Sharp or softened

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

I've seen rifles with barrel flats kept sharp and I've see rifles with barrel flats softened. Is there a historically correct (I hate that term) way to do it?

[Mike Brooks]

Depends. No guns go out of my shop with sharp corners as I antique everything. If you're building a just built interpretation you'll want sharp corners.

[Lucky R A]

What Mike said, If you want the look of a worn gun, then round off the edges of the barrel flats and the edges of the carving etc.  If you are into the pristine new look, then keep things sharp and clean.  Historically correct has nothing to do with this, it is personal taste.   Ron

[jerrywh]

 The term [historically correct] assumes that all the old guns were the same. That is a false assumption.
 Absolutes are seldom if ever correct.

[E.vonAschwege]

Jerry is quite correct - I've never seen two original barrels milled (er, filed) the same.  I think crisp sharp flats may be a bit much, and usually knock them off with a couple light strokes of a file.  When taking original barrels out of the stock, I've found some barrels filed pretty crisp, and others with edges knocked off, still more with completely round bottoms (and octagonal top half).  The rest is your personal preference. 
-Eric

[Nate McKenzie]

Soft edges are easier on the hands to carry.

[Acer Saccharum]

View of top of barrel corners quite soft, even next to rear sight. My opinion: This is where the corners would be sharp, if the barrel had sharp corners originally.




The underside of the same barrel shows coarse filing (or grinding) marks, and no softening of the corners.

[Nordnecker]

Grindslade's Fowler book shows at least one gun that has incised lines on the corners of the barrel. The old barrel is worn round but the lines are clearly visible. It is a nice effect.

[Ric27]

I'll have to say very sharp corners are rather unfriendly to the touch. just to give the gun a pleasant feel i would put some radius on the corners.

[mjm46@bellsouth.net]

Thanks for the responses.

My personal preference is to slightly soften the ridges on the barrel, not round but just a few wipes with about 340 grit. I think it gives the rifle a more comfortable feel while still keeping a new appearance.

[Acer Saccharum]

Very crisp corners also are easily dinged in the normal loading and handling of the gun, and it's where the blue or brown is the first place to wear bright. It's my opinion a very small radius keeps a gun looking newer longer.

[David R. Pennington]

Acer, Thanks for sharing those pictures of the original barrel. That is why I love this forum. For those of us who rarely get our hands on original rifles, those things are invaluable. What type, school, era is the barrel from?

[Acer Saccharum]

Barrel is most likely an import barrel from a Rev War era rifle. 'School' of origin unknown. Curly maple. High quality Germanic lock.

My copy in early stages, and original below.

[kaintuck]

Nice wood....makes wonder how the smiths of old picked the stock wood?....did they look thru boards? Ask for #7 
To think the ease that we do our shopping now!
Just make a phone call.....swip the CC, and it's in the mail........

[Tom Currie]

Maybe it wasn'e such a great piece of wood after all. But...that's a serious copy. Even the pieced in buttstock wood is replicated. Nice Job Mr. Acer.

[Sawatis]

Even the pieced in buttstock wood is replicated. Nice Job Mr. Acer.

OK this brings a question to y'all who have had the pleasure of examining originals...How common was it for a butt stock to have been pieced as Acer has replicated from that original?  ANy ideas?
John

[davebozell]

I'm not sure how common it is on originals, but on my poor attempt, it turns out that a whack from a hammer trying to coerse a buttplate into place caused mine!  Hopefully I'll be able to hide most of the damage.