Weaponeer M53/MG42 Stick Grip

[csbuceo]

Has anyone actually used the WLA grip with the WLA receiver?

[par0thead151]

i bought the WLA grip with the WLA 100% reciever. boy am i steamed. the part does not fit, it requires just as much work as any of the other grip sticks...
annyone have a tutorial as to what needs to be done to get the WLA grip stick to work with the 100% WLA reciever?
i assumed it would be a drop in piece, as that would make sense...
i guess i should have known better.

[Sisu]

Yep I'm in the same boat as you parOthread151. I figured the grip would be DESIGNED to fit their own receiver. The little hook on the top comes up short in reaching metal between the grip slot and ejection port. I asked a fellow at Wiselite about this and he insisted I didn't have my grip retainer positioned correctly, however I pointed out that I meased it with an original receiver and my grip retainer was in fact in the correct position. And even if I move it forward a bit, the grip hook still doesn't catch the metal between the grip slot and ejection port. Then it is too low. He just said some fitting may required. Okay whatever. So yes I am disappointed too. I should have just gotten a PBB grip but I figured with a Wiselite receiver and a Wiselite grip that it would be plug and play. I guess I will try to fashion a hook to catch the back of the ejection port and thread it into the front of the trigger housing, in the similar manner as the PBB one. I don't know what better way to attach the front. Ideas anyone?

[Sisu]

Here's a couple of photos of what I'm dealing with:



Here's a comparison of the older style WLA grip (top) and the newer style below.

[Bil]

I am wondering why they changed it.Maybe the first one was for use in the re-weld guns,and the new one is for use in the Century guns?The receiver rear is from the Century run,possably the internals are differant than the stuff we are using[Pirate,PBB],and the grip is made for that?I dunno ---bil

[csbuceo]

They changed it because the old one is not plug n play with their receivers. I really like their idea about using the safety. I picked PBB's grip because its plug n play. Now I am not sure what I am going to with the Old WLA.....retro fit it or sell it......It would have been nice if WLA explained this the begining.

[Sisu]

WLA's newer grip isn't plug and play with their own receivers. The only explanation I can think of is that their production gun M53 receivers are slightly different than the ones we got. Maybe it's plug and play with for the production guns, but it certainly isn't for mine. Wish I had known that. The older style would actually be easier to work with than the new style.

[csbuceo]

Can you take a picture of the newer grip from the top...maybe with older one side by side?

[Sisu]

Here you go. I might be interested in your old style WLA grip if you decide to sell it.

[csbuceo]

How do you like the saftey on the older version?

[Sisu]

It seems to work pretty well. I had to ream out the holes in the safety block just slightly so my pins would slide through. Then I had to lube it really good, because the block would want to stick and angle just enough that it didn't want to slide back and forth freely. But it works well now. The new version doesn't have a hole drilled out for the upper pin, so I really don't know how they went about adapting a safety on their production guns. Must be something different than this type of a safety block. Another difference in the new one is that the trigger and hammer pin holes are located maybe and eighth-inch lower and aft vs. the older one. And behind the pin holes there are secondary holes about the same size that are threaded. I'm curious what those are for. Maybe so one can prevent over-travel of the trigger? Why have ones by the hammer pin holes then? I don't understand this new version at all.

[par0thead151]

this is my problem with the WLA grip stick and 100% WLA receiver...
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r42/ ... CN4687.jpg
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r42/ ... CN4688.jpg
what do i need to do in order to get the grip stick to secure in the front? i really wish WLA would have let me know that this is not a drop in part...

[csbuceo]

Well I think I like PBB grip better thatn the first WLA grip...but I really liked the safety on the WLA.

[Sisu]

parOthead151-
It looks like your WLA grip has a hook that points to the rear of the gripstick. Is that correct? The one I have has the hook pointing forward. Yours doesn't have those extra threaded holes behind the trigger and hammer pin holes like mine does either. Maybe there's more than two WLA versions. And none of them work with their receiver--go figure. Nice job on your rivets by the way!

[SA58]

On the old style (left) what is that block just behind your hammer? I didn't get a piece like that with mine.

[csbuceo]

That's the saftey mechanism for the AR FCG.

[SA58]

Was that supposed to come with the grip?? Should I be making a phone call wondering where my safety block is?

My grip actually looks like the old type... but with the slot on the front like the new one has.

[csbuceo]

Who did you buy it from Apex? I would post pic...

[SA58]

No no, I bought it from Weaponeer back in Dec 21, 07 along with a repair bushing... it's from Wise Lite Arms though. Take a look.



Aside from the original safety that I stuck in it... that's how I got it. I wondered what I was going to do for a safety... am I missing a part?

[csbuceo]

I believe so...I would WLA and ask. Mine is the old style.