Why did guns used to have octagon barrels?

>>32802645
we machine barrels now, instead of forging them to shape

ease of manufacturing would be my wild guess

Easier to make flat surfaces with hammers and files than round surfaces?

>>32802645
Piercing mills work better with round bars.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztcEyel47Kg

>>32802645
also a circular barrel is a stronger shape then a octagonal barrel. The pressure gets evenly distributed along a circular barrel rather then being more likely to crack along the lines of a octagonal barrel.

>>32802645
Depending on the era it was either simply the aesthetic appeal, or it was simpler for the gunsmith to get a good surface finish by filing the sides flat.

Octagonal muzzle loaders were often round on the underside. They only made the visible portion octagonal.

File: barrelprofiles.png (460KB, 1915x631px) Image search: [Google]

460KB, 1915x631px

>>32802648
Nothing to do with it

>>32802649
Close

>>32802656
Nope

>>32803611
weight for weight an octagonal barrel is stronger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSMwCXO2gbU

tl;dw:

Takes more money and time for something that most people don't give a shit about, but the benefits are

a. reduce weight
b. maintain some rigidity with reduced weight
c. looks
d. bleed off heat faster

>not using a klein bottle barrel
what are you? 3rd dimensional beings?

>>32802645
It goes way back before lathes and milling machines were a thing. Octagonal profile is easier to make by hand with a file because you can easily measure it and check you are doing it right.

>>32803692
Sheeeeeeeit

>>32803692
>weight for weight an octagonal barrel is stronger
Flexural strength is not relevant in the context of how a barrel fails. The real reason is for aesthetics.