Matte barrels

[Galloway]

I see even the top sharps mfgs offer matte black barrels on their guns, I always thought this was a cost saving measure but got to wondering if the original sharps ever offered them? Thanks

[Short Knife Johnson]

That might be a question best posed on the Shiloh Rifle forum.  I know Shiloh and C. Sharps offer a polished barrel finish for an extra cost.  I'm positive that these shops subscribe to cost-cutting measures.  I've toured both shops and met the guys and gals who make them tick.  Much like these two houses, Sharps was basically a custom gun maker.  You wrote them with what you wanted and they would ship to you, or they had authorized dealers such as J.P. Lower and Walter Cooper who stocked off the rack guns.  So it could be plausable a matte finish could have been in the offerings.  I prefer the matte finish myself. 

I just wish I could remember the displays of near mint originals at the Buffalo Bill Museum, and what barrel finsh they sported.  Any original I've been privy to handle in person has been rather worn, or turned brown.

[Tascosa Joe]

That might be a question best posed on the Shiloh Rifle forum.  I know Shiloh and C. Sharps offer a polished barrel finish for an extra cost.  I'm positive that these shops subscribe to cost-cutting measures.  I've toured both shops and met the guys and gals who make them tick.  Much like these two houses, Sharps was basically a custom gun maker.  You wrote them with what you wanted and they would ship to you, or they had authorized dealers such as J.P. Lower and Walter Cooper who stocked off the rack guns.  So it could be plausable a matte finish could have been in the offerings.  I prefer the matte finish myself. 

I just wish I could remember the displays of near mint originals at the Buffalo Bill Museum, and what barrel finsh they sported.  Any original I've been privy to handle in person has been rather worn, or turned brown.

I handled a pretty decent 1863 conversion to 50-70 a couple days ago.  The blue on the barrel was 75-80% it was not matte.  It was not high polish like a Colt or Mint 73 Winchester, but much slicker than matte.

[Short Knife Johnson]

It might increase barrel heating on a sunny day, but I like the anti-glare effect the matte finish has on my Shiloh #1 .45-90.  Plus, I don't like shiny stuff. 

Original finishes might have been a middle ground between matte and polished.  Be interesting to find out for sure.

[Yellowhouse Sam]

I'll start by saying I've never seen an original Sharps, Remington, Stevens , or anything else of the golden era with anything but a polished blue barrel.  In my mind, this is a modern innovation, handy to hold down glare for the competitive shooter and a shortcut designed to reduce production costs in modern rifles whether BPCR or modern.  Its a damnable abomination to the gun craft!

[Galloway]

I'm with Sam, at the price they go for they ought to be authentic.

[rustyrelx]

I agree with Sam also. After looking at all the brands for the last 50 years or so.  Don