Sterling part kit question
- Thread starter cboath
- Start date
cheech9898
Sr Member
Some kits come with new repro barrels. IMA did a reproduction run of the short smg barrel and included it with their kits for awhile. They had a limited # for sale individually, dunno if they have any left, but check their website.
If your just wanting to make a solid barrel blank, you can get close with just the right size steel rod with a round disk welded to the back and bar on the front. Post if you need dimensions.
If your just wanting to make a solid barrel blank, you can get close with just the right size steel rod with a round disk welded to the back and bar on the front. Post if you need dimensions.
cboath
Master Member
I'm not that far. I've seen people post workups here using pvc, aluminum (i think), brass, and steel. Just wondering if one was better than the other. I may check gunbroker.
I have a standard, cordless drill and an old dremel. Not sure how fixed i am to drill out a tube myself. Especially the long slots.
I have a standard, cordless drill and an old dremel. Not sure how fixed i am to drill out a tube myself. Especially the long slots.
cboath
Master Member
I think I got my terms wrong.
IMA does have a barrel with there's, but, as you can tell from my last post, i dont' think that's the same thing i'm talking about. Like I said, i've probably got the term wrong, but i'm talking about the tube with all the air holes, ejection holes, and where you plug in the magazine. More reading shows i'm talking about the reciever tube. Sorry bout that
IMA does have a barrel with there's, but, as you can tell from my last post, i dont' think that's the same thing i'm talking about. Like I said, i've probably got the term wrong, but i'm talking about the tube with all the air holes, ejection holes, and where you plug in the magazine. More reading shows i'm talking about the reciever tube. Sorry bout that
exoray
Master Member
I think I got my terms wrong.
IMA does have a barrel with there's, but, as you can tell from my last post, i dont' think that's the same thing i'm talking about. Like I said, i've probably got the term wrong, but i'm talking about the tube with all the air holes, ejection holes, and where you plug in the magazine. More reading shows i'm talking about the reciever tube. Sorry bout that
That would be the receiver, when you reassemble you have to make sure said receiver is rendered non-operational by some means... The receiver is the machine gun, so you won't be able to find one... You can get a partially done tube, but as soon as you complete the cutting of said tube it becomes a receiver and it 'technically' a machine gun in itself at that point...
Anyway do a search here, I know there has been a lot of talk about re-assembling them in a legal fashion...
cboath
Master Member
Don't take this the wrong way (i actually found the one with the legalities in it yesterday), but i'm not overly concerned at all (least at this point) with the legal aspect of things. I'll care about that later - right now, i'm trying to outline the plan on what I need to do, and what it's going to take to do it, etc.
I knew I was on my own for the tube, just wondering how difficult it was, what metal I should use, how you attach the pieces to the tube (epoxy?), if anyone does tubes, etc. My plan would be to not use the barrel at all and use a solid rod instead. Can't fire anything through a solid rod
My concern in replicating a tube, though, is, as I said, my 'tools' and ability to use them. I don't want wavy lines on the straight cuts. I'd like them nice and straight as they're supposed to be. Just looking for the best way to do it right. Most of the do-ups i've seen on here or blogs start with turning an assembled SMG into an E-11 and not as much on actually building up the parts kit.
I knew I was on my own for the tube, just wondering how difficult it was, what metal I should use, how you attach the pieces to the tube (epoxy?), if anyone does tubes, etc. My plan would be to not use the barrel at all and use a solid rod instead. Can't fire anything through a solid rod
My concern in replicating a tube, though, is, as I said, my 'tools' and ability to use them. I don't want wavy lines on the straight cuts. I'd like them nice and straight as they're supposed to be. Just looking for the best way to do it right. Most of the do-ups i've seen on here or blogs start with turning an assembled SMG into an E-11 and not as much on actually building up the parts kit.
exoray
Master Member
You can get an "80%" tube that will have most of the cuts already done... They are a lot harder to find now then they used to be, but they do pop up every so often on gunbroker... They generally have all the holes drilled, leaving the ejection port and cocking slot to be done...
The best way to cut the rest is on a milling machine, short of that you drill and cut close and then finish up with a lot of file work...
The best way to cut the rest is on a milling machine, short of that you drill and cut close and then finish up with a lot of file work...
cheech9898
Sr Member
It's going to depend on what you choose to use for the receiver tube. If your going with a steel tube, correct method will be to braze/silver solder like original. If you have a welder, easiest will be to just tack the piece on really good and use JB Weld or Devcon Steel Epoxy putty to smooth the seams. If your going plastic or aluminum tube, it will be trial and error to find something, but I'd look at some of the automotive adhesives from 3M or Fusor that are for dissimilar substrates (ie steel to aluminum, steel to plastic).
