I noticed there are many aftermarket MG-34 and MG 42s out there. Some are resin, some are brass. I know there are some by Plus model, Pontos, Royal Model, Tank company, and so on. My question is, which are the ones that stand out more?

You can add the new HD Models MG42 to the list :

https://www.facebook.com/hdmodels.print3dmodelling/

Talking about the MG34, here's a comparative review for some AM barrels from PMMS :

http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/reviews/vehicles/mg34/mg34.htm

H.P.

Dragon ?

k59 makes the best resin MGs, IMHO. And they are better than most plastic ones, too.

www.etsy.com/shop/k59production

DRAGON's MG-42s are pretty good, provided that they are from their "Gen 2" sprues. Other than those, there are quite a few really good aftermarket resin and metal ones to choose from. IMO, the best thing to do in the case of making choices in the aftermarket field, I would recommend that you check out the various reviews that are out there before buying...

Look for the metal barrel company that makes the barrel separate from the cooler jacket, so it will come in 2 parts.
Alders Nest

Ouch! One of those is half the price of most of my kits.

I get what you're saying!

However, as Neam Leeson said in "Schindler's List",

"Nice things cost money..."

Miwa, You must have been reading my mind! Thanks for posting the question.

Frenchy, Thanks for the link!
After reading the PMMS review, I bit the bullet and ordered the Aber MG34 two barrel set w/PE from eBay ($14.99 USD).

Cheers!
—mike

I like the RB Model 7.92mm MG34 for the money.

Darren's right! I use RB Barrels whenever and wherever I can! If you read his notes (I forget his name at the moment, but I think that's "1968SK" on ebay), he says that he manufactured the metal barrels for ABER... Those RB Barrels are great stuff for cheap money, and I recommend them highly!!!

Copy that. I have the RB Model barrels as well. I ordered direct from RB Model without a hitch — highly recommended!

I'll be comparing the RB barrels against the Aber versions when they arrive.

—mike

Hi guys,
I received the Aber MG34 two barrel set w/PE yesterday and I think they are quite nice — more expensive than the RB Model version, but as mentioned previously, it was the additional PE which spiked my curiosity.

For what it's worth, here are some very brief comparison notes for the Aber and RB Model barrels.

The Aber barrel is longer by just over 1 mm overall and the cooling jacket is slightly thinner in diameter than RB’s due to some additional ring details along its length — hardly noticeable but they do provide good location points for the PE. The Aber muzzle has some additional notch detailing where it meets the cooling jacket and has a slightly larger opening than the RB muzzle. The Aber barrels also include two photo-etch frets containing the sight details, etc. Ultimately, all of this probably doesn’t amount to a hill of beans after painting. However, I can say that I found both versions to be very high quality and can recommend either one. (Note: I have no affiliation with either company).

Aber: $14.99 (per pair)
RB Model: $2.80 (each)

As I recall, shipping was comparable — right around $4.50 USD and one week delivery.

As I see it, you can never have too many MG’s in the nest!

—mike