I cannot believe it!

[DeadOnShot]

I thought for sure that the FX STX Lightweight barrel would fit on the first version FX Crown. The one that had the barrel that extended to provide moderation.

Looking at them, the tubes that slide into the receiver looked identical. But when I slid the lightweight barrel into the receiver it was short of engaging with the alignment pin. When I looked closer there is like only ⅛ inch difference in the length of that tube. Just enough that the alignment pin wouldn't engage. Why in hell would FX not make the barrels interchangeable between model versions?????? Or am I missing something?????

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Thats weird. I'm using a shroud off of an old extendable barrel on my superlight 500mm setup. Also I used to have an older crown and would swap the barrels all around 

 

[harrymoreland]

Think about this logically, where FX* two make them interchangeable , folk would not need to buy as many.

it's just business, nothing personal.



* "where FX" this also applies to others sellers of product.

 

[DeadOnShot]

Long_Gun_Dalla - The thing that threw me is that everything else about the interface of that portion of the barrel and receiver is identical. Why just change the length by 1/8 inch?

I could machine that little bit off the (black) barrel nut/shroud retainer portion that bumps against the receiver (in my lathe) but I would remove the lip and be at the start of the wrench flats which doesn't excite me. It doesn't look like that silver tube portion that sits in the receiver can be moved out of the black part that the shroud screws onto. I'm not sure how they are held together.

harrymoreland - I understand what you're saying but I don't get the impression FX is into that sort of tactic. There have been other situations where they could have done that but they hadn't. Besides if the lightweight barrels did interchange there would be a lot more people wanting to replace their heavier barrels with a lightweight one. Their barrel sales would increase. As for their gun sales increasing... they cannot make them fast enough the way it is.

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Hm, so the start of the shroud literally butts up against the receiver. Leaving the rear not fully aligned/installed? That is odd.... Let me check the ones I do have real quick. I think there is some play on mine where yours is stopping short

 

[JamesD.]

That's marketing for you.

 

[Glem.Chally]

harrymoreland - I understand what you're saying but I don't get the impression FX is into that sort of tactic. There have been other situations where they could have done that but they hadn't.

Yeah doesn't make sense, MK2 Crown action will fit in MK1 stocks, can use MK1 Barrel assembly from Impacts in any later ones, many cross platform parts are interchangeable.

Liners are identical on all liner systems across the board etc.

Facts dont really follow that theory.

 

[DeadOnShot]

Long_Gun_Dalla - "Hm, so the start of the shroud literally butts up against the receiver. Leaving the rear not fully aligned/installed? That is odd…. Let me check the ones I do have real quick. I think there is some play on mine where yours is stopping short". Yes, that also means the barrel tube (inside the receiver) wouldn't reach and interface correctly with the magazine. Like I said, " I cannot believe they aren't interchangeable". I just threw this out on here by chance that I am overlooking something.

The original barrel has that black section that is the same diameter as the silver section. You can see where if I turned down the lightweight barrel to the start of the wrench flats I could make it work. BUT WHY?????

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

Yep, I checked. Mine is completely flush on my continuum.



Which is weird, because I do recall the older barrel having the gap when installed on the newer crown. But I never had an issue using the new barrels on the old gun.



But I have to wonder if your Crown is a 1st gen. I believe mine were 2nd and 3rd gens. Still not a mkii, but a continuum, and a 500mm .22

 

[DeadOnShot]

Long_Gun_Dallas - Mine is the 1st generation Crown. The thing that bothers me most is if you're going to make a change like that why not change the diameter or shape in some way to prevent someone who wasn't paying close attention from inserting the wrong barrel. With the alignment pin not engaging the transfer port could be misaligned. I also have to wonder if there is the possibility of a safety issue if the o-ring isn't seated properly and high-pressure air can blow back into the shooter's face. When I compare the barrels it looks like the o-ring on the lightweight barrel would end up partially in the transfer port hole in the receiver.

 

[jking]

Couldn't you just remove the shroud from the cone and then reposition the cone a 1/4" toward the muzzle and reinstall the shroud so that it would insert further? Maybe I'm not getting the full picture though. 

Jking

 

[DeadOnShot]

jking - In the photos, you can see the silver part of the silver/brass part that inserts into the receiver. I'm not sure how it is held into the black cone section. It looks like it is pressed in as I cannot see any sign or threads inside the black cone. The compression o-rings that hold the barrel liner in place seat against the end of that silver steel tube inside the cone. That steel portion of the silver/brass tube is turned down by about .050 inches in diameter where it fits into the black cone so the shoulder of the silver tube buts against the black cone. Therefore, I'm at a loss as to how to lengthen the silver/brass tube so the slot can engage with the pin in the receiver. It just seems like the only way would be to turn down approx. 1/8 inch of the black cone to match the diameter of the silver part as it is in the picture above of the original (heavyweight) barrel.

 

[jking]

My bad, I guess I was assuming it had the barrel tube like the other Crown's and Impacts. You may be right about the only option being machine off just enough to let it seat fully. 

Jking

 

[Long_Gun_Dallas]

the cone is likely threaded and loctited 

 

[DeadOnShot]

Long_Gun_Dallas - I kind of doubt the silver tube is threaded into the cone because the inside of the cone where the silver/brass tube would screw in would be most likely threaded through and I cannot see any threads in that area. My other problem with unscrewing it if it were threaded in is that the ID of the silver part inside the cone is roughly .050" smaller. With the shoulder of the tube not being in contact with the mating surface of the cone, any force on the barrel would probably cause it to bend or break.

I was kind of hoping someone from FX would have seen this post and chimed in but no such luck.

I cannot believe I am the first person to try to replace a barrel in a 1st gen Crown with a STX barrel. After all, I don't see the original barrels for sale anymore.

 

[DeadOnShot]

I just saw a post on the impact barrel and the brass tube (with the transfer hole) does thread onto the silver tube. So maybe the silver part does thread into the cone. I would be able then to maybe back out the silver part and machine a washer to fill the gal so there would be support from the shoulder. The only question then would be what the inside of the cone would look like where the compression o-rings OD would seat.

If I knew for sure that it was screwed in I wouldn't be so afraid to try to unscrew it.