Patent ID: 6457274
Filing Date: 2002-10-01
Classification: F41A,Y10T

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a composite tube for a gun barrel comprising the steps of:(a) grinding a metal liner down from its original thickness to a greatly reduced thickness; (b) applying a resin matrix material containing a plurality of elongate carbon fibers in layers about the metal liner so that the carbon fibers are oriented longitudinally along the metal liner, by wrapping a carbon fiber mat with embedded resin about the metal liner under extreme pressure, until a suitable thickness of resin matrix material has been applied to the metal liner; (c) compressing the wrapped resin matrix material; (d) heating the wrapped resin matrix material and enclosed metal liner while maintaining compression on the resin matrix material to cure the resin matrix material; (e) lathing and sanding the cured resin matrix material to the proper diameter for a gun barrel; and (f) securely attaching a muzzle piece and a breech piece to the gun barrel.