Not so typical GHE?

[David Noble]

I'm not sure whether Parker marked the vent ribs with roll dies or hand engraving, but the standard ribs, including flat ribs, were roll stamped for the maker markings and barrel steel. The matting was machine cut one line at a time with a special matting machine and indexed over the proper amount for the next line. The matting machine was designed with a cam plate that raised and lowered the single point cutter to create the blank window around the lettering.

[David Noble]

I reread my above post and realized the way I worded it made it sound absolute. Actually,the single cutter rib matting machine was eventially replaced. Does anyone know when that took place or whether the new machine was a rolling type machine?

[Bill Murphy]

I believe the single line matting machine was used to the end. Maybe someone could link the American Machinist article that I mentioned earlier. It explains the machine and the procedure and has pictures of the barrel making machines including the rib matting machine. You can get the article on books.google.com. American Machinist, Volume 39, pages in the mid 40s. Interesting reading. I mentioned it on the first page of the "Variations in Ribs" thread. Apparently, my reference to the article didn't result in anyone finding it. Maybe someone will find it with the new information I have provided.

[10 bore]

Do we know how many vent rib guns were made and how many for each grade?? scott

[David Noble]

Here are some pics from the American Machinist article of 1913 including text describing the procedure.
Here is the link. There is a good deal of info on the milling of the barrels and lugs also, just scroll up in the article a bit.
http://books.google.com/books?id=1rJ...atting&f=false

[Bruce Day]

I have several times before posted photos of a 12ga CHE Bernard with Bernard ventilated rib. It is the only one I know of, but of course there could be more.

There are a number of damascus barreled guns with vent ribs. From what I have seen, the guns were originally made before vent ribs were available, then returned to Parker for addition of the rib when they began to be offered.

Doc Drew shows a rib milling machine above. The classic double with the most complex rib matting that I know of is the Lefever.

[Autumn Daze]

David, I would love to have a hard copy of that article but I can't get it off the site.

[Bindlestiff]

Originally Posted by Dave Suponski

David, I would love to have a hard copy of that article but I can't get it off the site.

Dave, I tried to get a good copy off the Google link and its not possible. BUT, I did search for it and it is available through the inter library loan system. There is a copy near me in the University of New Hampshire library, I suspect you can get it through your local library via the loan system or at a nearby college of engineering. You are looking for Volume 39.

[David Noble]

Dave, I couldn't get it off the site either. I used my cell phone to snap some pics off my laptop screen! I tried to find a vendor that had a copy but no success to date.

[Bill Murphy]

I believe the single line matting machine was used on vent rib guns with pins attached. I find it hard to believe that the pins were dressed and engraved after the installation of the rib. What is the opinion of other posters? Second question; why are some pins more visible than others? Is this a result of a repair job with the rib being separated from the pins? Every pin on Jared's gun is quite visible, although well aligned. Has this rib been removed from the pins at some time in the past? By the way, Jared's gun, the Puglisi gun, the gun pictured by Bruce Day, seem to be about all of the composite steel vent rib guns out there. There must be more. Where are they?