I just spiffed up a Centaure in which the frame and the barrel were obviously blued before much finishing was done. The frame still had grind lines deep and actually what loked like "broach" lines deep in the metal. A real hassel to get rid of that and stiull have the parts join nicely.
The barrel had the "flat" bad. I contoured to what I feel is the real deal. The line at the top of the flat needs rounded over and blended into the round. The line at the bottom needs to be there but blended into the round at the front of the surface. as it disappears. I round the "line" at the bottom but leave that "contour separator" there. That bottom line isn't to be too well defined but still there.
The old Colts antiques have that worn down and rounded too much since they are so old.
That may be how you are explaining it. Maybe a little different.
Anyway......you're right Doc about the "unfinished" look of that danged flat on the sides of the 1860 Army Colt barrels.
Actual Uberti and "Colts" HAVE IT RIGHT. Pietta is too flat and not contoured or rounded in enough. That stamping on the barrel makes for an exaggerated ugly when combined with the unfinished flats. Too bad for an otherwise fine pistol...the Pietta. I hate those freakin stampings on the sides of the barrels. All too often they move metal down and into "humps" protruding into an otherwise fine barrel. Barrels? Barrels on the cap&ballers? Don't get me started.
