Author Topic: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle  (Read 8291 times)

Offline frogwalking

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Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« on: February 03, 2014, 06:37:57 AM »
Most, if not all, Tennessee mountain kits and precarved stocks I have seen for sale are for straight barrels. I have recently found the wonderful weight reduction and balance enhancing properties of swamped stocks.  So the question is:  Is it  proper to use a swamped barrel in a Tenn. mtn. rifle? 

Thanks
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dbraw

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #1 on: February 03, 2014, 04:33:08 PM »
It is proper to do anything you want when building a rifle. Just like they did back then. I have built half a dozen Tennessee rifles with swamped rifles and no one has complained.
Dan

Offline Mark Elliott

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #2 on: February 03, 2014, 04:53:58 PM »
All the full stock longrifles I have measured (including southern mountain rifles) had swamped barrels.    The swamp was usually slight, and the barrels were still very, very heavy.    I don't think you see true straight barrels until mid 19th century.    If you want a barrel as heavy as most of the original southern mountain rifles, you probably need to go with a straight barrel.   However,  I really don't think most people these days want that weight unless they are building a chunk gun.    I have built mountain rifles with straight barrels, but I wouldn't do it now unless I was building a target gun.   For any hunting rifle,  I would use a swamped barrel.   Both Rice and Getz make a light weight profile which has less swamp than their regular profiles and works well for southern guns from a visual point of view.    It makes for an exceptionally light weight rifle. 

Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #3 on: February 03, 2014, 11:50:08 PM »
Yep!! I agree with both of them. There are many benefits to a swamped barrel. Balance being a big one.
Darrin
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Colonial Williamsburg
Owner of Frontier Flintlocks

galamb

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #4 on: February 04, 2014, 12:42:31 AM »
Rice's Southern Classic has quite a bit less swamp than most of the offerings out there and it's nice and light to boot.

I recently picked up a 45 cal and at 42" it weighs just on 4lbs 4oz - 15/16" (.937) at the breech, 3/4" (.750) at the waist and 13/16" (.812) at the muzzle.

Might be just what you are after..

Offline tallbear

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #5 on: February 04, 2014, 12:45:34 AM »
Frog
The barrel on the original Tenn. in my collection has a tapered and flared barrel where the muzzle is larger than the breach ;) ;)

Mitch

Offline Don Getz

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #6 on: February 04, 2014, 01:43:11 AM »
I can recqll a barrel that I copied for a gentlemaan from Virginia.   It was a rather heavy barrel, had a slight swamp but had
a muzzle that was noticeably larger than the breech.........Don








Offline frogwalking

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #7 on: February 04, 2014, 03:59:12 AM »
Is Jim Chambers the distributor for Rice Barrels?
Quality, schedule, price; Pick any two.

Offline Bill of the 45th

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2014, 04:26:03 AM »
You want to get hold of Barbie, Jim's daughter.  She runs Buckeye Barrels.  She can be reached at Chambers.

Bill
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galamb

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #9 on: February 04, 2014, 04:32:40 AM »
You can get a barrel directly from Rice.

http://www.ricebarrels.com/index.html

JasonS

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #10 on: February 04, 2014, 05:13:09 AM »
Frogwalking,  I have several "Southern Classic" bbls in stock.  As well as several other swamp bbl contours.  Feel free to call me and we'll discuss your project.  336-492-2614

Jason

Offline Darrin McDonal

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #11 on: February 04, 2014, 05:56:40 AM »
I am stocking a rifle now that has a Rice Southern Classic in it. It has a sweet profile that makes determining site height very nice.
Darrin
Apprentice Gunsmith
Colonial Williamsburg
Owner of Frontier Flintlocks

Offline WadePatton

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #12 on: August 17, 2014, 08:34:32 PM »
Most, if not all, Tennessee mountain kits and precarved stocks I have seen for sale are for straight barrels. I have recently found the wonderful weight reduction and balance enhancing properties of swamped stocks.  So the question is:  Is it  proper to use a swamped barrel in a Tenn. mtn. rifle? 

Thanks

It keeps the costs down for them to inlet a straight bbl.  It's a tradeoff that most folks don't notice or don't mind.  Everybuddy wants it for the cheepist!.  So mfg's chase price points...

I built my first with swamped bbl (into full blank), and expect to build with nothing else until I decide to try another style where history demands another bbl shape.

Now the few dozen originals I've handled (all) have very slight swamps and are generally heavy for caliber, so if i was really chasing/copying "originality" I'd probably start with one-contour too heavy and file away a large amount of the swamp.  But that's a lot of work and I'd rather build good-toting rifles at this point. 
Hold to the Wind

rhbrink

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #13 on: August 18, 2014, 02:15:57 AM »
And some of us serious offhand or standing shooters want the heavy muzzle feel, helps calm down my wiggles and jiggles.

RB

Offline B Shipman

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Re: Swamped barrel on a Tennessee Mountain rifle
« Reply #14 on: August 18, 2014, 07:22:52 AM »
Swamped barrels were used on Southern Mtn. rifles very late. Long after straight and slightly tapered barrels were commercially and commonly available in PA. For that matte way into the cartridge era in isolated places.