Octagon Barrel

[Babalooie]

While eating breakfast, I began to wonder. Why were/ are guns, mostly rifles made with octagon barrels? I came up with a couple of possibilities:

1. Back in the day, it was easier to make a barrel with eight flats than a perfectly round one.

2. Since heat treating was in its infancy, the eight corners helped make the barrel a little stronger. So, it could have for extra safety.

3. It just looks nice. Asthetics are an important part of gun ownership.

 

[jlrhiner]

Ease of manufacture was probably one, but they also eliminated the harmonic "whip". Made the barrel stiffer.

 

[gizamo]

Octagonal barrels could sometimes be "freshened" to a somewhat larger caliber.

 

[reddogge]

Original flintlock barrels were forge welded around a mandril and then draw filed to the octagon shape which was easier to do than round. Mounting sights was easier too.

 

[gunlovingirl]

4. Because

 

[michael thornton]

cause they look pretty? i dont realy know, but i sure do like them

 

[gizamo]

Octagonal transitions to 16 flats, then a medial ( wedding band ) to a round barrel......

 

[max]

They won't roll off the table.

 

[Babalooie]

They won't roll off the table.

I never thought of that one. Hmmmmmmmm.