How many spare barrels?

kmw · Post by **kmw** » Wed Dec 14, 2005 10:33 pm

Hi folks!

I'm a

to "kit building" but I've been shooting all my life (my grandfather, an NRA rifle team instructor, taught me to shoot when I was 4). I'm an engineer, hands on guy, and besides guns I race vintage sports cars for fun. My firearms experience centers around military weapons, from an '03A3 .30-06 to Uzis to AR15s of various flavors.

I've got an IO Yugo M53 kit in .308 on the way, and I've talked with pirate about his FAL bits and such.

My plan is to build a semi in MG3 spec -- I really want to be able to use the M13 disintegrating links. I'm not in this for history, I've just always wanted a belt fed and this seems like a fun route.

Anyway, I'm looking at all the nifty things I'd like to have, and considering the "barrel ban", I want a spare barrel or two.

The questions:

1) How many spare barrels should I have?
2) Who has the _best_ barrels?
3) Properly headspaced, how long can one expect a semi MG42 to last? what about the barrels?

I hope this doesn't offend/tick off anyone, but I may end up being the only Jew with an MG42.

-KMW

"...they can still see his headless body, stalking through the night, in the muzzle flash of Roland's Thompson gun"

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 6:56 am

kmw,

First, WELCOME to the Forum. This is the place to find the information you need. "pirate" and all the other builders can certainly provide you with great assistance! You sound a lot like me; engineer, raced SCCA cars, love firearms, and have a bunch of them. My only thing is I bought my MG42 from BRP, so I "cheated" some from most of the guys here, LOL.

To answer some of your questions, My MG42 is convertable to MG1, MG2, and MG3 configuration. I have Three (3) 7.62mm Steyr barrels, and Six (6) WWII MG42 barrels. I bought most about 6 months ago when the barrel ban was announced and got them for the old pricing. I figured these would last me the rest of my life. If you take care of the barrels like the German soldiers did and change them out often, they will last a looooong time.

I bought most of my barrels from Interordnance and was well pleased with them. The last two I bought were from Angola Armory. I don't think they have any now, but IO may have the 7.62mm available.

As to your third question, I don't know, but if you take care of them and change them out often, they should last many thousands of rounds.

Don't woryy about being Jewish and owning an MG42, Israel used them too!

Edit - Oh yea, you need to go to John Baum's website and see the EXCELLENT translation he has of the original German Manuals for the MG42 and MG3; plus other German weapons. John is a Straight-up guy and if you have questions on which Manuals you need, send hinm an e-mail! You really need these Manuals as they are great reading and can help with the assembly of the gun.

kmw · Post by **kmw** » Thu Dec 15, 2005 8:27 am

Abwehr,

Thanks for the info.

(First the side note: what kind of racing? I ran a rally car in the California Rally Series before the SCCA got out of stage rallies, that was incredible. I've done a lot of autocross and built an IT car for my wife. I've also got BRG disease -- way too many MGs and Triumphs around, not to mention the Rover tow vehicle.)

I'm curious about one comment:

If you take care of the barrels like the German soldiers did and change them out often, they will last a looooong time.

So it's not a question of the total number of rounds fired through the barrel but the number of rounds per session. I see. Having seen the "change the barrel every 150 rounds" I was thinking, to put it plainly, "huh?". But to expand that rule it would be: "change barrel after 150 rounds of rapid fire. After cooling you can use this barrel again." Obviously the full-autos were always "rapid fire".

I've already contacted pirate about some of his parts -- and I only ordered my parts kit Monday!

Do you use M13 disintegrating link in yours? Do you guys prefer disintegrating links or belts?

On Israeli guns -- I keep orbiting around the idea of building the "ultimate" Israeli gun collection...but then you realize you've got to have everything! Not quite, but when a people need firearms, they use what they can get. The Israeli police still use M1 carbines. A lot of guys carried STEN guns and Mausers in the early days, then Uzis, FN FALs, Galils, and now M-16s. Of course there are all of those 1919 Brownings -- I had considered building one of those first, but I figure MG42 parts (and barrels!) will dry up long before 1919 parts.

