Very stupid question on MG barrels

**pointblank0** · 26th December 2011, 09:53 PM

Hello all,

Apologies for the prpbably very obvious question. When a MG is changed after the recomended amount of rounds fired, and a new one put in place (meaning the guns that can have the barrels changed in the field, and not by an armourer), can the old ones be re-used? It is something I have wandered about for many years but have never found out and keep forgetting to ask.

Many thanks,

Rob

**EOD** · 26th December 2011, 10:08 PM

The ones you can exchange are usually exchanged when they heat up too much. They can be put back into the gun after they have cooled down. Of course they are getting removed for good once they reach their limit in terms of wear and tear.

**Dutch** · 26th December 2011, 10:27 PM

No stupit quistions, only stupit answers.

You need a few spare barrels.

Rgds

**Slick** · 26th December 2011, 10:41 PM

Rob

The quick change barrels are usually just swapped out to cool down. And like EOD noted, their "life span" is figured in rounds fired. A concocted figure based on range testing. Respecting the firing discipline, they'll last upwards of 50k rounds. Goin' Rambo reduces that to a few thousand. Lots of variables depending on the barrel linings and ammo and many other factors. I used to have a couple of shot out MG42 barrels. Missing rifling, and even warped. Both indicators that marked them as scrap metal. Luckily, they are (were) relatively inexpensive as they made gazillions of them. Not sure what the going price is now. Used to be in the $30 range. Here are some of the spare barrel carriers in the lower right of the pic.

Rick

minigun 007.jpg

P.S. Welding gloves are real handy when swapping barrels. Actually, mandatory.

**waffenamt** · 26th December 2011, 11:39 PM

Great thread lads,enjoying this one.

waffy

**pointblank0** · 27th December 2011, 02:08 PM

Thanks for the loads of info everyone. You learn something everyday!

**NickW** · 27th December 2011, 07:23 PM

So would a worn-out barrel still be illegal to own in the UK? I could really do with finding one for a MG15 as I am having difficulty getting a relic one deactivated without a barrel - seems the new regs were written by someone who had watched too many Sweeny episodes and a partial barrel is causing no end of problems!

**pointblank0** · 27th December 2011, 07:52 PM

I think thay still have to be plugged whatever % of the length of the barrel. I would imagine that a worn out barrel would still be more than capable of discharging some rounds. I'm not sure though. There was a post on here earlier on in the year with the scans of the proof house documants to be followed when deactivating, can't remember where they are though.

**Slick** · 27th December 2011, 09:52 PM

A "worn out" barrel is still capable of functioning as designed; just lacking in accuracy.

Rick

**hicky1300** · 28th December 2011, 01:27 AM

Interesting thread.
As has already been cleared up here once worn out they are scrap. They cannot be relined or bored as this costs more than to just make new.
As an aside there was an `urban legend` when I was still serving that worn barrels for the Centurion, Abbot etc were kept for use if the Cold War became a Hot one & that they were packed with preservative & buried - apparently in Canada?