who installs swamped barrels

[galamb]

I recently inlet a swamped barrel using the "rails" - the process is described in the book "The Gunsmith of Grenville County".

This is a series of photo's with notes detailing the process (of course I had layed out some lines on the stock where I wanted the barrel to be located before I got near the blank with "sharp objects"



**the channel could be cut with a chisel, I just saved some time running it through my bench router**











(this may seem a little out of sequence, but at this point you need to figure how deep to cut)





You simply keep sawing and chiseling out until you have cut down to the level of the bottom of the side flats as marked in the previous operation. Yes, it's tedious - lots of measuring and checking. When you get to the level you want then you only need cut out the bottom flats to let the barrel fully sit down.

Some suggest that you don't have to be too particular here, others suggest you can go with a half circle and don't worry if the bottom oblique flats touch anything and yet others want 100% contact on all surfaces. I bed all my barrels so can get away with a (fair) fit on the bottom three flats, but still shoot for good contact - just don't beat myself up if I don't achieve it.

So after I have cut down to the bottom of the side flats, here is the next few steps:
It is suggested that you leave the rails in place until you are finished, I removed them to cut out my bottom flats being "super careful" not to touch the sides of the inlet - if your mind tends to wander when you are working, leave the rails in place.





This took me a total of 11 1/2 hours spread over three evenings - spent about an hour or so drilling the rails (which can now be used in future).

I would use this method again - works well and puts the operation well within the skill level of any hobby builder - just tedious and takes some thinking/measuring which is why I spread it over three evenings - you make mistakes when you 1) stop thinking or 2) try to rush to finish

A router with a template guide would reduce this operation to a couple hours and I will try that on a future build (but just maybe have an extra blank in case it doesn't work out as planned

So maybe a process worth checking into if you "just can't wait" to have someone else inlet your barrel for you.

p.s. - the instructions in the book do help get you head around the "set up" measurements that let the process work.

[Mark Elliott]

I started out using 1/8" x 1/2" strips, but 3/8" square bar  works better.  You get a better edge for the guide. 

[jamesthomas]

who in Pa. can install a rice swamped barrel in a new stock  Dixon cant till Aug. same with knob.

 Gunstocks Plus just quote me a turn around time of 2 to 3 weeks with shipping at $35.00 and I live down here around Mobile, Al.

[Brokenhand]

Thanks again for all of your help. Galamb, I finally "get it" about the rail method, and it actually makes sense to me. I've got the wheels turning now! I for another just find the kits being way more trouble than they are worth, but a swamped barrel has had  me a little intimidated.

[Acer Saccharum]

Just be sure to offset the screws enuff so they don't show up on the finished fore end. 

[Mark Elliott]

Just be sure to offset the screws enuff so they don't show up on the finished fore end. 

Yea,  I should have said something about that.  With the 3/8" bar stock,  the screw holes do need to be pushed to the outside of the bar to make sure you leave 1/8" for your sidewall.    The holes in my rails are offset so that the countersink for the screw head finishes up at the outside edge of the rail.  However,  some of the holes are a bit off and leave  a little bit of the screw hole left here and there when I cut away the excess wood on the sides.    Given that I finish up my sidewalls around 3/32",  the few holes that are a little off in my rails are not a problem.   They could be if a thicker sidewall was desired.   Just make sure to offset your screw holes to allow 1/8".

[Ryan McNabb]

I can do a swamp inlet in about 4-6 hours using pretty much the same technique jack brooks describes on his website.  I tried the rails but gave them up for good when I got a good 3/4" round bottom plane that will take a barrel channel down like a dream. Give jack's method a try, it absolutely works.

Barrel inlets are hard, but most everything about this trade is hard.

[Acer Saccharum]

From an original rifle, ca 1770-80, American. Barrel is full octagon. Inlet condescends to octagonal inlet only at the muzzle cap. The inlet touches the sides of the barrel, the rest of the inlet is round.

[Acer Saccharum]

That should turn some micro-inlet glass bed mindset people on their heads.

Self included. 

[Ryan McNabb]

BOOM!  That's what I'm talking about.  Thanks for that photo, I've never seen a better one.

[Acer Saccharum]

One gun does not prove all, but it should make people scratch their heads. 

One more, shows the roundness and the stains where the octagon corners sometimes hit the wood:

[Mark Elliott]

I have a ca 1800 Gonter on the bench right now that was inlet exactly the same.   Most of the 18th or early 19th century guns I have taken apart where inlet the same.   Even 18th century British guns had the barrel inlet pretty crudely.   I haven't had the guts to just plane out everything in the middle yet, but I plan to start.   If the original makers of otherwise very fine rifles didn't bother,  I don't see why I should spend an extra day doing what they didn't think was important.  I would rather spend the time on carving and engraving. 

[Mark Elliott]

Also, notice the barrel tenon inlets.   They went all the way through,  the pins went right up against the barrel and generally broke into the barrel channel.  Also,  notice that the ramrod hole drifted to the right and broke through into the barrel channel and lock mortice.    On the Gonter I am working on,  the ramrod hole came out the bottom of the stock in front of the trigger guard.   He put a plate over the hole and still continued to put full carving, engraving, moulding, and checkering on the rifle.   No need to let a little hole spoil things.   

[kaintuck]

 
you guys are making SOME jump up and down!.....my barrel inlets are getting better...the BEST is when i get Dave Keck to inlet one....
but my barrel tenons do pop thru~and i never mind....but then, I still am a 'piker' at all this stuff........

[galamb]

Back when these rifles/guns were built the majority if not most were "tools".

We have elevated them to an art form that is to be meticulously perfect in every way.

I suspect most gun makers that many of us try and emulate would think we were nuts for being so particular and finicky when building rifles.

[bob in the woods]

As I mentioned before, it takes me roughly a day to inlet a swamped barrel. I no longer use rails..and I do try to do a reasonable job re the channel , not withstanding the necessary requirement for a good tight job on the sides. I just don't get too picky about the rest .  I slot the barrel tenons for the pins because I know that the wood is going to move with the environmental changes.  As long as there is a well fitted support at the breach and at the muzzle, I think that a half decent fit for the rest rather than a tight fit might even be a plus re the rifle's accuracy.  [  ?? ] or maybe not...but I don't think it hurts 

[Acer Saccharum]

In a muzzle loader, the barrel supports the wood, once you get past the grip........

[bob in the woods]

Yes, the barrel does support the wood. But why bother slotting the barrel tenons for the pins if the wood movement doesn't affect the barrel ?  I simply think that too tight a fit would possibly contradict this effort, and cause a change in POA.
Luckily, my barrel channels don't begin to be anywhere near being too tight !

[Pete G.]

I have one that not only has a rounded barrel channel, the bottom of the barrel was left round.