want to sell when it's done. it won't balance well for me (although someone else might not mind so much).

once you've been swamped, you'll never want anything else.

as regards the extra money- do it right the first time.

good luck

MSW

 

If you want the rifle to be correct, you want a swamped barrel, and the balance is unbeatable.

If you're building an Armstrong, you need a swamped barrel.

It is my opinion, and others, that for an Armstrong rifle to be "correct", it should have a straight barrel, not a swamped barrel. Look at photos of original Armstrong rifles and you'll see that they are not swamped. Also, Peter Alexander states in Gunsmith of Grenville County that the correct barrel for an Armstrong rifle is a straight barrel.

Now, that being said, if you want to build it with a swamped barrel, go for it! It will look great and shoot great I'm sure. I simply disagree with the blanket statement that an Armstrong has to have a swamped barrel to be correct. He may have built a rifle with a swamped barrel, but all of the examples I've seen did not have such.

Good luck with your build! I love Armstrong rifles, and hope to build one as my third or fourth build probably.