Barrel prices

[42rocker]

I just noticed that Apex just raised the price of their barrels to $110. I believe that they were $50.

Anyone know any low cost sources for barrels???? Mg42 or mg34???? Shooting barrels, that is not the rare ones.

Later 42rocker

[12thWaffenSS]

I just noticed that Apex just raised the price of their barrels to $110. I believe that they were $50.

Anyone know any low cost sources for barrels???? Mg42 or mg34???? Shooting barrels, that is not the rare ones.

Later 42rocker

Verdammt! I knew I should have bought more of these at $50 a piece. I already bought two.

[David]

I ordered a bunch from centerfire systems. I bought the very nice but below super nice. They're good looking barrels and I think were $125. Plus I dont have to screw on the barrel extension.

EDIT: Looks like they're out now to. Or atleast I cant find them.

[daddybob67]

i was lucky and bought 2 barrels at 50$ saw price increase wow

[42rocker]

To finish this up, as soon as I saw the price increase I went to gun broker and the apex ad and used buy it now and got one for $55. then they ran another for $60 and I used buy it now again. Now the buy it now lists them at $110 last I looked. Well picked up about 4 barrels from them for under $60 and got the 1/2 dozen of the barrel extensions from rtg for $15. I understand that the barrels came from the wise lite builds as they rebuilt using new barrels. Good luck in finding barrels for under $125...

Later 42rocker

[daddybob67]

the two i got were in really good shape. could tell they were used but very nice

[Mike]

I got 45 german 8mm barrels back in 1998 for $35 each at Knob Creek.
Turned out 2 of then had chromate plated bores.
Hopefully I run out of ammo before barrels.

[42rocker]

Way to go Mike!

Later 42rocker

[CRUSADER]

About the prices ... fwiw ... about one year ago I bought 4 8mm Yugo barrels from APEX. Back then they were offering two different grades. One grade was $50 each, the other was $100 each. I bought two of each grade. There was a CLEAR difference between the four barrels. The more expensive barrels were much nicer. Better, sharper rifling. Much brighter bores too. Better looking bluing as well.

I happen to have one more locking piece handy ... so I'll gladly pick up another $110 barrel from them.

[TactAdv]

I got 45 german 8mm barrels back in 1998 for $35 each at Knob Creek.
Turned out 2 of then had chromate plated bores.
Hopefully I run out of ammo before barrels.

Yeah, but you gotta tell them where you store them! One of these days your bathtub is going to sink right into that swamp you live in. ;-)

[classicmachine]

It looks like the old Fed barrel import ban is starting to catch up with the MG42/53

[42rocker]

Can't remember if it was a post or something that they told me. But all of the barrels that they are selling are ones that wiselite pulled from the barrel extensions on their rebuilds. They used new barrels for their m53 builds. Apex was the only one selling them and wiselite was their only source. Therefore when wiselite slowed down their building of m53's, Apex's source started drying up. So Apex raised the price as they can't get them as fast from Apex..
So the only difference currently between a $110 barrel and a $50 barrel is when you bought it from Apex.

Later 42rocker

[CRUSADER]

42Rock, do you know where the new barrels were coming from (who was making them?)?

If the current $110 barrels are what they used to sell for $50 ... well, that's kinda f'd up.

I'd rather spend the money on a legit brand new barrel...I couldn't care less when/where it was made, ya know? I'd also be willing to spend a little more if the barrel was new.

[42rocker]

I do believe that the Apex pile of barrels from wiselite rebuilds are drying up and now costing more money. Welcome to the change. $50 to $110 same pile. I bought a couple using the buy it now on gunbroker as the price was going up. Website was $50 then it changed to $110. I quickly looked up the Apex auction on gunbroker and buy it now was $55. Bought it, next one came up and I believe I used buy it now for $65. The next buy it now barrel ad apex did was $110.. I did not buy it. While I could use a few more barrels I'll have to wait for a better deal. Also I believe that over several months I have bought 4 to 6 of these barrels from apex and they all looked about the same, nice usable barrel. Also bought barrel extensions from rtg, as several others did and have posted about, on this website.

There was a post on this website from wiselite about this. I do believe. Check it out. They might say where their new barrels are coming from. As I recall they did not say where, but check it out.

Later 42rocker

[TactAdv]

I'd rather spend the money on a legit brand new barrel...I couldn't care less when/where it was made, ya know? I'd also be willing to spend a little more if the barrel was new.

