Jagdpanther – Department of Corrections – The Schwerelauf Heavy Barrel for MG34 - Inside Track | Renault TSF Tank Kent

(It has been brought to our attention by one of our long term members and friend based in Spain who is recognised as an expert in the field that our piece contained a number of errors. Our members comments are largely paraphrased. The Editor). The first observation is that the terms Schwerelauf and Panzermantel describe two different objects. Lauf is the barrel and mantel is the shroud or barrel jacket for the MG. This barrel jacket covered the barrel. . This discussion below covers the barrel jacket concept. MG34s did not have a heavy barrel and the MG34 fitted to the Panzer only had the Panzermantel which is a heavier built barrel jacket, in harder and thicker steel(6mm vs 2mm in the standard), with less holes and these were slots on the top and bottom of the tube. This would provide a better protection against shrapnel to the barrel itself but also cause faster overheating of the Panzer MG34 due to having fewer holes to cool down. An original Panzermantel barrel jacket for the MG 34 was rather rare in the late 1990s.The hunt dragged on for a number of years until we came up with our first example. This was a dug up relic from the battles around Berlin in 1945 and rather corroded. Bead blasting of this panzermantel did not help as this exposed the severe pitting on the surface of the barrel exterior and showed how much material had been lost from this once finely machined item. The Panzermantel is an essential element for the Panzer MG34 as it provides an extra protection under battle conditions. Early MG34 variations’ barrel jackets, produced prior to 1940, had more holes, so were weaker and would tend to bend or get damaged easier, provoking stoppages to the MG. This was so not only with infantry MG34s but those on tanks also, as they used the same model. The MG34 barrel jacket was then redesigned, with less holes for infantry use, and the Panzermantel for AFVs appeared early 1941 to be used with the improved Kugelblende 30 and Kugelblende 50 (ball mount for tanks). We have heard a number of accounts from veterans themselves that the normal MG34 barrel would malfunction after firing countless rounds. One particular account was from a neighbour who had been a German soldier who served on the Eastern Front. The account of his unit enduring seemingly endless attacks by thousands of Russian infantrymen was quite useful in explaining the issues surrounding sustained fire. There was a rule that after so many rounds being fired, the crew of the MG34 (or 42) would change their barrel. The asbestos gloves provided with the gunner’s kit provided the means by which the barrel could be held for removal and exchanged with a fresh one. The spare barrel is stowed in a single or double barrel steel container on a canvas sling and either carried or often clamped into a purpose built slot in a vehicle. In the veteran’s experience his barrel could not be changed given the proximity, ferocity and sustained nature of the Russian attacks. His barrel began to glow red and eventually appeared to droop from the incredible heat generated by the thousands of rounds fired. In tanks barrels would heat even faster, due to having fewer ventilation holes, but they could also carry more spare ones and gunner was in not such an immediate danger of being under enemy infantry fire, when changing them. These were usually clamped by the radio/gunner’s position in the vehicle. We originally thought the Jagdpanther gunner does not have the ability to change the barrel. Reality was very different. Thanks to design of the MG34 the barrel could be changed in position. The procedure was achieved by pressing the barrel jacket closing latch, which then allowed the back of the MG to be swung a quarter turn to the right to allow the barrel to be pulled out and a fresh one to be inserted. The back section would swing back to position, a new belt inserted and gunner could continue shooting. This was done in less than 5 seconds by a trained gunner. The differences between the standard MG34 barrel jacket and the Panzermantel are obvious. See the attached images for comparison. The Panzermantel mounted on our Jagdpanther is the second one we found and given to us by a group of friends some time after the discovery of the first example. It is in very good condition as can be seen from the images provided. There have reputedly been some copies made of these barrels which made their way onto the collectors’ circuit a little while later followed by many fake ones masquerading as originals. Prices are even higher now than they were then providing even more incentive for enterprising villains to cash in from these elevated values. Our friend in Spain insists the slots in the panzermantel should be vertical, as the holes to set the detachable bipod-front sight bracket and the AA sight should be on the top of the tube. If holes were horizontal the barrel could easily be hit by bullets or shrapnel, renderinging the MG useless. Chrome lined barrels, not chromed barrels, were tested by the German Army for MGs but this would not make them heavy barrels. Panzer MG34s did have a higher quality steel barrel jacket but no better a barrel than the standard MG34. More info about German MGs and accessories in a future article…….

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