BARREL DEFECTS

MED 1
 BARREL DEFECTS
• A fault is a normal failure which is to be expected after
the use of an eqpt
• A defect is a serious failure due to poor func of an eqpt
caused by defective material, workmanship or design. It
will also incl abnormal wear and recurring faults
 Original defects (OD)
 Fair wear or normal defects (FWD)
 Accidental or abnormal defects (AD)

MED 2
 ORIGINAL DEFECTS (OD)

MED 3
 TOOL MKS
• Occurs during normal machining ops either by a faulty
tool or by carelessness of the op
• They appear as superficial sfc scratches, small gouges
in the rifling or specks. Flaws noted at the time of
proofing may not have been considered significant and
may not have been recorded in the hist docu
• Any of these defects may inc in size and shape and
become more significant during the life of the tube

MED 4
 TOOL MKS
• Normally, they are removed in the final machining ops
but if they are really deep, this can not be done without
exceeding the design tolerances
• No limits for the dev of above defects can be given.
Each defect is to be dealt with on its merits, by the
examining offr

MED 5
 MATERIAL FLAWS

• Impurities and segregations in the steel. Usually, not vis

until machining has taken place

• Misc defects such as variations outside tolerances of

dimensions and excessive barrel bend

DARK SMALL PITS

MED 6
 FAIR WEAR DEFECTS (FWD)

MED 7
 FAIR WEAR DEFECTS (FWD)

• Erosive Wear

• Bore Enlargement

• Mechanical Wear

• Erosive Scoring

• Abrasive Wear

• Expansion

• Local Deformation

MED 8
 EROSIVE WEAR

• Gradual removal of metal from the bore sfc by gas action

• Found mainly in the first few cal of the rifled portion

beyond ‘C of R’ due to hot high pressure gases from the

propellant

MED 9
 APPEARANCE – EROSIVE WEAR
• Erosive wear appears as a gen smoothing away from the
bore sfc
• Both lands and grooves are affected but the action is
greater on the former
• In early stages, the lands become rounded at the edges
and the grooves appear less deep
• This rarely results evenly all around the bore hence
ovality occurs

MED 10
 APPERANCE – EROSIVE WEAR

Progressive wear at rifling

after firing 702 x rds
MED 11
 APPERANCE – EROSIVE WEAR

Progressive wear at rifling from muzzle end

after firing 702 x rds
MED 12
 BORE ENLARGEMENT

• Local deformation in which metal is not removed but

displaced outward

• The enlargement of the bore results in the loss of MV of

the proj

MED 13
 MECHANICAL WEAR

• Mechanical wear is the physical removal of metal from

the bore during passage of the proj and is mainly due to

friction

• It may also take place at the C of R but in this case

mechanical wear is probably a more imp factor in

causing enlargement

MED 14
 EROSIVE SCORING

• Erosive scoring is usually initiated by the imperfect

sealing of the bore by the driving band when the gun is

fired

• Defects in the steel or tool marks near ‘C of R’ may

provide a starting pt for the damage

• Once it has begun, it will dev at an inc rate

MED 15
 EROSIVE SCORING

Long shallow trough created by scoring eff

MED 16
 EROSIVE SCORING

Severe scoring caused by rapid and prolonged

firing by a 3 in gun
MED 17
 RESULTS – EROSIVE SCORING

• Localized action of the gas causes deep channels to be

cut in the bore sfc in the early part of the rifled portion

• Escape of gas causes some loss of MV but the maj eff is

a loss in the str of the brl

• First indications are slight longitudinal streaks

MED 18
 ABRASIVE WEAR
• Abrasion is the removal of metal by mechanical means
• Abrasion is caused by the passage of the proj through the
bore
• Proj not rotating truly about its longer axis, causing it to bear
heavily on the lands
• Insufficient ramming of the proj, permitting it to slip back at
high elevations and find its own seating in the rifling when
fired
• Materials used in the driving bands and steel at the steps of
inner tube
MED 19
 APPEARANCE – ABRASIVE WEAR

• It takes the form of spiral wear due to the untrue rotation of

proj

• Abrasion caused by improper ramming of the proj shows

the form of longitudinal grazing severe at the C of R and

extending in a lesser degree throughout the bore

• Abrasion of steel checks in the bore often appears as bright

rings

MED 20
 APPEARANCE – ABRASIVE WEAR

105 mm how sheared lands

MED 21
 EXPANSION

• Expansion is the bore enlargement due to overstressing and

is detectable on the outside of the tube, barrel or liner. If a

gun is liable to expansion, it is usually revealed at proofing

• Slip back of the proj due to insufficient ramming may cause

chamber expansion

• The use of segmented charges, other than those approved

may cause expansion

MED 22
 APPEARANCE – EXPANSION

• Evidence of expansion is seen in the measurement of a

bore incl chamber

• It can rarely be detected by vis examination, except in very

pronounced cases of local expansion, when a dark ring is

noticeable, due to the proj passing the expanded portion

without coming into contact with it

MED 23
 LOCAL DEFORMATION

• Local deformation of the bore is the result of plastic flow of

the metal and may be due to overheating of local over

stressing

• Examples are swaging or flattening of the lands.

Deformation of this nature will not normally be detected on

the outside of the tube, barrel or liner

MED 24
 LOCAL DEFORMATION

Damaged lands from muzzle end 155 mm how

MED 25
 ABNORMAL / ACCIDENTAL
DEFECTS (AD)

MED 26
 ABNORMAL / ACCIDENTAL DEFECTS

• Those defects, which do not normally occur but may be

caused either accidentally or by the en
• Accidental or abnormal defects incl fair wear obstruction in
the bore due to fol: -
• Stripping of lands
• Steel choke
• Copper deposit
• Accidental or abnormal defects are covered under Cracks,
Droop and Corrosion

MED 27
 CRACKS

• Cracks in barrel liners and breech ring may be due to a

number of causes such as: -

• Lack of sufficient str

• Abnormal stresses imposed by excessive pressure

• Existing flaws in the steel

• Faulty design or machining

MED 28
 DROOP

• Droop is the comb of the natural sag of the un-sp length of

a gun barrel and any bend in the barrel
• Droop is not noticeable through vis exam. Detected by the
diff in clinometer readings taken on the clinometer planes at
the muzzle end of the breech

MED 29
 CORROSION

• Corrosion is any chem or electro-mech action distinct from

physical change in the metal. The term incls the oxidization

or rusting of the gun steel which is caused by exposure to

moisture or water through neglect or careless preservation

• Roughening and pitting of the sfc at the metal will cause

corrosion

MED 30
 THANKS

MED 31