Stellite lined M60 barrels

[har1690]

Trying to find out when the m60 barrels had Stellite lining added to them. Tried google but didn't seem much help. Lot's of RKI here so what says the hive?

[BillyDixon]

me thinks all m-60 bbls had stellihe linert from day one,,i seen a lot of old demil barrels and all had liners, just sayn

[mattnh]

I think all issued mil M60 barrels are Stellite-lined.

FWIW, the T52 prototypes (one of the precursors to the M60) DID have Stellite lined barrels, so it is likely <<all>> M60 barrels were lined.

 

My understanding is the whole Stellite barrel lining thing started post WW2 because M2HB barrel throats were getting roached under FA fire even with low round counts.

The M2HB barrel improvements were then incorporated into the the T52 & later T161 (M60) prototypes.

 

There are a number of different prototype T161 barrels, and perhaps not all of those prototype barrels were lined.

For example, there was a T161 heavy barrel covered in AL might not have had a Stellite liner.

 

 

Link for T52 info (very early / rare pre-M60 prototype)

https://www.forgottenweapons.com/light-machine-guns/t52e3-an-m60-prototype/

 

 

-- Matt

Edited August 5, 2022 by mattnh

[johnsonlmg41]

I've never seen a production M60 barrel that is not lined. Unfortunately it's another weak point of the gun. The barrels bend rather easily at that point.