Sterling Barrels ?

[504PIR]

Just got my WiseLite Arms Sterling Sporter last week. After about a thousand rounds without a hicup, I am very happy. This is defenatley a canidate to become an SBR. Any one have a source for original sterling barrels? Would like to try that route before choping the 16 inch it came with.
TIA

 

[pillbox]

Your going to have to do quite a bit of work before you would be able to use a Mk4 smg barrel.....I would check with wiselite to see if they will sell you another 16" barrel to chop( once you get your approved ATF form 1/ tax stamp back)

 

[drw]

There is blocking bar in the reciever that will prevent the installaton of the MK4 barrel and the front trunnion is also different. The Mk4 barrel is retained by 2 hex screws through the end cap.
Cutting your barrel or a replacement would be the best solution in my mind. This would also be a much easier to suppress option than using the Mk4 barrel. Have the stub end threaded or 3 lugged and you are ahead of the game in this respect for the Mk4 owners.

 

[504PIR]

Yes, I see what you mean regarding the blocking bar. I'll just look to get another barrel from WiseLite or chop and thread this one once my Form 1 is approved.
Thanks!

 

[Traveler]

WiseLite told me parts will be available from www.apexgunparts.com and www.projectguns.com Right now they don't have any barrels.

APEX WiseLite page

 

[Ranger_Ric]

Sterling Barrels

I would like to make a barrel for my original sterling parts kit but can't find a print, any know of a source to get a print or maybe someone has a barrel I could make a print from? I'll make these in batches of ten or twelve in both original length and 16" once I have a drawing.

Additionally, apparently the aftermarket semi-autos built from original parts kits have a different configuration? I am not sure why, technically there is no legal reason for that. Perhaps it was a loop the ATF made the manufacturer jump through in gaining approval to re-make and sell these but just because there is a "bolt on" short barrel available for a specific firearm does not mean it is a class 3 item. Now if you owned a long and short barrel and only owned a carbine weapon, that would probably be actionable but if you owned a carbine length weapon that a smg barrel could be used on "if" you bought it, so what, every AR-15 on the market fits that description.

I am not a lawyer and that is not legal advice, it's just common sense.

In any case, I would like to have a print for the aftermarket barrels too. If anyone has one they can measure accurately and send me a print I will give them a discount on a barrel from the first batch... the same goes for the standard SMG barrel.

I would pay shipping both ways and turn the thing around in 24 hours if you would be willing to ship to me for measuring and drawing up a print.

Rick Thompson
Fortweb.com LLC
Fort Wayne, IN

 

[AmEngRifles]

Have not heard from anyone else on the Century/Wiselite Sterlings, but it appears they are making the barrels to fit VERY snug and I have yet to be able to remove mine. Otherwise I would ship to you.

On that note, I do not believe Green Mountain (who makes the barrels for the new Sterling) has followed the original Sterling 16" barrel exactly. My feeling is that the radius from breech face into chamber is not the same as the Sterling produced gun. I would love to see barrels done to that smoother transition.

Also, it would appear that all of us interested in turning our 16" semi's into SBRs could make a quite exact model if someone would make a cast or machine front section. The screw holes are there under the knurled barrel nut off the semi auto. We could simply have the barrel cut down and with two cap screws, bolt down the newly manufactured nose piece as the Mk 4 does.

Anybody else think this could work?

 

[Ranger_Ric]

If they are making the aftermarket weapons with press fit barrels to discourage barrel swapping I'm got going to fool with them at all. A press fit takes proper fitting and I'm not going to deal with the paperwork of registered receivers or sending out barrels oversize that have to be fit by the user, that's just asking for trouble.

I'll just make barrels to the standard configuration so they will fit when used with an off the shelf SMG parts kit. If Green Mtn is making replacement barrels for the aftermarket carbine, there is no reason for me to make them anyway.

That said, I guess all I need is an original SMG barel or print.

As for converting the aftermarket carbine to an SBR, I would probably go with cutting off the original barrel, it would be less expensive than a new smg barrel and an adapter. If you wanted to tweak the breech crown/ramp you could touch that up and polish it on any lathe or a gunsmith could do it for you if you don't have access to a lathe. It should be a pretty cheap operation.

Rick

 

[Vegas SMG]

Uzi Talk member L34A1 made a run of 200 Sterling Mk4 barrels a couple of years ago. I'd check with him before re-inventing the wheel...

http://www.uzitalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23721

__________________
When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own house, his possessions are safe.
(Luke 11:21)

 

[Ranger_Ric]

I wouldn't pay $200 for a barrel.

 

[Ranger_Ric]

I found someone to measure one up for me so it's all good. Thank you

I'll have a dozen or so of these for sale at about half that price if anyone wants one, 16" barrels for about $120, black oxide finish.

Not interested into getting into the sterling parts biz, just have a couple parts kits that I have to make barrels for and if I have to make two, I might as well make a dozen.

