Bm,
Barrels on most production sxs guns were/are assembled to established dimensions of convergence. That includes some of the pretty pricey stuff.
How the developed the "established dimensions" is usually thru shooting. Then those dimensions would be applied to production guns by either providing assembly tooling or by simply providing the assembler of the barrels with the dimensions.
The 'how' of actually assembling and solding barrels/ribs will really surprise you. Drew has a website dedicated to gun knowledge that has an article I put together on the traditional method of bailing wire and spacers and pro gunsmith has an article where he made an assembly fixture. Hopefully Drew will drop in and provide the link to his site.
PS
Jim is correct, barrels are generally bored from solid bar. An alternate method is to drill a short fat bar and hammer forge it to the nearly final shape in a special barrel making hammer forge that looks like a big lathe.
Really old methods were to forge weld a series of strips of metal over a mandrel. This was the method for "twist steel" and "damascus" barrel making. Drew also has articles on this as well as PeteM on his website.
Last edited by Chuck H; 01/28/10 12:23 PM.
