Hot on the heals of the LionMarc/Passion Models M2 .50cal machine gun barrel set (#LM10028) comes this similar barrel set from armorscale for the M2 .50cal HB.

The set is more comprehensive and has 7 machined brass parts and a small etched fret with 5 etched parts that provide you with a turned brass barrel with drilled out muzzle, the perforated cooling jacket with two small locating grommets both ends and the two rear firing handles and cocking handle in brass.

The etched parts include the firing handle mounting and trigger, the barrel changing handle and the rear top sight and cocking handle bracket.

Two brass barrel parts with close up of cooling sleeve

There is some minor cleanup needed to remove the last of the fine brass burs inside the cooling jacket which it easy enough to do as they just fall away using the point of a #11 blade and the ends of the barrel and firing handles may need a quick file to remove the small bur.

Detail wise the cooling jacket unfortunately is a little undersized in diameter when compared to available 1:35 plans and photos and also lacks the two indentations on either side but does have the taper and the holes are cleanly machined once the minor excess brass is removed.

The front mounting grommet that fits inside the cooling jacket with the barrel fitting through this also lacks the series of notches around the fitting which are quite prominent on the real barrel and the barrel length is about 1mm short than indicated on most plans.

At the pointy end the muzzle bore hole is the correct size being about one third the diameter of the barrel end.

View of the front of the cooling jacket and notches not included on armorscale barrel

Image showing difference in cooling jacket size between the LionMarc (top)
and armorscale (bottom) parts

Assemble is straightforward with the fit of the two grommets to the cooling jacket and the fit of the barrel through these being very precise making for easy assembly and fitting the rear firing handles and side cocking handle will need the moulded on detail from your target gun removed before fitting the new parts.

The firing handles fit neatly between the etched brackets with small holes in the etched part and small pins on the ends of the handles for easy location and this assembly along with the cocking handle look better than corresponding kit parts.

Adding the barrel changing handle will require careful bending around the barrel as this has to extend down from the barrel centreline but the main issue here is the handle and bracket are in flat etched metal and lack any 3D detail that is a common issue with this sort of etched detail.

Fitting the barrel to any kit .50cal MG is easy by cutting off the plastic kit barrel, drill a small locating hole for the barrel pin and fit in place, all very easy.

Two views of the assembled barrel and (Dragon) receiver

Image showing the etched and brass firing and cocking handles
While this set has additional parts for the firing handles, cocking handle and barrel changing handle the barrel lacks the notch detail on the front cooling jacket bracket and the cooling jacket is undersized and lacks the side indentations which are included on the other brass .50cal sets released and on the plastic Tasca .50cal cooling jacket.

Despite the extra parts the lack of detail definition on the barrel and cooling jacket puts this update set at the bottom rung compared to the other available unfortunately but will improve the look of most plastic .50cal MGs if this is the only set you have access to.

Recommended with reservations 6/10

See a comparison of the available M2 Cal.50 metal barrels

Thanks to me Credit Card and for the review set.