History of octagonal (rifle) barrels

[ChuckBurrows]

buy it here - and  support the author Wallace Gusler

http://www.amazon.com/The-Gunsmith-Williamsburg-Colonial/dp/B00282GZPW

I believe the the youtube version is a pirated copy so why " steal" it - I know how that  feels since both of my how-to videos have been pirated and that "that' hurts not just financially, but personally since I put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears into making them....

[cal44walker]

Sorry for the long response time Blair, just got back from at trip to Berlin. I've got an old Brown Bess in my possession. The exterior is covered in very rough file marks travelling from breech to muzzle, obviously the exterior is round. I'm guessing with military muskets of that time period they just filed them by hand? Or were some ground on large drums like the ones in the pictures posted above? What were those drums made of? Are they stone or just abrasive covered wooden drums or similar?

[ChuckBurrows]

What were those drums made of? Are they stone or just abrasive covered wooden drums or similar?

Stone - they measured anywhere from 3'-8' in diameter and were run by water or steam power (dependent on time and place)