HK G36E Range Report
- Thread starter Bartok5
- Start date
100% agreement. I sold my G36 in a deal too good to pass up, but certainly won't be looking to replace it with one of the new "lesser" franken-gun imports. My one and only experience with an after-market "HK" barrel on my MR223 was an accuracy disaster and I won't go down that road again no matter who allegedly makes the replacement tube. No Button-Rifled barrel can even come close to Cold-Hammer-Forged in terms of wear-resistance and longevity. In my experience, the after-market Barrels are at best, a hit or miss proposition. Add to that an aftermarket Bolt and no way in heck I would go there, even at a reduced price....
polskadude
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- London Ontario
They are actually very simple to work on, any HK armourer would be able to do a simple barrel change/install, assuming the after market barrels are machined to spec. It does require proprietary mandrel and wrench, plus a standard torque wrench. I wonder why Tactical Imports won’t say who made the barrels. I also love their claim that these will be more accurate then factory HK barrels.
I agree, however I'm wondering where you get the mandrel and wrench? I've tried dealing with Summit? and HK Armourers run in pretty tight circles around here. It just makes me wonder? that's all. I believe from the ad they are Lothar Walther.
polskadude
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- London Ontario
The specs for the wrench have been released online. I got a batch of 11 sets made by a local machine shop back in the day. These are the same tools used for the SL8, so they aren't that rare. There are also a couple companies in the USA that make the tools.
Yes, the ad said they used Lothar Walther barrels, I'm just curious which Canadian shop did all the machining.
mebiuspower
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Morontario
If anyone has a bit of a clue how much money/time H&K spends to procure the special barrel steel from France and the way they make barrels...
polskadude
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- London Ontario
From the Armorers Manual
Heckler & Koch selects the finest French steel for its barrels. The steel is subjected to a multi-procedural process to provide the safest and most reliable barrels in the world. While over-pressure may fracture a barrel, H&K barrels do not fragment.
The Barrel process:
• Stock steel is mounted in a horizontal drill press and is deep drilled to chamber diameter with the barrel rotating in one direction and the drill bit rotating in the opposite direction.
• The drilled stock is then reamed
• The reamed barrel is then diamond honed to a mirror finish
• A “land and grooved” or polygonal mandrel is then inserted into the barrel stock and moved to the hammer-forging machine.
• The large diameter side of the mandrel is chamber size. The narrower side forms the cartridge shoulder configuration of the chamber and finally the lands and grooves. (1 turn in 7 inches/178mm) The hammer is configured with four individual hammers in a circle. Each hammer will apply 140 tons per beat, beating at a rate of 1,000 beats per minute. The four hammers beat the steel stock simultaneously
• The steel stock for a G36K is 26cm (10.24 inches) long at this point and will be hammered to a length of 40cm (15.75 inches). (154% of its original size
• As the hammering occurs, the steel is stretched over the mandrel forming the chamber and the land and groove configuration of the barrel. Total time – 4 minutes.
• This barrel is then heated to 600 degrees for hardening and straightened
• A laser process accomplishes straightening. A mandrel with a mirrored end is inserted into the barrel. This mandrel is moved along the length of the barrel as a laser beam is bounced off the mirror taking height measurements off the end of the mandrel.
• A computer provides a graph of the barrel’s bore axis. If it is out of acceptable tolerance, the computer will lift “straightening bars” under the barrel at points, which will straighten the barrel. These “straightening bars” appear horizontally under the barrel like brass piano keys
• The straightened barrel is then sent to the milling machines, which will drill the gas port, mill the over-pressure flutes and other outside barrel configurations
• The barrel is chrome plated to prevent rust and reduce chamber friction
• Flutes are not needed in the G36 due to the ridged locking action of the bolt
Barrel Notes:
• The following are indicators that a barrel may be worn:
• The projectiles are “key holing” the target (going through sideways)
• Velocity has decreased by 5 to 10%
• Groups have opened by 5%
• Barrel is bulged
• Note: barrel bulges will affect the accuracy of the projectile only if the bulge is within 4mm of the muzzle. Generally, with a bulge in the center of the barrel, the projectile will slip past the bulge and then re-stabilize in the lands and grooves
• Notwithstanding this technical information, a bulged barrel should be replaced
• Lands and grooves stabilize smaller caliber projectiles better than a polygonal configuration.
