Earliest Date On An Hra Barrel

[jjones]

What Is The Earliest Date That Has Been Found On An Hra Barrel?

Thanks
Joe

Information

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[Ramboueille]

What Is The Earliest Date That Has Been Found On An Hra Barrel?

Thanks
Joe

HRA 1-51

[Jim S.]

I have a 6-51 HRA barrel that I believe is the earliest HRA barrel. It may well be a pre-production barrel as it is blued and doesn't have the lower band pin cut out. It was taken from a late HRA rifle (not be me) before it was generally known that HRA put a number of early barrels on late receivers. I'll post some pictures tonight.

I once saw a post in the GCA Journal for a 1-51 HRA barrel, but when I called the seller he noted that the posting was in error. If you have pictures of a 1-51 barrel please post them.

[Ramboueille]

I have a 6-51 HRA barrel that I believe is the earliest HRA barrel. It may well be a pre-production barrel as it is blued and doesn't have the lower band pin cut out. It was taken from a late HRA rifle (not be me) before it was generally known that HRA put a number of early barrels on late receivers. I'll post some pictures tonight.

I once saw a post in the GCA Journal for a 1-51 HRA barrel, but when I called the seller he noted that the posting was in error. If you have pictures of a 1-51 barrel please post them.

Jim,

Why would I want to keep a photo of an HRA 1-51 barrel? Have see quite a few but I don't collect them. Take my word "HRA 1-51."

[Jim S.]

Here are a couple of pictures of my 6-51 HRA barrel. As you can see it has a blued finish and there is no cut out for the lower band pin.

Ramboueille, You seemed to have taken offense at my request for a photo. No offense intended on my part, its just that I've never seen or heard of a barrel earlier than this one.

[dryheat]

Very interesting barrel. I've seen 11-51 and Duff's mentions 8-51,but the blue book is a little out of date.

[John R.]

In 1999 when my importer friend here in Vancouver bought all that was left of the Danish logistics back up spares as well as 10K Garands I found 2 cases of H&R barrels.

The first which my partner bought were dated 10-51 and were ALL in the cosmoline.My case were all 10-52 and had BLACK plastic thread caps on each end,a VCI straw down the bore dry packed in a case of 20 barrels.The 10-51 barrels were also in a case of 20.

I noticed a small blemish on all of my barrels just behind the chrome plated gas cylinder bearing area that would appear to have been the result of someone having touched the barrel with his/her bare hands prior to the barrel going into the parkerizing solution.I always leave my right thumbprint under the left grip of any pistols that I reparkerized as an identifier and on the right receiver leg on any Garands or M14 that I rebuild.I have access to a full parkerizing facility(Parco Lubrite 2 the ORIGINAL and still BEST) and have more than enough experience to do the job right.Seemingly these blemishes led H&R to sit on quite a few of their early production barrels and ordnance finally gave their consent to use them on their really late production rifles.

They ARE lovely barrels.

Cheers all,

JR

[Devil Dog]

I traded for a HRA 10-51 barrel a few years ago. It was blemished exactly as John R says and was perfect inside. Maybe it came from his partner's cases.

[JAS]

HRA had a contract to supply barrels for replacement purposes before they ever had a contract to build complete rifles.

[Peter Costas]

I have CMP winchester with an 8-51 HRA barrel on it. Winchester's serial number falls in the mid 1942 range.
Peter