This replacement metal barrel from ABER is designed for the recent Dragon Jagdpanther Sd.Kfz.173 Ausf.G1 Early Production (Kit #6458) and consists of three machined brass parts for the muzzle brake, the barrel in aluminium with the muzzle drilled out to a depth of 7mm that includes fine rifling. Also included is a small fret with 6 etched parts to add further details to the muzzle brake.

The parts are very cleanly machined resulting in no cleanup at all required before assembly and the etched parts are also cleanly etched with engraved detail on the inner muzzle brake ring.

Brass muzzle brake, etched parts and aluminium barrel


The barrel represents the early monobloc gun tube and larger muzzle brake which is applicable to the Dragon kit with the barrel length and muzzle brake size and contours matching the 1:35 plans in the recent Panzer Tracts No.9-3 "Jagdpanther" Panzerjaeger Panther (8.8cm) Sd.Kfz.173 Ausf G1 and G2 book perfectly.

The muzzle brake is in two main brass parts with the outer part including the inner grommet ring instead of being a separate part like many other barrel of this type. This makes the assembly a little easier although adding the two small etched rings inside the muzzle brake requires care to line up correctly, but nothing too taxing.

Assembly of the outer brass muzzle brake part.

Rear brass collar and etched ring fitted to the barrel (note rifling in the barrel)
and image of the fully assembled muzzle brake


The rear brass collar and etched ring are both perfect fits to the barrel without any filing required and the fit of the front muzzle brake part to the rear part is also a perfect fit leaving the join seam all but invisible. Added to the top of the muzzle brake are three very small etched parts that require a bit of care to fit but add the final touch to the muzzle brake.

Dragon kit barrel compared to the assembled ABER barrel
both are the correct length with a noticable better detailed muzzle brake on the ABER barrel.

Fitting the assembled barrel to the Dragon kit is very straightforward as there is no modifications required on the kit or barrel parts with the metal barrel simply replacing the kit barrel in the construction sequences.

Perfect fit of the metal barrel into the kit gun.

Again a perfect fit of the metal barrel through the kit mantlet which fits to the gun as per kit instructions

Conclusion:

This set has very cleanly machined barrel and brass muzzle brake parts with the correct dimensions for the early monobloc barrel with large muzzle brake.

The perfect fit of the barrel parts make for straightforward assembly and the perfect fit to the Dragon kit without any modifications required results in a simple update with considerable more detail in the metal muzzle brake than with the plastic kit muzzle brake.

Highly recommended 9/10

See the Panther/Jagdpanther Subjects page for additional reviews

References:

Panzer Tracts No.9-3 "Jagdpanther" Panzerjaeger Panther (8.8cm) Sd.Kfz.173 Ausf G1 and G2 by Thomas L Jentz and Hilary Louis Doyle ISBN 0-9771643-0-6 Published by Panzer Tracts, Soft cover, 92 pages. Achtung Panzer No.4 Panther/Jagdpanther Good coverage of the Panther/Jagdpanther, Japanese text.

Thanks to ABER for the review sets.
carry the full range of ABER update sets and barrels.