• The .45 caliber projectile is the optimum caliber for a polygonal configuration
• Polygonal barrel configurations last 5 to 10% longer than a land and grooved barrel
Someone tested the claim about barrels not fragmenting, posted on their instagram feed, someone sent in their USC because it "wasn't working properly".
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mebiuspower
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Morontario
They no longer use this method because it's not as good as using the human eye.
r34skyline
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Was it a canadian shop that did the machining or were they pre bought machined from lothar walther?
polskadude
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- London Ontario
My understanding / rumours are they were made in Canada using Walther Blanks.
“Barrels are match grade Lothar Walther, made in Canada, will be more accurate then HK original.” Tactical Imports
“Barrels are match grade Lothar Walther, made in Canada, will be more accurate then HK original.” Tactical Imports
LOL!!! Sure they will......
r34skyline
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Not that increased accuracy is a bad thing but the standard g36s accuracy limitations isnt its barrel. It's the awful trigger they come with stock. With good ammo that thing would shoot nice and tight.
Even if tis statement is accurate the shooters wouldn't notice a difference.
The problem with G36 is not the rifle itself, it is the crappy Hensoldt Dual sight. The Chinese can make better optic than that. Its ability to hold zero is dubious.
Concerning LW barrel, I don't see a problem with that. LW can make custom complete barrels, but it can also be a local shop using LW blanks to make the barrels. The tricky part here is the barrel extension, which most likely needs to be custom made, because it is not the part kit most likely. And a jig needs to be created to align the star shaped teeth of the barrel extension with the gas block during installation. You kinda need a jig to line it up and torque it down consistently, especially in volume. If the threaded portion of the barrel extension and the barrel are not precise, you will get a wide range of torque value during the barrel/barrel extension assembling, or it ends up needing shims which is a labour intensive process. Because of this, I believe it is a local shop who get the barrel blanks and finished up the barrel ( making/installing the extension and putting on the gas block ) in small batches.
In terms of accuracy, it is the stress relief and centerness of the drill hole that break he back of skinny barrel. I don't believe match grade LW barrel is any less than HK in this case, but you cannot expect LW barrel to have the same formula of surface/core hardness combination to take on those multiple projectile obstruction test and water test, that HK is famous of. Also, HK barrel is chromelined. The chambering will also be different, a LW barrel using an off the shelf 223 or 5.56 reamer will behave differently from a HK barrel. Most HK barrels I have shot are chambered in a way that shoot fantastically with good NATO ammo, but it may not be the best for 223 commercial, hunting and certain match ammo.
Concerning LW barrel, I don't see a problem with that. LW can make custom complete barrels, but it can also be a local shop using LW blanks to make the barrels. The tricky part here is the barrel extension, which most likely needs to be custom made, because it is not the part kit most likely. And a jig needs to be created to align the star shaped teeth of the barrel extension with the gas block during installation. You kinda need a jig to line it up and torque it down consistently, especially in volume. If the threaded portion of the barrel extension and the barrel are not precise, you will get a wide range of torque value during the barrel/barrel extension assembling, or it ends up needing shims which is a labour intensive process. Because of this, I believe it is a local shop who get the barrel blanks and finished up the barrel ( making/installing the extension and putting on the gas block ) in small batches.
In terms of accuracy, it is the stress relief and centerness of the drill hole that break he back of skinny barrel. I don't believe match grade LW barrel is any less than HK in this case, but you cannot expect LW barrel to have the same formula of surface/core hardness combination to take on those multiple projectile obstruction test and water test, that HK is famous of. Also, HK barrel is chromelined. The chambering will also be different, a LW barrel using an off the shelf 223 or 5.56 reamer will behave differently from a HK barrel. Most HK barrels I have shot are chambered in a way that shoot fantastically with good NATO ammo, but it may not be the best for 223 commercial, hunting and certain match ammo.
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There’s no barrel extension on G36, there’s a grove that’s wider on the top of the barrel, that indexes with a pin in the receiver. as long as the grove on the top of the barrel is in line with the gas port when it’s drilled everything lines up.
Would be quick and easy to mass produce. I made one for my Sl8 in my garage with an old South bend.
Would be quick and easy to mass produce. I made one for my Sl8 in my garage with an old South bend.