Nope, sorry, gotta STRONGLY disagree with you here. LOTS of good reasons to NOT place a lot of faith in new barrels over "old".

All these "old" barrels you're talking scratch about were made for actual military procurements and they are sound and proven in design, materials, and manufacture. They may be "old" but their construction and materials and metallurgy are correct for the job at hand. Definitely not so with the vast majority of current USA new-made replacement barrels sold for application in sales of "parts kits". For starters, in EVERY case I am aware of, and that's a lot, no one had access to anything resembling the original manufacturing drawings, so such things as true dimensions, tolerances, materials specifications, heat and quenching specs, etc. are all unavailable to these strictly commercial production facilities. Also importantly, there is no way of knowing the original and correct chamber and leade dimensions that were specified by the original arsenal and/or foreign government procurements.

All these new made barrels that are supplied to restore these imported parts-kits are almost all made by only two domestic sources- Green Mountain or Mossberg. Yes, they are competent barrel makers, very much so in fact, but they simply are making tubes to someone else's reverse-engineered prints, tolerances, and specifications. Often, the materials are on par with good commercial sporting barrels, but that is the important distinction over the original military steels specified. Another little recognized fact is that due to their legal advisers winning out NONE of the domestic barrel makers will supply, even on direct specification, a chamber that is not compliant to SAAMI specification if it is a commercial application, which all these are. The resulting replacement barrels will all therefore be nothing more than good commercial barrels even if they "look like" machine gun barrels, which they most definitely are NOT.

For use in a semi-auto gun project, one might not find too much of a problem, then again, one might. It all depends upon on use and application. In all cases though, be aware that unless you are shooting true SAAMI spec commercial ammunition, which most of you probably will not spring for, all the MIL-SURP ammo out there was not intended for such a chamber and/or leade specification and may give no end of headaches trying to make it all run reliably. Also, do not begin to think you will ever get the same lifespan out of such a new-made barrel as compared to a true military-specification machine gun barrel if you get the thing hot repeatedly.

I have yet to see ANY of these current USA made replacement barrels last more than 3-4,000rds when we shoot them in actual machine guns and get them hot like they are supposed to be used. OTOH, I have had great service still out of even the most poorly appearing and well-used Yugo M53 barrels and continue to use them for many, many thousands of rounds over the last decade with no problems at all. And, I have lots of MG-15, MG-34, MG-81 barrels that are dated from 1939-1940 time-frame, went through the whole War and lasted till I got them and we have certainly shot the crap out of them in usages as hobbyist shooters that were never contemplated and they are still sound and SAFE tubes, all a tribute to the superb design manufacture, and materials, selected originally.

IMHO, your absolute faith in these replacement barrels is ill-placed. YMMV, as always.

-TomH

[Bil]

Thanks for the information,from someone that certainly knows! There should be plenty of original barrels around,how often do you wear one out?? ---bil

[CRUSADER]

Wow - yes, excellent information. Thanks for adding to this discussion.
The commercial vs mil. spec issue is certainly a very important aspect to consider.

Do you know of an American manufacturer that is capable of manufacturing hammer forged, chrome lined barrels? Wouldn't that be a step in the right direction?

[Blanksguy]

42rocker,

Thank you for the update on the barrel-prices........
.....I'll have to now raise up my prices for the 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assemblies for reenactors in my ads.
Seems that now I will not be able to make/sell the 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assemblies at the "old-prices" as I would not be able to buy more for that price......and I sure can't see losing money.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[42rocker]

Just an update of this topic

Just saw in a Gun Broker ad that apex is now starting barrels at $135 with buy it now at $140. And they are now stating "Original high quality Yugoslavian production MG42 M53 8mm barrel.".
Looks like the wiselite barrel pull off group is gone as they had a few German ones mixed in from what I heard. Started at $50 and now at $135.

Later 42rocker

[CRUSADER]

They have another acution running too. The prices are a little lower - $110/115.

I'd think it'd be tougher to sell the 8mm barrels now that all the big online ammo sellers are sold out of 8mm ammo.

I have some Yugo & Romy 8mm, not alot. I actually have more surplus .308.

I only have one .308 MG42/3/whatever barrel. I suppose I should pick up a few more barrels & a conversion kit....

.......it just never ends