Swamped barrels advice

[web365ster]

Were any halfstock rifles ever built with swamped barrels? What style rifle would a 38" D profile .62 cal go . Maybe a English Sporter or a Jaeger?

[Daryl]

I think most English sporters of the 1850 period had swamped barrels.
These do.
Typically, the narrow section (waist) is closer to the middle than the muzzle as well as being not as predominant.

[bama]

I have an original southern mountain rifle that uses a repurposed early hand forged swamped barrel. I believe the barrel to be a good 60 to 80 years older than the half stock it is currently setting in. If you want to use a swamped barrel to make a half stock, it's your rifle, do as you please. Now, with that said, my rifle does not have a under rib. using an under rib on a swamped barrel will present some challenges,but it could be done.

[Dphariss]

Were any halfstock rifles ever built with swamped barrels? What style rifle would a 38" D profile .62 cal go . Maybe a English Sporter or a Jaeger?

Nothing out of place in a swamped barreled half stock.
The “E.T.C.” Hawken in the Montana Historical Society collection has a forge welded barrel. The nipple seat is part of the forging. This is seen on some other Hawkens as well full and 1/2 stocked. The barrel has a rapid taper down from the breech then has about .010” or so flare to the muzzle. About 50 caliber. Not going to dig out the measurements. Not much but its still a “swamp”. I think this rifle “probably” dates to 1834-35. It has a hooked breech filed onto a plain breechplug. But no way of knowing the date for sure except it was stocked by the same hand as the 1836 dated “Atchison” rifle but by the barrel, short standing breech tang and triggers is (likely) earlier. And the initials on the cheek inlay match Edmund Christy. There is no way to know the barrel contour of another early Hawken percussion half stock (nipple seat is brazed on) since it has been shortened significantly at the muzzle from about the same length as the E.T.C. Which is just under 40”. Christy was actually a “mountain man” in that he lead a brigade for one season anc this is probably when the rifle was built. Would have to dig into fellow Guild member RAT’s research on Christy to get the exact date.

[Dphariss]

And the underrib on the Hawken is tapered in height. This has to be carefully done in order that the ramrod hole is drilled parallel to the bore. I would recommend a “hollow” rib rather than a solid one. One of these will be easier to reshape.