Rick

 

[BDMerc1]

I wouldn't pay $200 for a barrel.

That was in 2006. You would be lucky to find a reproduction MKIV barrel, much less a used/abused original one, for that cheap.

Last I saw, New OEM MKIV barrels were selling for $400, and after an extensive search, I only found one source, which apparently is sold out (?).

I'd like to pay no more than $2k for a N.I.B. C&R S&W 76, but I don't think I will be getting to many offers from people willing to sell.

 

[Ranger_Ric]

I wasn't looking to buy one, I was looking for a print. We make barrels and I have .355 9mm blanks in house, I can make two barrels out of a blank that I pay under fifty bucks for. I'm not really interested in making these things to market, I have too much other work in process right now. I just wanted to build the two kits I have personally and couldn't find a print for a barrel or a barrel to make a drawing from. That situation has since been remedied.

The only problem now is my blank material is not large enough diameter for the breech end of this barrel. Haven't decided yet if I will fab a couple up for my kits or just wait until we order another batch of barrels and get some of them in a larger material.

Rick

 

[Jim McCoin]

I guess I'v lost track of what works with what, can you use a open bolt barrel in a close bolt gun and vise versa?

Jim

 

[Ranger_Ric]

Yes, there are no differences in barrels from a functional point of view between semi and full auto weapons. There are however functional differences between the original sterling barrel and the aftermarket semi-auto remakes. I will build my pistol kit using a standard sterling smg barrel design but my carbine build will probably be a hybrid. I am leaning towards building it to look like the factory suppressed version although the suppressor will be a fake and the barrel free floated inside the tube.

 

[OldFart]

May be of some interest / help? The MK 7 in the center is a repro but looks accurate when compared to my original MK 7 barrel although mine is the 4.25".

 

[Ranger_Ric]

Interesting, thank you for the photo.

I just finished the standard MK4 barrel model from an original sample and was able to add on the new material required on the .355 barrel blank order we already had in process. We should have a small lot of standard MK4 barrels available in about eight weeks, some are already spoken for. Anyone can PM me if they want to go on the list for one.

I did underestimate the price because this barrel will have to go through the cnc. I normally hand turn the average smg barrel to keep cnc time and programming cost out of it. It will still be inexpensive, well under $200 for a standard MK4 and a little over $200 for a 16". We can do specials like a 1" extended barrel, shouldered and threaded for an extra $50, more complex specials can be quoted.

Now that I have my parts kits I am really anxious to get started on building a semi which was really the purpose of this whole thing to begin with! One as a pistol with a standard barrel and the stock welded closed and one as a 16" carbine that will be a near exact replica of the L34A1 suppressed version, the suppressor will be a fake just to hide the long barrel.

Once these weapons are complete I'll shoot some pics and post them. Waiting on barrel material though, it will be have to be a fall project.

Rick

 

[OldFart]

You're very welcome R_R. More gratuitous pics of my MK 7c pistol. I'll be PM'ing you regarding barrels ... thanks. PM sent June 26.

 

[arch stanton]

:cool

nice gun:cool

 

[Ranger_Ric]

Hi guys,

I apologize for being a couple months off on my delivery estimate but the blanks were late and I have a couple other demanding projects in motion so time has been very tight.

We only bought enough material for a short run of these and some have been spoken for so assuming everyone on the list takes what they asked for, I have about a dozen left for sale.

$150.00 + $8 shipping... $2 shipping per additional barrel.

Barrels are CNC turned from Green Mountain 4140 Chrome Moly blanks. This material usually turns out a very dark black after the black oxide process.

There will be a few 7", and maybe some 3.5" to 4" mk7 pistol barrels available as well but they will take a little longer because I am going to manual lathe one out for a friend to check fit before we run a batch of them on the CNC. We can add a custom thread of your choice on these mk7 barrels for an additional $50.

I've promised one mk4 barrel to a guy who wants to adapt a suppressor and had a few inquiries from others. We are only doing one with this batch for a couple of reasons. First, I want to proto-type the idea that I have before I commit to a run of them and second it takes more than half a blank so it's costs me two mk4 barrels to make one threaded barrel from this material.

Once I am satisfied with this custom threaded barrel I will take photo's and post them. At that time, if there is enough interest in the product I will make a short run of them. We order barrel material about twice a year so I'm talking 4 to 5 months from now for the threaded ones.

If you want one or more of the mk4 or mk7 barrels, just PM me the number of barrels that you want and when they are ready to ship you can call your order in. If you would rather send a check that's fine but we will hold the ship until it clears.

These might be a couple weeks yet. I have a larger run of 7.62 x 25 Tokarev AR-15 barrels going through right now that must go to black oxide with the Sterlings or we will get hit with an expensive min charge.

Any questions, feel free to PM me.

PS to OldFart,
I tried to PM you back but it didn't go through, I'm holding one barrel for you in case you still wanted it.

Rick