+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 6 of 6

Thread: Specialized Sten Barrels

Click here to increase the font size Click here to reduce the font size
  1. #1
    Legacy Member tj214's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Last On
    03-17-2024 @ 06:01 PM
    Location
    US
    Posts
    82
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    07:44 AM

    Specialized Sten Barrels

    Over the years I've acquired a couple of 9mm Sten barrels that I can't identify. Have checked Peter's book and the other Sten references in my library and online. I suspect they were for WW II suppressors, but don't match the drawing in Peter's book. They're not threaded, so I doubt they're related to postwar cans.

    Can anyone confirm what the two specialized barrels in this pic were for? (The bottom barrel is a standard Mk II aftermarket barrel for comparison).

    Attachment 106891

    The top barrel is 7.5" from breech to muzzle, with 1" long reduced-diameter fluting at the muzzle end. It also has a through hole ahead of the chamber to allow it to be pinned to something.

    Attachment 106888

    This particular barrel has considerable annular scoring around the exterior of the thick part ahead of the chamber (odd given the hole for the barrel to be pinned!), which may or may not have obliterated some sort of stamped markings. Frankly it looks to me like something might have been there, but is unreadable now.

    Attachment 106892

    The short barrel is 5-1/8" from breech to muzzle, with 3/8" long fluting at the muzzle end. It has eight staggered rows of six venting holes each. I suspect this might have been a variant used in the long SOE/CISA can.

    However, Peter's book has a drawing of a standard-length Mk II barrel with venting holes drilled along the rifling he states was for use with the SOE/CISA suppressor. The vent holes in the barrel below certainly straddle the rifling, and there is no evidence of interior burrs or sharp edges to the holes. This barrel also lacks the three annular "U" shaped recesses just ahead of the butt-end positioning collar as shown in Peter's drawing. It does not have any markings.

    Attachment 106890

    What think ye?
    Information
    Warning: This is a relatively older thread
    This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

  2. # ADS
    Friends and Sponsors
    Join Date
    October 2006
    Location
    Milsurps.Com
    Posts
    All Threads
    A Collector's View - The SMLE Short Magazine Lee Enfield 1903-1989. It is 300 8.5x11 inch pages with 1,000+ photo’s, most in color, and each book is serial-numbered.  Covering the SMLE from 1903 to the end of production in India in 1989 it looks at how each model differs and manufacturer differences from a collecting point of view along with the major accessories that could be attached to the rifle. For the record this is not a moneymaker, I hope just to break even, eventually, at $80/book plus shipping.  In the USA shipping is $5.00 for media mail.  I will accept PayPal, Zelle, MO and good old checks (and cash if you want to stop by for a tour!).  CLICK BANNER to send me a PM for International pricing and shipping. Manufacturer of various vintage rifle scopes for the 1903 such as our M73G4 (reproduction of the Weaver 330C) and Malcolm 8X Gen II (Unertl reproduction). Several of our scopes are used in the CMP Vintage Sniper competition on top of 1903 rifles. Brian Dick ... BDL Ltd. - Specializing in British and Commonwealth weapons Specializing in premium ammunition and reloading components. Your source for the finest in High Power Competition Gear. Here at T-bones Shipwrighting we specialise in vintage service rifle: re-barrelling, bedding, repairs, modifications and accurizing. We also provide importation services for firearms, parts and weapons, for both private or commercial businesses.
     

  3. #2
    Advisory Panel Lee Enfield's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Last On
    03-16-2024 @ 12:24 PM
    Location
    out there
    Posts
    1,820
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    05:44 AM
    The top barrel is a barrel originally intended for a MkIII which has been salvaged for use as a MkII barrel by installing the re-in force barrel trunnion. These are quite common.

    The middle barrel is "probably" for a commercial silencer. There were a number of international militarys which manufactured cans for Stens post WW2 - including the US as late as Vietnam.

    The ww2 MkIIS and MkVI cans both had short barrels.

