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ntex2000
07-29-2014, 06:25
I come across a mid-50's SA barrel that gage's 5.5 TE and 1.5 MW.

Is the high TE inconsistent with the low MW on this barrel regarding rounds fired?

If the 5.5 TE is indeed excessive for having a 1.5 MW, would this be more likely to result from the chamber originally being cut to large?

Dan Shapiro
07-29-2014, 06:34
From what I've read, MW is more a function of troops using a segmented cleaning rod, sans bore guide, then the number of rounds fired. TE can indicate heavy, steady usage, OR mean that it's been heavily used in rapid fire training.

kcw
07-29-2014, 07:00
I come across a mid-50's SA barrel that gage's 5.5 TE and 1.5 MW.

Is the high TE inconsistent with the low MW on this barrel regarding rounds fired?

If the 5.5 TE is indeed excessive for having a 1.5 MW, would this be more likely to result from the chamber originally being cut to large?

A consideration may be that it may be an abused barrel; repeatedly fired to the point that the hand guards were smoking. That sort of thing shows up worst and foremost in the chamber throat Several years ago a friend of mine inherited the 98K that his father had brought back from Europe at the end of WWII. His father had managed to keep the gun hidden from his family and it went undiscovered until his estate was being settled. It had the capture papers with it still. He brought it too me because it was key holing at 25yds. This was a mystery as the gun "matched" and looked to be next to new. I discovered that there was nearly a full inch of "jump" ahead of the chamber. As a NOS Israeli GI 308 barrel was available it was decided to have it re-barreled. I took the original barrel and split it with a band saw to see what the area immediately ahead of the chamber looked like. As suspected, it was simply burnt out. The rest of the barrel interior looked perfect. I can't imagine what terror the German that used it was experiencing to feel the need to fired it so intensely. In my mind I picture some scared to death 16 or 17 year old kid banging away in the general direction at some Allied enemy; maybe as part of a forlorn rear guard action.

P. Greaney
07-29-2014, 08:18
It is not unusual for 1950's Springfield barrels to have a new TE reading of around 2.0 when new unfired.