Difference between standard HBAR and "Heavy Machinegun" barrel ???

Pietro Beretta

Pietro Beretta

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I've heard alot of talk about these "heavy machinegun" barrels that withstand the constant abuse of full-auto fire. Are these different from the standard HBAR?

My 16" carbine barrel is stamped: B MP 1/9 NATO HBAR

If I were in the states and my selector read SAFE/SEMI/AUTO, I'm quit sure the barrel woud be the same. Are these two barrels the same, or am I missing something?
 
Reaper said:
The machine gun barrels have a thicker chrome liner, and I beleive the composition of the barrel is different, but not sure .
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+1

However, this applies to true machine gun barrels such as the FN Minimi. Most of the time when you hear people use "machine gun barrel" and "AR-15" in the same sentence than they are simply referring to HBARs. As a matter of fact Bushmaster commonly refers to their heavy barrels as "machine gun barrels".

FYI HBARs are a hell of a lot thicker than Minimi barrels, it's mostly marketing hype.

The only current AR barrel that is manufactured to the same specs as a "machine gun" would be the one that Noveske sells with his N4 carbines, but they aren't HBAR profiles. If you look at the specs of the barrel than you'll probably figure out who makes them for him.
 
Leg said:
marketing hype.
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Yup. But from who? Is this something the internet came up with, or does Bushmaster use this term in their literature?

I think we're going to advertise Stag Arms HBARs as MINI-GUN rated.

Call any barrel what you want. Accuracy counts.
 
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Bushmaster (at least they used to, don't know now) advertised their fat hbar as "machine gun barrel". Like my earlier post stated, they don't really mean the real "machine guns" but the civilian Class 3 firearms with the automatic switch - people just buy those to blast at fullauto. and in that community, they refer anything with an auto swtich as "machine guns".

I am not sure if there is any difference between a minimi barrel and a M16 barrel. The best thing is to pull the mil-spec document and take a look. I am actually curious myself too, but I suspect there shouldn't be any difference.
 
The only real machine gun barrel for an AR system

lsw-annot.gif



Unless the other companies are buying them from Colt they are not MG barrels.

Noveske is the obvious exception as they use FN Minimi barrels.
 
greentips said:
advertised their fat hbar as "machine gun barrel".
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You have to admit, it does sound much cooler than just calling them 'unprofiled'.

I agree Americans do call anything full auto a 'machine gun', I think it might come from their firearms laws? Where we have 'fully automatic' in ours, they have 'machine gun' in theirs? (like I say, I think, and stand to be corrected). American (civillians) that I know say machine guns to differentiate between full-auto and semi-auto rifles.
 
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Reaper said:
The only real machine gun barrel for an AR system

lsw-annot.gif



Unless the other companies are buying them from Colt they are not MG barrels.

Noveske is the obvious exception as they use FN Minimi barrels.
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Or ...
cat44_0.jpg


14.5" Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, 1 in 7" twist, 5.56mm
--Made of Mil Spec M249 Machine Gun barrel, with heavy M249 Chrome Lining,
(appx. 2 times as thick as an M4 or M16)
--Extended Feed Ramps
--Mil Spec Phosphate finish
--Same weight as M4 barrel, 1 lb, 9 oz, but improved contour for maximum
rigidity, no M203 notch
--MP HP tested with certification
 
I always wonder where people in the US get hammer forged barrels - if it is implied as a FN equivalent, so it is sourced from Winchester hammer forged machine? did noeske did a destructive metallurgical analysis on a minimi barrerl like what Bravo has done to a M4 barrel to figure out the material used - and then source it out to Remington or Ruger?

Or do they actually get FN make the barrels ( I have my doubt since FN must be going at fullspeed making M249 and M240 for the US military)
 
greentips said:
I always wonder where people in the US get hammer forged barrels - if it is implied as a FN equivalent, so it is sourced from Winchester hammer forged machine? did noeske did a destructive metallurgical analysis on a minimi barrerl like what Bravo has done to a M4 barrel to figure out the material used - and then source it out to Remington or Ruger?

Or do they actually get FN make the barrels ( I have my doubt since FN must be going at fullspeed making M249 and M240 for the US military)
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Noveske is a supplier of 249 barrel to the US... :D

He makes it himself !

http://noveskerifleworks.com/cgi-bi...m_id=csw&cat=31&page=1&search=&since=&status=
 
I'll never understand why some charge a premium for an HBAR - it's cheaper to make than a government profile, and it's benefit in a semi-auto carbine is essentially nil.
 
kako911 said:
Noveske is a supplier of 249 barrel to the US... :D

He makes it himself !

http://noveskerifleworks.com/cgi-bi...m_id=csw&cat=31&page=1&search=&since=&status=
Click to expand...

Uh...Did you actually read it. He's talking about some kind of coating or treatment that he applies to barrels. Nowhere does he claim to be a manufacturer of mil-spec barrels to the US gvmnt.

Is FN too busy because of the war effort? They supply the barrels for the FN sniper rifles, and those aren't in use with the government as far as I know.

If you read between the lines it almost sounds like FN is making them for Noveske. Especially with all the references to the minimi. Not saying that's the case, just speculating.

Besides it may only be the M249 barrels stateside that are made to this higher spec. Who knows what Herstal does in Belgium? I've also noted that Diemaco has made replacement barrels for the C9, are they made to a different spec than the C7, C8 barrels?
 
I doubt Noveske is getting barrels from FN or supplying them
I thought private US companies couldn't import barrels anymore?..
 
(Ronin) said:
I doubt Noveske is getting barrels from FN or supplying them
I thought private US companies couldn't import barrels anymore?..
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Why would he be importing them? FN USA has a plant in... you guessed it, the USA. While it may not be true that they supply Noveske, it is what I was led to believe over on arfcom when Noveske first started making these barrels last year.
 
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