Keep in mind that if its all glued, it should be kept more of a display piece... it may not handle trooping or a Halloween outing.
Keep in mind that if its all glued, it should be kept more of a display piece... it may not handle trooping or a Halloween outing.
cheech9898
Sr Member
Originals were all silver solder brazed for the most part. So you can melt the silver solder with a torch (oxy-acet or oxy-map) fairly easily and pull everything apart. I remember the Guns of Dagenham book mention early on some of the stock's pivot-hing point was spot resistance welded prior to brazing just so they maintained position during the heat cycle, but I believe fixturing eliminated that resistance weld later on in production.
If your going with a brass tube, with the right flux you should be able to silver solder all the steel parts on if you really wanted to. I'm not sure how the heat will effect the brass tube's straightness once the steel parts are tacked on. During original production they actually learned to pre-bend the receiver tubes because the brazing cycle to attach the handle, mag well, etc and cooling caused the receiver to bend/bow, and the pre-bend significantly increased the receiver coming out straight post brazing.
If your going with a brass tube, with the right flux you should be able to silver solder all the steel parts on if you really wanted to. I'm not sure how the heat will effect the brass tube's straightness once the steel parts are tacked on. During original production they actually learned to pre-bend the receiver tubes because the brazing cycle to attach the handle, mag well, etc and cooling caused the receiver to bend/bow, and the pre-bend significantly increased the receiver coming out straight post brazing.
cheech9898
Sr Member
Only if where he lives allows SBR's, and can pay for the ATF's SBR stamp & smithing.
Then there's the issue of him already having the parts kit... having the semi-auto sporster rifle plus the parts kit can be construed/taken as having a full auto SMG since all you'd have to do is basically swap the full-auto bolt and full-auto trigger group in. I was warned of this & Century Arm's quality issues (with everything they pretty much sell) when I looked into them.
Then there's the issue of him already having the parts kit... having the semi-auto sporster rifle plus the parts kit can be construed/taken as having a full auto SMG since all you'd have to do is basically swap the full-auto bolt and full-auto trigger group in. I was warned of this & Century Arm's quality issues (with everything they pretty much sell) when I looked into them.
exoray
Master Member
The Wiselite Arms rebuilds are copies of the real MK6 civilian version, and when they were selling the original MK6 civilian version you could remove the long barrel and they offered a faux short barrel and end cap for display... If you could get a hold of one of the original faux conversions they should work on the Wiselite rebuilds...
I know that is not the issue here though, and I really don't know what to say to help... To take apart the parts kit you will need at minimum a MAP gas torch, Oxy-Acetylene is better as said above... For re-assembly with silver solder you can get by with the MAP, but IMO for legality reasons if you are using a steel receiver real welds should be present in some areas to make an anti-swap out barrier to eliminate any readily convertible issues...
You could JB weld the thing back together, but it would be strictly a display piece, at that point, even basic handling could cause failure of the JB weld...
i'm in a similar situation to you. I just purchased a parts kit (hasn't arrived yet) and I'm going to make something as original looking as possible. I also do not have welding skills so I'm looking at a workaround of some sort, however a welder will be necessary on some level if only to remove the parts from the cut up receiver. I'd like to compare notes along the way. I've had some pretty good success with scratch builts and resin recasts but I'm ready to step it up a notch. So I'd appreciate any input on your progress and I'd do the same.
Thanks, Wayne
Thanks, Wayne
Riceball
Master Member
If welding is too much then I'd recommend using a PVC pipe, it may not be the most accurate but it would be the easiest to work with. If you want to go metal then I'd recommend brass or copper tubing, they're relatively soft metals and can be welded using solder and a torch.
exoray
Master Member
Without welding certain parts in place or destroying them you run the risk of the gun being considered readily convertible or in other words an illegal machine gun under US law... You need to lay out a plan that removes this liability if you want to be kosher and avoid any legal issues that might or could arise...
The best way to do this without welding is use a solid receiver and/or one with a significantly smaller ID so the parts can't be swapped out, and since you can't weld/plug/ the barrel shut you should consider a fake barrel... PVC works OK on a scratch build but it's not the right OD so when using real parts things wont line up...
The best way to do this without welding is use a solid receiver and/or one with a significantly smaller ID so the parts can't be swapped out, and since you can't weld/plug/ the barrel shut you should consider a fake barrel... PVC works OK on a scratch build but it's not the right OD so when using real parts things wont line up...
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