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Fri Dec 16, 2005 7:16 am

kmw,

Yes, the Germans were instructed to always change the barrel out often to prevent undue wear from FA fire. I guess this is the reason there are so many still in good condition today. When firing in the SA mode, I think they will last a long time as the barrel does wear, but the heat and erosion from FA fire is rough on a barrel. The Germans were so good in changing barrels that they could change out in about 10-15 seconds. By using the metal barrel carriers, they could always protect the barrels from handling damage too. The Germans were provided with excellent instructions, and they FOLLOWED what they were tought.

My SCCA racing was with a Triumph TR-6 and TR-7. I loved these cars and they were great fun. I prefered to drive the TR-6, but the TR-7 handled much better with the newer type front suspension. Of course the little 4 cylinder in the TR-7 was not as fast as the TR-6, but I only needed the extra power in the straightaways. The TR-7 would take the curves much better! Most of my racing was at Road Atlanta (Gainsville. GA) and Roebling Road (Savanna, GA). Road Atlanta was more fun as the road was banked and one turn was 110 deg. This was rought the first few times around until you knew what to ex[ect from the car. Roebling Road is flat with almost no banks, and easy curves, but still was fun.

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:04 am

kmw,

I just ran into this thread and thought you may be interested in reading a posting about barrel like in a Maxim. Since this is a water cooled gun, the barrel will last a looooong time when properly used, but they also discuss firing without water cooling and the effects. Take a look and I think this may help with your question on life expectancy. The link is: http://www.gunboards.com/forums/topic.a ... _ID=138208

Post by **gunslingerdoc** » Wed Dec 21, 2005 1:03 pm

KNW,

Depending on how important the Isreal connection is you really should look at building a 1919 - theyre easy to build, reliable, lots of inexpensive spare barrels and parts as well. The coolest thing will be the Hebrew markings combined with the US ordinance markings - sort of illustrates the relationship between Isreal and the US.

Youre right about being hosed on the Isreali firearms collection (unless you need an excuse to buy more guns and plan on selling some cars! - lol!). Realize that once you get the 42 running you'll need a mg34 and since Isreal had several thousand of them they made NEW barrels and CHROME lined them. I have several of the 34 Izzy barrels and if I was planning on keeping my 34 (the FA bug has me bad) they would be all I'd shoot since theyre 'new' and cost 1/2 the price of the used German barrels.

Good luck on the 42/mg3 build - plan on it taking some time, these things are not at all a plug and play build (like the 1919). Good news is lots of us have had whatever problem(s) youre likely to run into and we should be able to get you past it.

H S Arms · Post by **H S Arms** » Wed Jan 04, 2006 4:49 pm

KMW,

There are a lot of barrels out there but everyone is hording them waiting for the prices to go through the roof, I think in a semi 42 if you don't overheat them they will last a few thousand rnds, depending on choice of ammo, chrome barrels are going to last the longest if you can find them. Most people have belt loaders for their 42's if the links are anything like 1919 links you want belts. JMHO

CRA · Post by **CRA** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 6:39 am

..........

H S Arms · Post by **H S Arms** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 9:26 am

How much is cheap? and is this something any gunsmith can do? I have a couple of extra barrels I would like to have chromed, but they are in excellant condition and I would want to make sure I get my same barrels back. Thanks Harry.

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:41 am

My curiosity is up with adding chrome to the bores. Chrome adds thickness and this will reduce the diameter of the bore. A couple of thousandths probably won't hurt anything, but more will cause pressure spikes. Just a question; what does the gunsmith/plater say?

Post by **TOM R** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 10:44 am

hmmm inquiring minds want to know

H S Arms · Post by **H S Arms** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 12:18 pm

I worked as a Patternmaker and we would sometimes get things Chrome plated, it would reduce wear on an otherwise soft cast iron pattern, If memory serves me correctly the Chrome would only be two or three ten thousands thick ( .0002 - .0003 ) Maybe thinner. FWIW. Harry

ARH · Post by **ARH** » Sat Jan 07, 2006 1:39 pm

TOM R wrote:hmmm inquiring minds want to know

+1
Please elaborate.

ARH

CRA · Post by **CRA** » Thu Jan 12, 2006 9:00 am

................

www.MG42.us

How many spare barrels?

How many spare barrels?

Barrels

Barrel Life

Chroming