Swamped barrels

[0verkill]

What is the point of a swamped barrel?

[M-Tecs]

A swamped barrel reduces weight while changing the center of gravity and some like the looks.

https://www.muzzleloadingforum.com/threads/what-is-a-swamped-barrel.48767/#:~:text=Swamped%20barrels%20are%20those%20which%2 0taper%20from%20the,smaller%20across%20the%20flats %20than%20the%20breech%20end%29.

[beagle74]

Swamped barrels certainly balance differently. If I wanted a rifle with a barrel longer than 36", I would go swamped. My experience anyway.

[bedbugbilly]

+1 ^^^^^

If you ever go to Friendship - go to the sheepsheads and there should be some rifles with swamped barrels among the makers there or you will see some on the line - ask if you can take a look at them. The balance of the rifle with a swamped barrel is entirely different than what you are familiar with on a rifle with a straight barrel - it will put a smile on your face and a yearning to have one.

[0verkill]

Why swamped over tapered?

[square butte]

Historically accurate - And you can use a similar flat to flat width for the front and rear sight location. With a tapered barrel, sometimes you will need quite a tall front sight to compensate for a smaller muzzle end. And swamped barrels are just plain pleasing to the eye.

[waksupi]

All of my personal rifles have swamped barrels. The difference between those and a straight barrel, is the difference between shouldering a crow bar or a fairy wand. The balance can not be compared. Straight or tapered barrels are heavy old pigs.

[megasupermagnum]

If you look at original rifles that were built with swamped barrels, they almost all had tiny little sights on them. There's endless debate on how they were used, or why they used small sights, etc. but the fact is they could not have used those small low profile sights on a tapered barrel. As for straight barrels, they are not enjoyable at all except a few target shooters. Nobody who hunts or uses a rifle in a non-competition setting would ever choose a straight barrel. At 42"+, that's way too much weight out there.

I have no idea what the weight difference between a tapered and a swamped barrel is, but I'm betting the swamped is lighter, depending on the profile of course. I've read multiple times that original barrels had much less aggressive profiles than modern swamped barrels do. I have not been able to measure any, so I can't confirm. All I know for sure is that the Rice 42" 54 caliber C profile swamped barrel on the rifle I'm building is surprisingly light and balanced. That's not something I can say for any other 42" barrel.

[Old Footman]

Overkill,

Here is the link from Track of the Wolf on swamped barrels to give you an idea on the barrel profiles (dimenstions).

https://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/650/1