first swamp inlet question

[wbradbury]

I was reading techniques on inletting swamp barrels and I always thought that the inlet would be a reverse of the bottom of the barrel, following the contours with full contact being the goal. I just read a different approach online that stated that some originals first had a half round channel gouged out and then a ledge was cut for the side flats to rest on, without the bottom flat of the barrel touching. And if I was interpreting it correctly, the depth of this inlet was half the width of the breach the full length.

Is this correct or am I not understanding  what it describes?

[Mike Brooks]

Most of the original octagon barrel channels I have seen were round.

[Cory Joe Stewart]

I have only inlet three barrels up to this point, one was straight, the other tapered the final was a full swamped barrel.  The method you described is accurate to my knowledge.  What I did was stay as close to the octagon shape as I could.  However, I only bothered "sooting" it in in at the breech and at the muzzle.  About six inches in on both sides.  The rest is left as it is, if there is contact good, if not I did not loose sleep over it. 

Coryjoe

[Acer Saccharum]

On round channels.........and to aid fitting, the bottom four corners can be struck off with a file, except at the very muzzle. The sides of the channel are vertical, then transition to round. The muzzle gets fitted to the octagon for just a few inches, as does the breech. 

This is much faster than our today's fussing over perfect barrel contact, high spot black, scraping out little whispers of wood.

I don't know of any contemporary builder doing the round channel thing for octagonal barrels.

[Acer Saccharum]

Fess up, Brooks.

[sqrldog]

I'm sure more information will be forthcoming but American Pioneer Video has a new video with Mark Silver hand inletting a barrel into a hewn stock. Same principle works on a regular blank. Mark does gouge a u shaped channel and then fits the side flats full length. I believe the bottom flat may be very close to the bottom if not touching it, but he doesn't spot the bottom three flats into the barrel channel. Very interesting and informative video for those desiring to inlet their own barrels. I'd say you were in good company Mike.

[wbradbury]

Ok. Starting to make more since. Thanks for the info! Will

[valongrifles]

I about lost my senses trying to get the all=over soot fit on my current gun. Someone suggested cutting (with a file) off the sharp edges below middle of stock sides and WOW it was fitted quite well in little time.