Model Armour

.50 cal Machine Gun Barrel

Manufacturer: Griffon Model

Scale: 1/35

Material: Photoetched & machined brass

Serial Number:  LB35024

Price: (Approx.)  £18

Introduction

Griffon from China hasn't been on the scene long, but this isn't something you would know from looking through their catalogue. It's already fairly extensive, and rapidly expanding each month. Their range is from small detail or upgrade sets such as his one, all the way up to comprehensive 'Royal Edition' sets that almost seem to replace everything on a kit!

Set Contents

Inside the small blister pack, there's a folded instruction sheet, photo-etched fret, and four lovely machined brass barrels, plus separate cooling jackets. There's also a length of styrene rod which is needed. The set can be used to replace the .50 cals on a quad mount such as for the M16, and offers blank plates for where the sights would be, and the barrel changing handles could be left off if required.

Of course, an injection-moulded .50 cal is necessary to install this set on to, and one from any manufacturer will do. In the pictures below I've used one of the Tasca ones, from their M2 Machine gun set. As with most plastic .50 cals the barrel will need to be removed, sanded and a small hole of the appropriate size drilled to take the projection on the Griffon one. The forward and rear sights also had to be removed...a two minute job.

Construction of the full Griffon barrel is quite fiddly, but the end results are well worth the effort. Firstly, the cooling jacket is slipped over the barrel and can be secured by the smallest dab of superglue, then the barrel changing handle is formed from a photo-etched part and secured. In the picture below I've given the actual handle itself a more rounded appearance with a drop of superglue, since it's a bit 'flat' otherwise. The forward sight is just one piece of photo-etch bent to shape, and the rear sight is constructed from two pieces, although if it's not wanted a blanking plate is provided.

The handle at the rear of the gun is probably the most complicated part of the assembly, and here it really does pay to read the instructions carefully so that correct folds are made. If you fold it the wrong way and have to re-fold it, there's a much higher risk of it breaking. There's a length of styrene rod of the correct diameter provided to make the two handles themselves, and if built correctly, it looks stunning!

Conclusion

It's a bit pricey at first glance, but then there are four complete barrels in the set, and if you look at the price of single barrels from other manufacturers, it compares well. Plus, of course, the end result is stunning and should look even better once painted up! Brilliant!

My thanks to Griffon Model for the review sample!