Thanks for the picture and yes, actually, it does. I'd say this was an excellent example of a somewhat higher grade of the early-20th century Guild-type guns; most of the round-barrel examples I've examined had similar soldered ribs, albeit many not as well-done as this one. I remember the first one I ever saw up close & personal, in my first year of smithing school. A fellow student had allowed his barrel vise to slip, tearing the rib loose at the rear end. Bill Prator showed the student how to straighten the rib and then re-solder it back into place. I remember being amazed at how closely the rib was fitted along the undamaged portion, at first glance it seemed as though it was integral with the barrel. The very few that I've examined closely had a pronounced concavity along the bottom side, allowing the rib's edges to closely conform to the barrel and thus minimize the visible solder joint. I don't recall ever seeing a full-round barrel with an integral rib on any Continental rifle although I'm sure they exist; all integral ribs I've seen thus far on Continental rifles have been on part- or full-octagon barrels. It seems fairly obvious to me at least that either the Continental smiths had access to inexpensive pre-formed rib stock or else they were gluttons for extra work!
I emphasize that I'm certainly not any sort of expert on these rifles or these ribs, merely an interested enthusiast who's been studying classic gunsmithing in a small way for many years. I sure wish these older ribbed barrels were still as relatively common & inexpensive as they were in my youth!
Regards, Joe
