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.
Chuck H:
Thanks for the insight as I've been chasing this rabbit for some time and there just isn't that many folks or sources of information on tube making. The "alternate method" may go a long way in explaing the translated term "barrel drawer" and mechanized barrel drawer if I understand correctly. In the mid to late 19th century job descriptions around tube making were tube makers(of course), master borers, polishers, grinders, etc. I too thought the blanks to have been bored or bar steel somehow forged. Both would have had some waste. The term "rough forged barrels" surfaces from time to time especially when associated with importing tubes and the Baldwin Brothers, who case was upheld due to the fact that the Whitworth tubes were "forged", which may have been due to the fact of the "alternate method", and allowed them to be on the "Free List".
If I have my numbers correct, even today Benelli's circle of error for POI is 9 inches(+/- 4.5"??) so I would say POI was lower than pattern in the overall scheme of things. I'm curious if Sauer addressed POI.
Kind Regards,
Raimey
rse
