Why does Springfield use a 2 piece barrel?

Hal

New member
I can't for the life of me see why. I mentioned it in another thread as being one reason I didn't buy a SA loaded. I know there has never, least as far as I know, been a case of it failing, but 2 piece anythings, just don't sit right in my mind. What am I missin here as far as an advantage??
 
Unless you are an olympic class shooter, a 2-piece barrel is going to do you just fine. It is done for ease of production. Colt has been doing it for years, and as I say, unless you are doing under 2 inches at 25 yards, it shouldn't give you any cause for alarm.
 
I fail to understand how a 2 piece barrel saves any manufacturing effort. it seems to me that the welding of the two pieces is an extra step. I own 2 colts one 1980 production and the other 1997 production and they both have one piece barrels as does my Kimber.

As far as I know colt has never and does not now use a two piece barrel/ chamber.

I used to have a spring field v-10 ultracompact champion which was a total piece of crap in every way. it had a two piece barrel, and you could see the sloppy forge weld between the chamber and the rifled portion.

After my experience with the champion v-10 I would advise anyone to avoid a springfield.
 
I have never heard of a chamber being welded to the bore. I HAVE heard of the barrel link lugs being welded to the bottom of the barrel. Somebody?
 
I have a SS Springfield "Loaded" model that I bought new for $505 and it has the two piece barrel. It shoots great and has never had a misfeed. I guess it just like everything else...you get some good ones and you get the lemons. Thank GOD I got a very good one!:)
 
It's the manufacturing process. Their barrels shoot just as well as the other production 1911's so it's not an issue.
 
Master,

I'd say the savings comes in the finishing.

I guess it's easier, faster, and cheaper to finish the barrel section on a lathe with minimal machining for the locking lugs, and do the complex machining on the chamber section.

It it were cheaper to do the barrel in one piece, I don't think we'd be seeing 2 piece barrels, as it probably takes more machinery.

It was also my impression that the 2 piece barrels aren't welded, the breech section is heated and then shrunk onto the barrel shank.

Conceivably that could make for a stronger chamber depending on how the assembly is done, not unlike how the breech and barrel assemblies of artillery pieces are manufactured.

Just a guess on my part.
 
I had my v-10 apart at least 10 times during the year I owned it it appeared to me that the chamber section was welded to the barrel and then the weld was smoothed by grinding, the seam was clearly visible. The lower, and upper lugs were an integral part of the chamber section.

Every colt I have ever seen has a one piece barrrel and chamber.

The machining steps would be the same either way. The only saving I can see is if you need a smaller lathe or rifling machine
 
My Colt Sistema uses a 2 piece barrel. I know that it was made in Argentina but it was made on Colt machinery using Colt trained Argentines. Mine is the original barrel also, it has matching serial numbers.

wazzup
 
I can't remember for sure, but I'm almost certain that I've seen Colts with 2 piece barrels, original from Colt.

The machining steps would be the same, but perhaps not as fast to do. Sometimes machining two separate pieces and fitting them together is faster than machining a single piece. Might also be less waste involved, as well, with a 2 piece barrel.
 
Can anyone articulate for me why a 2 piece barrel is a liability?
Why is that less ideal than a one peice?

Dont tell me accuracy. Its a FACTORY BARREL. Everyone knows that if you want a super accurate barrel you buy a custom match barrel and get it hand fitted.

Dont tell me its durability. There has NOT been a case of seperation due to firing. Never has. Never.

Dont tell me its cosmetics. You only see the breech or the muzzle end anyways.

You guys are bitching about nothing. :rolleyes:

They use a 2 part unit because it saves us money.
 
Don't know about 2 piece barrels for 1911s, but FN went to 2 piece barrels for the Hipower back in the 1950's or 1960's. Both my FN and FM Hipowers have this feature, appears to be brased together.
Probably done to save manufacturing cost, maybe easier to machine the parts and put them together rather than to machine as one piece.
 
Master,

The seam on the barrel of my Springfield MilSpec 1911 is clearly NOT welded.

It shows a slightly depressed line running the whole way around the barrel.

If it were welded and then finished, you'd not see the same time of depressed line.

In fact, depending on how good the welding and finishing job is, you'd never be able to notice it at all.
 
Mike,
You said
not unlike how the breech and barrel assemblies of artillery pieces are manufactured.
I think you may be on to it. Is there any extra info that you know of about that process? I'm still scratching my head trying to figure out how extra steps and extra labor translates into lower cost. General consencus seems to be the advantage is lower mfg cost.



Here's something I grabbed off of the 1911 forum that might shed some light on it.
Good size chunk of steel. Now turn the barrel out of a piece of .700 stock. all round work in a lathe.
ever split logs? they go with the grain right? same with ss barrels. lug seporation is sad but true and I have a nice collection.
But I do not have a springfield in my collection. they probalby solder in a vacume furnace and have zero trouble I have seen and they shoot! what more did you want??


George,
Pardon me, but it seems like your the only one complaining about it since you're the only here shouting.
 
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RAE,

The "extra labor" is actually probably automated machinery steps. Very little labor to it, I'd think.

There's probably also the savings in raw materials. If you machine two separate forgings, each forging can likely be a bit closer to it's finished size.

Again, I'm just guessing, based largely on bits & pieces of the manufacturing process that I've gleaned over the years.
 
Thanks for the info Mike.
Seems both my Hi Powers also have a 2 piece barrel.:eek: Definate line right at the place the chamber meets the barrel.
I guess my best course is to ask SA and/or Browning why. I spent hours looking for on-line info about it and came up dry. Standard pat answer is : That's the way it's been done for years, and it's never been a problem. Ummm, gee thanks. That really goes a long way as far as explaining why.
 
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