Why the flare on swamped barrels?

[Philip A.]

What is the original purpose of the flare in the swamped barrels? My reasoning is that it allowed to reduce the barrel's weight, while keeping the front sight quite short, but that's just an educated guess.

Wanting to build a short-barreled .62, I've been looking at suitable profiles, and found that if you take a 36"-38" swamped barrel, you have a straight section about 8" long behind the flare. This allows you to cut the barrel, and play with lengths between 24" and 32" while keeping the same muzzle diameter. Of course, you need a barrel with the hole in the middle...... Is that a workable proposition?

I don't want more weight at the muzzle (a rifle weight should be "between the hands" for what I use them for), and I don't mind a taller front sight...

 

[tenngun]

The slim waist saved weight, the extra wight on the end make it ‘hang’ easier to steady when aiming.

 

[Philip A.]

The slim waist saved weight, the extra wight on the end make it ‘hang’ easier to steady when aiming.

Yes, the weight upfront makes it hang... Which is good if you want to steady a shot, and bad if you need to swing fast. Personally, I prefer swing fast... If I have time to steady a shot, I have time to find a tree, an anthill, or even my knees...

 

[wiscoaster]

.... the extra wight on the end make it ‘hang’ easier to steady when aiming.

Thanks. Makes my day - even before breakfast today - to learn something new.

 

[Terrier]

Swamped barrels make a distinct difference in steadiness of aim. Makes an off hand shot feel more like a rested one.

 

[Sam squanch]

I think it was mostly style back then. They look good!

 

[Trot]

I don't think anyone can really say why they were made that way, anything without documentation is just speculation. Some possibilities have been mentioned already, or it may have been so such a high front sight wasn't necessary. Why swamped at all? might have just been easier to make a swamped barrel than a perfectly straight one in the days of handmade barrels. One other thing, the taper and flare on most original barrels was not nearly as pronounced as those made today.

 

[reddogge]

Anyone who has shot swamped barrels offhand knows how great they feel and hang.

 

[Flintandsteel]

The taper is a to reduce weight, the flare is to bring the front sight in line with the rear.
The best of both worlds.

 

[James Kibler]

I don't think anyone can really say why they were made that way, anything without documentation is just speculation. Some possibilities have been mentioned already, or it may have been so such a high front sight wasn't necessary. Why swamped at all? might have just been easier to make a swamped barrel than a perfectly straight one in the days of handmade barrels. One other thing, the taper and flare on most original barrels was not nearly as pronounced as those made today.

I agree about speculation. As to swamp of modern guns being greater than most originals, I would agree, but people aren’t generally building guns representative of “most originals”. There are some early rifles that exhibit significant taper and flare. These earlier rifles are oftentimes the focus of modern gun building. As with most things, it’s more complicated than blanket statements can cover.

 

[morehops52]

I never knew about swamped barrels until I had decided to have a custom Lancaster made for me. 38" swamped barrel and no other rifle from whatever era has ever felt that good in my hands and on the shoulder. If you plan on carrying it in the field you will delight in its balance point. Oh, and BTW I never looked at the barrel as flared, I looked at it as a continuation of the breech end with a grwat waist in the middle. All in how you look at it.