What Is This? And Why?

[Glenfilthie]

I have seen this on a couple of other guns and wondered about it?
http://www.davidpriceflintlocks.co...ilderpictures/SWPr3Ph6.jpg&target=tlx_picml5v

Is that some kind of antique form of crowning a barrel? Why does he do that to his guns? I like the look of it myself - but this isn't about cosmetics is it?

 

[necchi]

Yup, just for looks. It's Purty

 

[shootrj2003]

I saw it a couple of times also and thought about it being some kind a real expensive type rifleing and had to conclude it's just a fancy way to finish the muzzle,I don't know what it's called and I don't know who does it.

 

[hanshi]

I've seen this before on original guns. A friend did the same thing to a rifle of his using a file. It looked every bit as good.

 

[Leatherbark]

There was an article about crowning like that in Muzzleloader magazine a few years ago. Mike Miller I do believe is the one that did the crowning in the Mark Baker article. He uses a rat tail file and a triangular file. You file a "U" in the land and a "V" in the groove. Supposed to make loading a patched ball easier......................Bob

 

[Ft. Jefferson]

Leatherbark; It indeed was Miller doing that crown in a Baker article and have now done it myself on 2 of my rifles. It virtually eliminates the need for short starter!

 

[Pete Gaimari]

That doesn't effect accuracy?

 

[DanChamberlain]

One has to wonder if there isn't another benefit. Is it possible, particularly with double or combination guns, for the builder to help regulate the barrels by cutting some of the grooves more deeply than others to move the point of impact in a different direction? If the photo were better, we might be able to see a difference; however slight, so some of the cuts.

Dan

 

[hoochiepapa]

I talked to David when I was at DIxon's this last summer, and he said it's just for looks, and when I asked him about accuracy, he said it didn't affect it.

 

[Josh Smith]

Actually, that's called "flowering" the barrel and it's supposed to help the patch fold better.

If it does, I do not know.

There is a guy up in Alaska who still does it and does say that it helps the patch fold. His name escapes me right now.

Josh

 

[LRB]

It has to affect accuracy. To some degree. Probably not enough to tell shooting from the shoulder, or maybe not even from the bench with open iron sights, but if not done precisely enough, it will affect it. Simply put, it will not help accuracy, and it poses a risk of losing some of what you have. It becomes an individuals choice between having a most cool looking muzzle, or possibly losing some accuracy to get it that way. If I ever saw convincing proof that was no affect, even the slightest, I would do it to mine in a heartbeat. It does look just too kewl, but I am just not enough of a gambler to try it on my gun.

 

[texcl]

My original combination gun has the rifle barrel muzzle filed, not to the extent that one is but the grooves are definetily filed to make them look deeper.

 

[hoochiepapa]

I agree, Wick, but that's what he said. In my experience with cf's you didn't dare mess with the crown, you'd just be asking for disaster. Any ding or dent was trouble. :v