Flared Muzzle?

[digger]

I have a question for all you guys. I see some rifles without a muzzle cap, instead they have a "flared" end on the stock, with the wood flaring out at the business end of the swamped barrel. Can someone tell me what this is called, and how it fits in historically. I attached this pic to demonstrate, Thanks

[Stophel]

I'd say that does not fit in historically.

 

[billd]

I think I've seen that feature on English guns.


Bill

[Karl Kunkel]

If memory serves me (it usually doesn't), didn't TOW used to show an Issac Haines built that way in their previous catalog?  I think they called it a "schnabble" or something like that.  I gave away my old catalog.

[David Rase]

I'd say that does not fit in historically.

 

You got my vote on not being historically correct.  The nose cap on an American gun should parallel the flare of the barrel.
DMR

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

This is some contemporary builder's idea of what looks nice.  The horn nose piece on some Jaeger rifles have a bit of a flare, but nothing like that.

[Don Getz]

I've done a lot of barn guns and I usually follow the contour of the barrel.   The exaggerated flair at the muzzle doesn't
do much for me....................Don

[skillman]

Well Tod I'd say that you have your answer.  I'd have to see a really well documented example to overide the people who have responded already.

Skillman

[Roger Fisher]

Yuk!  Someone decided that being too lazy to fit a muzzle cap to prevent spliting the end of the stock they went wiiide with the wood.  It does look screwy!

[nc_cooter]

That one, or one like it, has been up for sale on Gunbroker at least 3 times. Don't know if it sold last time or not. I made a bid but didn't get it. First thing would have been to redo that flare and cap it. Glad I didn't win, cause I got much nicer gun from Tip Curtis.
Mike

[Bill of the 45th]

Reinactors call that a FARB.  A slight flair with bone or horn on European rifles mostly German in origin, and early woud be appropriate but not an american gun.  It's pure fantasy.  With a little work, it can be more correct.  It's like putting a german lock on an East Tennessee rifle, it's not right, and it's a dead give away that it's wrong..

Bill

[Dphariss]

I have a question for all you guys. I see some rifles without a muzzle cap, instead they have a "flared" end on the stock, with the wood flaring out at the business end of the swamped barrel. Can someone tell me what this is called, and how it fits in historically. I attached this pic to demonstrate, Thanks

Far too much wood.

This is a pistol is an Americanized English Dueler style with a flared forend.



At the muzzle the wood is only about 5/32" on a side. Much thinner in the waist. 3/32 or so.
Many people leave WAY too much wood on guns especially from the lock forward.
The barrel tapers from 1" to 7/8". Makes a pretty nice weight pistol. But the TG has poor recoil characteristics with more than about 45 grains of powder.
Yeah the barrel key runs at a angle  and I was too lazy to put in 2 of them.

Dan

[msw]

I think Kunk is right... i did my first build from a blank of lacewood in the Isaak Haines pattern.  The TotW catalogue (number 16) has a really pretty (to my mind, anyway) Haines rifle in it with a schnabble fore- end.  But the flare on the rifle pictured in this post is much more extreme, so i concur with the consensus; it's a FARB for sure.

just one guy's free opinion, and no doubt worth every penny!

[JTR]

That's a strange looking critter for sure, but 20 minutes with a good sharp rasp will take care of all that extra wood!
And 10 minutes with a file will take care of the huge gi-normus front sight!

John

[Chuck Burrows]

RCA 14 the Turvey rifle appears to have such a flared or schnabel end....

[James Rogers]

I believe the flare on the Turvey gun is is mostly a result of the large size of the barrel's muzzle. It's nowhere near as much wood left as on the gun at the beginning of this thread.

[John Archer]

A lot of contemporary builders put a slight flare into the muzzle....Buchele recommends this with swamped barrels....the side wall thickness tapering from 3/32" or even 1/16" at the waist to increase to 3/32" or even 1/8" at the muzzle.

John.

[Trkdriver99]

I know it maybe a FARB but I like it. It is different.

Ronnie

[flintriflesmith]

RCA 14 the Turvey rifle appears to have such a flared or schnabel end....

The Turvey is a 1730-40ish English rifle with silver mounts, no cheek piece, and a fowler style guard. The lack of a nose cap seems in keeping with the general fowler style.
 
Gary

[Dphariss]

RCA 14 the Turvey rifle appears to have such a flared or schnabel end....

I think there is a FS rifle in George's "English Guns and Rifles" with a flared forend but can't find the book right now.
I would not call this a "schnabble".
Dan

[Roger Fisher]

RCA 14 the Turvey rifle appears to have such a flared or schnabel end....

I think there is a FS rifle in George's "English Guns and Rifles" with a flared forend but can't find the book right now.
I would not call this a "schnabble".
Dan

I do believe the slight schnable was used at the rear pipe..mostly!

[flintriflesmith]

I do believe the slight schnable was used at the rear pipe..mostly!

The swell at the rear entry pipe is often called a palm swell and it is a major feature on Brown Bess muskets so that the left hand could be placed correctly when using the bayonet. It does show up to a lesser degree on some fowlers and early rifles.
Gary

[Mike Brooks]

I don't recall ever seeing any kind of extra wood or swell at the muzzle of an old gun. They always follow the profile of the barrel.
 I actual built guns when that extra wood swell was popular in the contemporary gun building world. (as did many others here). It was done in the days before swamped barrels were readily available and the swell was to imitate a swamped barre. Lock bolsters were also filed with a taper to kick the rear of the lock panels out to imitate swamped barrel architecture. I was able to resist the fad....

[Mike Brooks]

I don't recall ever seeing any kind of extra wood or swell at the muzzle of an old gun. They always follow the profile of the barrel.
 I actually built guns when that extra wood swell was popular in the contemporary gun building world. (as did many others here). It was done in the days before swamped barrels were readily available and the swell was to imitate a swamped barrel using a straight barrel. Lock bolsters were also filed with a taper to kick the rear of the lock panels out to imitate swamped barrel architecture. I was able to resist the fad....