Are current IMA receivers usable?

[BullGear]

Planning my first MG34 semi build.
Does anybody have any experience with the current batch of torch cut receivers from IMA?
http://www.ima-usa.com/german-mg-34-dem ... e-set.html
They look usable to me, but I have no experience so I pose the questions to the experts here.

[42rocker]

Well I have not welded one together yet. But on the three piece one their pic shows a front that is workable with and I think that the rear (from the pic) also looks like it can be worked with.
That said you will need some filler pieces. For those pieces you might want to think about getting a MG34 receiver from Sarco. I would NOT think about trying to rebuild a receiver from Sarco but cutting and swapping pieces might work out.
Take a few long looks about what I'm talking about.

Later 42rocker

[ChrisPCook]

Yes they are readily reweldable if you get what's pictured, which you should, I've never had a problem in regards to that with IMA. You will need filler pieces as already stated, but those are easy enough to find/make, some folks also build up the sides and join the weld together depending upon the gap. I used fillers on mine. Check out the tutorial on Projectguns.com, that will help you out. Main thing you want to make sure of is that they are cut through the front mangling cam, cam surface area or front stud, on the rear you don't want the threads buggered/torched through. The ones by IMA are good to go! Apex also had some cheapo heavily cut receivers awhile back that would make good filler pieces, or ask here on the board, I'm sure some members have "scrap" left over from other builds they did, I had a bunch but sold the bits/pieces on gunbroker awhile back. Chris.... 350$, I remember getting these at 125$ not that long ago it seems (time flies I guess)...

[www.Prussia.us]

Well they were $270 for quite a while, and I almost picked a set up with their Black Friday sale, so they just jacked their price up to $350.

For the new guys there was a few years stretch when '34 receivers were as scarce as hen's teeth, with 3-cut sets selling on GB for over $400, of course back then you could get a '34 kit for $600.

The only issue with IMA is it is luck of the draw, I bought 8 this summer. Some of these sets overlapped, two even had had saw-cut pieces, some were from different receivers having larger than normal gaps had it been the same receiver cut, all and all $270 was a good deal, there was a guy on GB selling one for $299, cheaper and you know what you are getting from his picture-if still available.

[BullGear]

Thanks for the replies. I have studied that tutorial in great detail and that's what inspired me.
Figures that IMA would jack their receiver price up right when I was ready to buy one.
Currently, the least expensive option I see right now is to buy a parts kit from FGW, a 2-cut rec and a "scrap" rec (for filler pieces) from IMA; grand total of $1350.
Sure wish I could find a better deal.
I have been trolling GB lately, but nothing has really jumped out yet.
There is a matching number display gun that includes the matching cut receiver on there right now...http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =384840342
Problem is, he wants $2600 and I'm assuming that rear cut has ruined the threads on that one.

[www.Prussia.us]

If just looking for a receiver try:
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =385045836


Naked parts kits (w/o receivers) show up, just be patient, also post a want to buy on various gun forums/sites, something should come up.

[BullGear]

Ended up buying that matching # dummy.

To anybody that has purchased IMA's two piece receiver that is missing the front part... How much is missing, ie what length front section would I need?