A few HK 33 kits had a 1 in 7" twist barrel marked 1 7/8? Those HK 33 kits with the 1/7 barrel demand a premium because those weremade for the militarys heavier SS109/M855 compared to the old M193?...I think...correct me if I'm wrong.
The regular 33 barrels are 1/12 twist.
You're correct. The "178" barrels (one twist in 178mm) were also used in some of the later 93s, and some of the later 53s. And I learned something new about barrel twist - there's a formula to determine the proper twist, and it's technically the length of the bullet that is used in the calculation, not the mass. And yes, the mass obviously goes up as the length increases, but length is what the formula is based on.
I found that interesting.
But yes, generally, only the latest date codes are likely to have the 178 barrels in them, and yes, they do have a higher value.