New Manufacture No4 Barrels

[tbonesmith]

Guess we all wait for developments in this new era that is slowly coming, as a footer do not try and get Lothar Walther barrels exported my friend told me he has tried and well how long is a piece of string apparently something to do with the changing and tightening of their export laws after Aus was flooded with illegal Glock pistols and parts.

There is no problem importing Lothar Walther barrels. And I expect my shipment of UK made, newly manufactured No4 barrels in .303 and 7.62, with bayonet lugs, blackened and proofed, after several delays, in the next week or so... and won't that be a relief!

[jimmieZ]

Boy, I'd sure like to get my "Bubba'd" No.4 MKI (T) rifle restored with a new barrel. All correct action and scope pads - but butchered barrel - makes me cry at times.

[tbonesmith]

Guess what I just picked up today?! Brand Spanking! And not just 2 either.

[Brian Dick]

Criterion are sending one of the first batch here at the end of the month for installation and testing. I'm looking forward to it. They will be short chambered so that they can be finish reamed to a #0 bolt head! Yay!!

[ssj]

Boy, I'd sure like to get my "Bubba'd" No.4 MKI (T) rifle restored with a new barrel. All correct action and scope pads - but butchered barrel - makes me cry at times.

Though for a T I'd suggest a genuine barrel to maintain its value, though that is a personal thing.

The way to do that maybe buy a No4 mk2 with an A1 barrel and swap them out.

---------- Post added at 09:04 AM ---------- Previous post was at 09:03 AM ----------

Criterion are sending one of the first batch here at the end of the month for installation and testing. I'm looking forward to it. They will be short chambered so that they can be finish reamed to a #0 bolt head! Yay!!

Now that is a good idea, all my heads are 1s, and getting 0 heads is pretty easy and cheap.

[sean6.555]

Hi all
long time lurker first post.
I have followed this thread and similar ones on other forums, this is all good news for the LE owning community. Going from scrounging barrels to having Two companys making them is fantastic.
Brian Dick and tbonesmith I have a question regarding specifics of the barrels, printed or actual measurements you have made /make.
Rifling type /grove No.
Major /minor - land/grove dia.
I am shore others would like to know this as there is nothing on Criterion's or Armolons respective web pages.
Thank you in advance Sean

[Peter Laidler]

Just one little point that I have been pondering over...... Re this 'shallow/short chamber' idea as alluded to in Brians thread 24.
Barrel breeched up in body, shallow chamber, No0 bolt head fitted and bolt/head won't QUITE close over a .064" gauge.........
On a rimless cartridge you just ream the chamber a minute amount and the datum point on the shoulder moves fractionally to allow the bolt to close over the .064 or 1.6325 or other GO CHS gauge. So far, so good.

But how does such a plan work with a rimmed cart. where the rim and therefore CHS is measured from themachined rear end of the barrel?

Can I assume that in this case (if you'll excuse the pun.....) the chamber reamer includes a reamer or milling cutter of sorts that will shave steel from the rear of the barrel too?

It seems to me that that is the only way the shallow/short chambering thing can work on a rimmed cart. barrel........... Or have I missed something?

[muffett.2008]

You've got me grinning again Pete, things I think you ask..........must have something to do with RAEME/REME

[Brian Dick]

I don't know those particulars Sean and Peter. I have no personable involvement with the manufacture of these barrels other than to supply some front sight bases and a spike bayonet so they could reverse engineer the barrel lugs. I've only breeched up Lee barrels the old fashioned way by fitting bolt/bolt head assemblies to spec using correct gauges. I'm as curious as everyone else about just how the short chamber process will work. The theory is good but….. I guess we'll find out in due time.

[tbonesmith]

Hi all
long time lurker first post.
I have followed this thread and similar ones on other forums, this is all good news for the LE owning community. Going from scrounging barrels to having Two companys making them is fantastic.
Brian Dick and tbonesmith I have a question regarding specifics of the barrels, printed or actual measurements you have made /make.
Rifling type /grove No.
Major /minor - land/grove dia.
I am shore others would like to know this as there is nothing on Criterion's or Armolons respective web pages.
Thank you in advance Sean

The .303 barrels are 5 groove and are made to a major bore diameter of .310 instead of .311, twist is 1:10".
The .308 barrels are 4 groove and 1:12.5" twist.

Headspace is slightly adjustable on the .303 barrels, but they are not short chambered.

That's about all I have got.

Cheers