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Machine gun barrel modification

heckinohio

Aluminum
Joined
Aug 25, 2009
Location
Ohio, USA
I am adding 7.62x54R to My Vickers. This is an easy conversion as the 1910 Russian feed block fits with no modification. The Vickers extractor needs just a bit of tweeking.......303 and x54R are both rimmed cartridges.

However.........the chamber is simply reamed with a a x54R reamer........the shoulder of 303 is almost 3/16 further forward. This leaves considerable bullet jump..and worse than that, the steel case surplus ammo bulges forward to fill the void and usually splits......makes an uncomfortable smoky situation just in front of the shooter hands.

So..we take a x54R barrel and cut it down to fit the Vickers gun. Much of it is OK as is, the other aspects require simple reduction of the size of this and that, thread the muzzle. Problem is the side rail stud....

How does one reduce the OD of a flattop topped cylinder (the stud) that is integral with the barrel block.???

I may not understand, but Barry will.

PJH
G3E2Lv2l.jpg

JxULr0gl.jpg
 
Agree with John Evans above. Before trying it on the barrel, mock up a trial piece and give it a whirl to see how you need to proceed. Also turn it slow.

I had to create elevation trunions on a small brass canon years ago , did just this operation. But I did not have a nice square block to hold.
 
Can you just remove the barrel from the block, put the block in a lathe and indicate the stud and machine away?
 
I am adding 7.62x54R to My Vickers. This is an easy conversion as the 1910 Russian feed block fits with no modification. The Vickers extractor needs just a bit of tweeking.......303 and x54R are both rimmed cartridges.

However.........the chamber is simply reamed with a a x54R reamer........the shoulder of 303 is almost 3/16 further forward. This leaves considerable bullet jump..and worse than that, the steel case surplus ammo bulges forward to fill the void and usually splits......makes an uncomfortable smoky situation just in front of the shooter hands.

So..we take a x54R barrel and cut it down to fit the Vickers gun. Much of it is OK as is, the other aspects require simple reduction of the size of this and that, thread the muzzle. Problem is the side rail stud....

How does one reduce the OD of a flattop topped cylinder (the stud) that is integral with the barrel block.???

I may not understand, but Barry will.

PJH
G3E2Lv2l.jpg

JxULr0gl.jpg

I can do that, no problem. where in Ohio are you? I am north of Marysville 30 miles NW of Columbus, PM me if I can be of help.
 








 
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