7.62mm barrels

[gsimmons]

There are guys in the North South Skirmish Association who lengthen and line barrels all the time. One is Robert Hoyt, but I'm not sure if he still does it. He cuts the barrel if it's not full length, then inserts a shouldered liner of the proper length(42"for a M1842). He secures it with epoxy. I've not heard of one moving.

[ActionYobbo]

I think that it's being totally unrealistic to suggest that starting a total external re-profiling exercise from scratch using a large outside diameter rifled barrel blank would be easier (thread 6) It's totally unnecessary because you already have it - on the old barrel! What's more, it's all accurately done at the factory using the original drawings and passed by the MoS examiners. All you gotta do is to reline it!

Shot out/worn out/rusty barrels appear to be unavailable simply because by definition nobody in their right mind would a) want to buy one and b) as a result, feel the need to advertise any for sale! That's just my logical pragmatic view.#

Here's another point to ponder too. As soon as you pin a barrel with a transverse cross-pin, the barrel is weakened at that point and is only as strong as THAT diameter. (not a STRICTLY mechanically correct fact as there are certain tensile and stress related variables. But it IS weakened!)

Obviously some of the operations such as drilling out the barrel length would need to be done commercially and that would be relatively cheap. Look chaps...... the gun trade in the UK were boring out No1 and 4 rifle barrels AND BREN GUN barrels into shotguns by the thousands...... And that was with the bodies attached! What's the difficulty in boring out to.7" over .410"? Drilling a Bren barrel is simplicity itself. But this time you ain't paying for a desk bound geek to draw up the radial and lateral profile on his CAD!
Nope, I'm of the 'can do' era of graduates/engineers/Armourers as opposed to the 'its too difficult' generation. They never thought like that when they were making the Bren to start with.....

so you get a 303 Mk2 barrel and bore it out and insert the liner then when you profile the outside of the barrel to L4 profile then the parts on the original barrel become separated when the metal joining them together is removed. so in essence you end up with the same thing but by a different method except your parts are free to wander

There are guys in the North South Skirmish Association who lengthen and line barrels all the time. One is Robert Hoyt, but I'm not sure if he still does it. He cuts the barrel if it's not full length, then inserts a shouldered liner of the proper length(42"for a M1842). He secures it with epoxy. I've not heard of one moving.

ever done a mag dump from a BREN 3 mags rapid fire, epoxy will let go before the second mag is empty

[Peter Laidler]

Nope....... When you re-profile a Mk2 barrel to L4A2 and 4 spec there's no need to remove/separate anything*. It is simply a matter of turning two completely round diameters (between the carry handle and the gas block) down slightly but ONLY IF YOU NEED ABSOLUTE AUTHENTICITY. *You remove the f/elim and bring it rearwards simply because you've got to replace the conical .303 one with a fluted L4 version in any case. In fact, best leave the conical f/e in place initially as it's a suitable large diameter receptacle for the rotating tail-stock spindle.
How do I know this? Experience! 3 months ago I externally turned down 18 Mk2's to L4A2 spec on a small Myford lathe. These 'false' barrels were to be used in dewat L4 guns so as to preserve the original L4 barrels. Worked a treat - if anyone would like to see an example!

Mechanically of course, you only need a zillionth of an " cearance to create a sliding fit between the outer 'barrel' and the inner liner. I wonder if the metallurgist JMoore and PBreaky would care to comment on the shrink-to-grip idea

Let's not forget that the external outlines of the 'new' barrels is cosmetic. and reducing the length of a .303 to the 7.62mm length won't affect the exterior service condition as would machining down for exactness

[Vincent]

This is the best deal on a barrel blank I’ve been able to find so far. What do you think?

7.62x51-BLANK 7.62x51 Raw Blank 25" x 1.25" - Green Mountain Rifle Barrel Co.

They also have a 416 stainless for $10 more.

[Peter Laidler]

I bet this little outfit could/would turn it to the diameters you wanted if you were ordering 25.

[Joe H]

Vincent,

That's the blank I would use. I've bought Thompson barrels from them before and the were true Mil spec AA++.

Peter,

Here is an interesting post I found from 2009. Based on inflation his current cost would be about $350. Doesn't say how he attaches the barrel.

Feb, 2009
QUOTE
"Its really not safe to reline a high pressure cartridge barrel."
Not so, Grasshopper. Please be careful about dispensing advice without the facts. We reline high pressure cartridge barrels in our shop all the time. The liner is larger in diameter than a 22 liner (about as large in diameter as a #1 profile barrel) with an enlarged portion in the chamber area, the barrel is reamed and the liner is inserted, then the barrel is chambered and crowned. What you end up with looks just like the original barrel and is completely safe to fire. Many times it will actually shoot better than the original barrel because of the closer tolerances of the barrel liner vs a 50-year-old barrel. You cannot tell the barrel has been lined after the work is done.

As far as the cost compared to rebarreling, the comparison is only as good as the price of whatever barrel blank you would use. Relining a barrel will typically cost about $300, rebarreling with a cheap barrel like a Adams & Bennett would be about the same price (because of threading the barrel and cutting the breech recess), but many barrel blanks will actually cost as much or more just by themselves than the whole relining job. Before you decide which you want or need, decide what you want as a result, then find out about prices. You can PM me if you are interested in relining your barrel. QUOTE

I think I'll try to contact him.

Joe

[Brit plumber]

This may sound daft but perhaps if there was a few interested parties, You could do a group buy/ resleeve, maybe even one of the companies like SARCO or IMA would get in on the act. If it was legal over here I'd get involved.

[Joe H]

Brit,

Sarco has advertised that they will supply new made barrels for those who bought or will buy their L4 kits. I don't know how many kits they imported but its probably a good production run for a barrel maker. To date the barrels are not yet available. No availability date is promised. If you want their kit this would be the way to go assuming they come up with the barrels.

All,

I emailed to the supplier mentioned above in detail what I would want for a .308 barrel reline. i included a pic of a MkII barrel. All I asked about was the reline, no finish contours, fit up to receiver, short chamber, just install the reline. Told him it was for a semi.

Unless somebody is familiar with the Bren you would have explain in detail with a drawing to show what you want.

Here is the response:

"The liners are made from 4130 steel which is a bit softer than 4140. I don’t recommend it for 308. A new barrel could be made form a 30 caliber blank which would hold up as well as the original. The only problem would be fitting it to the action, I can’t have an automatic in the shop."

I won't pursue a reline any further. If I want the L4 barrel I know how to make one.
Joe

[Peter Laidler]

That sounds like a good marketing ploy Joe, or as we say here '.....hook the buyer first...' Sell them a flame-cut body and kit with the promise of a new made 7.62mm barrel '.......later'. No availability or price announced, only '....later'.

A reasonably well equipped shop can deep drill and re-line a barrel. If they accurately reline by contraction old car and aircraft engines it would indicate to me that they're doing something right. I suspect that the stumbling block is the distinct lack of interest due to quantity. Added to the promise of '.......later'

I look on relining an old barrel to suit in much the same way as we reuse old barrels as DP or Blank firers or re-using/converting a No4 butt to suit your needy Mk5 Sten gun. Waste not, want not - in terms of time, effort and materials. After all, someone else has already done half the work for you!

[Joe H]

Peter,

Here we call it "Bait & Switch". I think the reality is that most of the barrel guys are thinking about sporting firearms, not sure even with the pic he understood the amount of machining required on that barrel. Just as you say there is somebody out there that will do it, but finding them especially for a one off project may be nigh impossible.

Joe