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What is the purpose of a "swamped" barrel?
- Thread starter 16gauge
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The center-of-gravity is moved back towards the shooter. This gives the rifle, especially a long-barreled rifle, a better "feel" or balance. The swamp barrel rifles I've held kind of seemed to "float" out there rather than being front-end heavy.
Leonredbeard
54 Cal.
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DixieFlinter,
I was shocked at how whispy the feel of the lancaster I put together back in '93 with the Getz C weight golden age barrel in .54. It really felt lighter than what it was. It held solidly as well. What I haven't figurered out is: why the flare to the muzzle? Did that help the balance or was it for looks?
God bless.
volatpluvia
I was shocked at how whispy the feel of the lancaster I put together back in '93 with the Getz C weight golden age barrel in .54. It really felt lighter than what it was. It held solidly as well. What I haven't figurered out is: why the flare to the muzzle? Did that help the balance or was it for looks?
God bless.
volatpluvia
Well, I don't know with ANY certainty at all, but it may have been to keep the front sight up near where it would be on a straight barrel. That would mean that you would not need an overly tall front sight to match the correct sight picture.
Just a guess from a neophyte...
Just a guess from a neophyte...
Mainly just to take a little weight out of the gun. For a hunting gun, they're great... For target work you need a heavier gun... helps you hold better. Plus in the summer with a swamped barrel you get that nasty mirage unless you have high sights.
Result may vary, grain of salt, blah, blah
SP
Result may vary, grain of salt, blah, blah
SP
Cruzatte
50 Cal.
Heavier gun helps you hold better? Really? Well, I admit to being only 5'6" in my moccasins, but crimony, I couldn't hold up a .50 caliber rifle with a 15/16" X 41" barrel long enough to make any sort of a decent three shot group. That pretty well describes the first rifle I owned.
I think I'd rather shoot my Dream Rifle with her 44" swamped .54 caliber C weight barrel. It's no accident that my scores have improved. :results:
Cruzatte
I think I'd rather shoot my Dream Rifle with her 44" swamped .54 caliber C weight barrel. It's no accident that my scores have improved. :results:
Cruzatte
I have long believed the reason for the flare at the muzzle was to increase the wall thickness in that area.
The old barrels were hand welded from a strip of steel rolled into a round tube and forge welded with hammers. That type of weld is not very strong at the joint so the more joint length it has (from the inside to the outside) the stronger it is.
I have read that part of the art of barrel making envolved heating the end of the barrel to a yellow/white heat and pounding the muzzle directly into the anvil to make sure the weld in this area was sound.
This pounding produces a larger diametered, flared region.
Of course, the Fowlers and Muskets didn't usually have noticably flared barrels, but they work at lower pressures than a rifle does.
Of course, all of this is speculatin on my part, but in the many years I've been suggesting it, no one has said it doesn't make sense or it is wrong.
The old barrels were hand welded from a strip of steel rolled into a round tube and forge welded with hammers. That type of weld is not very strong at the joint so the more joint length it has (from the inside to the outside) the stronger it is.
I have read that part of the art of barrel making envolved heating the end of the barrel to a yellow/white heat and pounding the muzzle directly into the anvil to make sure the weld in this area was sound.
This pounding produces a larger diametered, flared region.
Of course, the Fowlers and Muskets didn't usually have noticably flared barrels, but they work at lower pressures than a rifle does.
Of course, all of this is speculatin on my part, but in the many years I've been suggesting it, no one has said it doesn't make sense or it is wrong.
