Terminology: "Lands"?

[Art Eatman]

We all know what are "lands" and "grooves" in a barrel's rifling.

"Grooves" seems obvious, but where did the term "Lands" come from?

:confused:, Art

[Steven Mace]

Art, the word 'land' from Webster's 1828 Dictionary (http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?search_for_d:/inetpub/wwwroot/cgi-bin/webster/web1828=land):

7. The ground left unplowed between furrows, is by some of our farmers called a land.

The word 'groove' is listed in the same dictionary (http://65.66.134.201/cgi-bin/webster/webster.exe?search_for_texts_web1828=groove):

1. A furrow, channel, or long hollow cut by a tool. Among joiners, a channel in the edge of a molding, style or rail.

Just my guess.

Steve Mace

[johnwill]

Not to mention if you're out sailing, the "land" is higher than the surrounding water. :)

[Art Eatman]

Thanx, Steven; that makes sense.

johnwill, go to your room. Right now.

:), Art

[C.R.Sam]

Johnwill beat me to it.

A canal, as opposed to an aqueduct, is a groove in the land to carry water.

Hence, the land is higher than the water.

Sam, no flooding allowed.

[johnwill]

:D

[C.R.Sam]

There is also the suidae factor.

In Victorian times, the landed gentry lived higher off the hog than the groovy commoners.

Sam....:rolleyes: