Another mg53 resurrected

[fritsch]

I wanted to post pictures of my newly completed MG53 semi. It's a weld up of a AA 4 cut MG53 kit. I toasted two carbide bits modifying the bolt! I used a mix of BRP and RTG parts for the front buffer, barrel, rails, mainspring, and firing pin. I used AR15 FCG and simply welded plated on the sides of the grip housing that were lower than the original and ground the tip off the trigger. No having to modify the rear attachment point. I didn't clean anything up on it for aesthetics yet as I'm a professional goldsmith by trade and the thought of making anything look good when I'm not at work doesn't appeal to me.
I'm so addicted, no matter how the range test goes tomorrow, I'm building another one!

[42rocker]

Dude --- Good Luck with the range test. After that you can clean things up. On the next one there are several nice treads on how to cut through the firing pin sleeve.
Looking good, now for the range test.
Post some pics and tell us about it and the start of the next one.

Later 42rocker

[fritsch]

Success! I burned through a 40 round belt with only two rounds not going off. They could be light primer strikes, but the primers seam as solidly dented as the spent rounds, so I guess further testing will answer the question. I'm so addicted, I'm already looking forward to the next one. I'm having dreams of a quad........

[roadrunner]

Congratulations Fritsch, Thats pretty respectable results for the first time out. Hope I do as well. Are you running 8mm? I know what you mean by addictive. I havent finished mine and already planning my next. Way to go. RR

[42rocker]

Glad to hear about the good range test. Some folks take a 8mm rifle with them (if possible) to double check the "bad" rounds.
But sounds like she is a feeding and a firing and spiting them out afterwards. WAY TO GO!!! Ra Ra.

Later 42rocker

[fritsch]

Yup, 8mm. I was pretty anxious before the test as I didn't know what country or time period the ammo was from and if I got a bunch that didn't go off, I wouldn't know if it was the gun or the ammo. I guess a successful test negates the problem. These are genius guns! It's not incredibly tight allowances like RPDs and it's easy to take apart and swap parts, unlike 1919a4s. It seams like having the camming section "in situ" to the barrel and the rails in line with that are the largest hurtles (among a million other things, of course). I couldn't have had a hope of successfully completing this rifle if it weren't for (literally) hundreds of hours on this site. I have college credits I earned with less studying than I did building this thing!

[anjongni]

Congratulations on your success, Fritsch. I think it looks great just as it is, sort of a 'last-ditch' production. Make your next one a primadona. Shoot this one! Nice work...Phil

[42rocker]

I Love It...

"""" I have college credits I earned with less studying than I did building this thing! """""

I Love It.

Later 42rocker