Why would you choose the octagon barrel over the round barrel?

[Doug.38PR]

Whether on Rifle or Carbine, the Octagon barrel seems to be bit bulkier and heavier than the rounded barrel.   With full powered rifle ammunition I could see the benefit of cutting down on recoil....but why would you choose it for a rifle that shoots, essentially, a handgun round? 

[Pettifogger]

Same reason people bought more octagons back in the day.  They look better.  I have only seen a round barrel on an Italian reproduction 73 rifle one time.  (Talking rifles and not carbines.)   Also saw a round barrel on a 66 rifle once but that was many years ago.  Uberti does not currently offer round barrel rifles so the matter is basically a moot point.  About the only "round" barrel you will see on a 73 reproduction rifle is the half-round, half-octagon barrels.  Those, in my opinion, are very nice looking.  The new Winchesters do offer round barrels.  I bought it because at the time it was the only thing available.  The barrel is two inches longer than a Uberti Border rifle so the weight is about the same.  Since this is a CAS site most people are talking about shooting CAS matches with their rifles.  Some people like the extra weight as it helps them hang on the targets when shooting quickly.  At CAS shooting differences and with light loaded ammo round vs. octagon really makes no difference except for personal preference.

[Coffinmaker]

'Cause an Octagonal Barrel looks really trix.  Since the primary use is CAS, and your only shootin from 4 to 14 seconds per stage, the
difference in weight is purely academic.  I personally prefer an Octagonal barrel about 16 1/2 inches long.

Coffinmaker

[Professor Marvel]

The Octagon has a beautiful juxtapostion of lines and angles that draws the eyes and accentuates the reciever and woodwork.

Better than the octagonal barrel is the tapered octagon!

And better than that are the old german guild guns that blend a slight curve on a multisided reciever to the multisided and often tapered barrels, which also often a raised sighting rib and/or under-rib.

They are a pleasure to the eye .

If I cared so much about weight I would be using a fluted barrel, or a shrouded barrel like the mauser Gew 88.

I have a round-barrel 1866 becsause it was what was available and the 1866 was the rifle of my choice. However thru diligence and trickery I managed to get a new-old-stock octagon barrel and magazine set in the white  from Numrich quite cheap reasonabley; one of my first retirrement projects will be replacing the round barrel!

yhs
prof marvel

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

Whether on Rifle or Carbine, the Octagon barrel seems to be bit bulkier and heavier than the rounded barrel.   With full powered rifle ammunition I could see the benefit of cutting down on recoil....but why would you choose it for a rifle that shoots, essentially, a handgun round? 

  Depends on the use. When I was shooting CAS I used an 1873 .44 Special in Short Rifle configuration. But it was a chunk to carry in the deer woods. So, I sold it and picked up anot her 1873 Uberti SRC in .44 Magnum.  Much, much better for toting. Since then I've bought three original '73's in 24" octagon and an 1866 24" Sporting Rifle with and octagon barrel. Don't mind the extra weight with them because their use is pretty much long range plinking and not carrying in the woods.

    CHT

[Mean Bob Mean]

Because when I miss and toss the damn thing it's weight makes me throw it close enough to retrieve handily.  Also, If I have to club someone down with it?  I want a heavy as hell barrel. 

Actually, more weight should equate to a slight increase in stability.

Greater stability, smoother shooting platform, fewer missies.  But this is probably imperceptible for the uses that these weapons are typically employed in. 

[Jake C]

For me it's just aesthetics. That octagonal barrel sure is pretty.

[Mike]

I find this interesting as the bulk of the compition guns are the heaver octaganal  73 but I find my 73 carbine points better for close work.
I personaly would like a rifle with a round barrel, the only origanal I have handled with a round barrel had a heavy profile and felt great.
All mine are 44's not 38. Sorry I do have a 32 long round barreled 73 I had built.😊 this set up with glob front sight and tang sight.

[treebeard]

I prefer the round barrel but that is only because of personal preference. My first 1873 is the round barrel carbine and
has become an instant favorite. I do have a first year 1892 with 24 inch round barrel that I find extremely well balanced
and when it comes to the shoulder that silver front blade is right there.

[Steve S.]

     For me, looks hands down; I cannot think of a pragmatic need for an octagon barrel but, the look is classic.

[Coffinmaker]

Actually, "NEED" has no place in the Lexicon of CAS shooters.  "WANT" is the operative word.  We ..... NEED to eat = Survival.  We ......
NEED to drink fluids = Survival.  For CAS and FUN ...... We ...... WANT to look really cool doing it 

Coffinmaker

[Abilene]

I've got several round barrel carbines and several 20" octagonal "short rifles".  One of the carbines is a 16" Trapper '73 in .45.  So it is actually the lightest '73 made by Uberti.  I have lightened springs on all my long guns but no short strokes.  That trapper barrel does tend to wave around more than the others when shooting a CAS string.  But I do like it!  One of the others is a 20" octagonal 32-20.  That is a heck of a lot heavier!  But once the buzzer goes off you really don't notice that 

Coffinmaker, regarding "need":  When I've been manning the Cimarron booth at some events, and folks drool over some gun but say "I really don't need it", my stock answer is "What's need got to do with it??"   

[The Pathfinder]

Why would I choose one over the other? I don't, that's why I have both. All the better to have fun with.

[Doug.38PR]

 

Wow.  A lot of people seem to prefer Octagon here.

Y'all really think a large bulky octagon barrel looks better than this?:
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/products/long-guns/repeating-rifles-1/model-1873/carbine-1/1873-carbine-with-saddle-ring-45-colt-19-rnd-barrel.html

I could understand if it was a full rifle round to cut down on recoil, but a pistol round (even a jacked up pistol round)

[Jake C]

Wow.  A lot of people seem to prefer Octagon here.

Y'all really think a large bulky octagon barrel looks better than this?:
http://www.cimarron-firearms.com/products/long-guns/repeating-rifles-1/model-1873/carbine-1/1873-carbine-with-saddle-ring-45-colt-19-rnd-barrel.html

I could understand if it was a full rifle round to cut down on recoil, but a pistol round (even a jacked up pistol round)

I can appreciate the round barrel carbine for its usefulness and such, but that octagonal barrel has such a distinctive look to it. If we're going off of looks, I'll take the octagonal any day. If I'm going for a firearm that I need to carry, it's more of a difficult decision, but I'll admit to still preferring the octagonal. Granted, I have the luxury of being able to pick a firearm for its looks and not just how functional/utilitarian it is, you know?

[Cholla Hill Tirador]

 For real world use and carrying in the woods, I have a 1873 Uberti 19" SRC, the other three '73's are octagon and they're pretty much range rifles.

CHT