    The hole in the re inforce is to install a split pin to capture the barrel to the MkII barrel nut. This "should be" a feature of all Mk2 barrels.
    Last edited by Lee Enfield; 04-06-2020 at 10:37 AM.

  4. Avoid Ads - Become a Contributing Member - Click HERE
  5. #3
    Legacy Member Brit plumber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Last On
    03-04-2024 @ 02:19 PM
    Posts
    1,807
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    12:44 PM
    Middle one is not Britishicon and appears to be a modified Possibly Frenchicon barrel judging by the chamfered chamber end.

    The pin hole is to lock the bushing to the barrel rather than barrel nut. The bushing is a press fit and the cross pin stops the barrel being pushed out of it with the force of the bolt closing on a round. I believe these pins at some time were replaced with split pins which then also retained the barrel nut as a consequence.

    ---------- Post added at 10:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:21 PM ----------

    Oh and I can say the middle barrel wasn’t used on any British suppressor as they didn’t use the bushing and if I’m correct, that barrel will be made from solid and not the 2 part bush/barrels of the MkII/V

  6. #4
    Advisory Panel browningautorifle's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Last On
    Today @ 12:35 AM
    Location
    Victoria BC
    Posts
    29,813
    Real Name
    Jim
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    04:44 AM
    Quote Originally Posted by tj214 View Post
    This particular barrel has considerable annular scoring around the exterior of the thick part ahead of the chamber
    Those are simple rotational machining marks. It takes a bit of work to eliminate them and they weren't taking time. Not so unusual. The rest as stated, yes the vented barrel is for a can.
    Regards, Jim

  7. #5
    Legacy Member tj214's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2019
    Last On
    03-17-2024 @ 06:01 PM
    Location
    US
    Posts
    82
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    07:44 AM
    Thread Starter
    Thanks to all.

    BP, I see your point about the pin to lock the bushing to the barrel, which I hadn't noticed before.

    Was this present on only the Mk III barrels converted for Mk II use? I would think if you were making a new barrel, even during the war, it would make more sense to machine the entire unit from a single piece of metal. I note the short, perforated barrel in my collection does not have a pin or hole, and obviously the current aftermarket barrels are unitary. Due to the machined front sight lugs it appears a Mk III barrel could not be converted for Mk V use.

  8. #6
    Legacy Member Brit plumber's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Last On
    03-04-2024 @ 02:19 PM
    Posts
    1,807
    Local Date
    03-19-2024
    Local Time
    12:44 PM
    All production Sten barrels were of the same diameter stock, the Mk2 and Mk5 guns had the barrel bushes pinned in place. Machine time was the main cost in wartime and minimising waste. To machine a Mk2 or Mk5 bushing and barrel as one would take longer than separately. A good lathe could knock out lots of bushes in one pass, i.e. maybe 5 items at the same time.

    I don’t personally believe Mk3 barrels were ever used as Mk5 barrels as I’ve never seen a Mk5 barrel with the short step breech end bushed. I would have to measure the bayonet lug end to see if it’s even possible. The Mk1 barrel appears to be identical to the Mk3 and it would make sense seeing as Lines simplified the Mk1 gun into the Mk3.

    The standard Mk2 S guns used a shorter barrel which was more in keeping with the Mk1/3 style with reduced diameter shoulders at either end. If you see a Mk2 S suppressor unit breech end with the same fitting as the regular barrel nut then suspect it to be a replica. The correct unit has an extra section for the barrel to fit into.

  9. Thank You to Brit plumber For This Useful Post:


+ Reply to Thread

Similar Threads

  1. 308 Win K31 barrels
    By JamesB in forum Swiss Rifles
    Replies: 3
    Last Post: 04-17-2017, 05:34 PM
  2. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 01-06-2014, 06:39 AM
  3. 2 groove barrels versus 4 groove barrels?
    By kennethf in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle
    Replies: 7
    Last Post: 10-12-2010, 11:16 AM
  4. SA 42 barrels
    By rice 123 in forum M1903/1903A3/A4 Springfield Rifle
    Replies: 6
    Last Post: 10-11-2010, 09:56 PM

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
Raven Rocks