"KDI" of Kentucky, with their newly acquired 02/07 SOT licenses, has just completed a semi MG42 using Panaceabeachbum's gripstick and modified bolt. People, Beachbum's modified parts work great ! His machine work is superb and our parts installed and functioned correctly. We only had to experiment with the recoil spring length, cutting off only a coil or two at a time, to get to the point where we still had maximum spring length and the extractor collar would still hit the buffer. We have also found that not all AR-15 fcg parts are created equal. The "full face" style hammer that is shown in Panaceabeachbum's picture works best for us. Buy good quality AR15 parts...name brand. We had one AR15 hammer that we actually wore out the sear notch near the bottom, after just cocking and checking the disconnector reset a few dozen times. This hammer has no manufacturer's markings on it, and we are assuming it is a cheap knock-off. We replaced that hammer with a known brand name hammer and everything functioned as it should again. We went on to design and build a "safety" into the new gripstick, using the original pushbutton in it's original location. The "Safety" is sort of a spring loaded toggle/lever mechanism that puts pressure on the rear of the trigger bar (similar to the original AR15 setup) when the original push button is pushed to the left...as in the MG42 design. I'll try to draw up some diagrams of the "Safety" if others should wish to use the same procedure. Since there is very little that is actually a "new" idea, we are wondering if anyone else has designed a safety of similar construction? We plan on bringing the SA MG42 to the Camden, Tennessee Machine Gun shoot, plus a "Post May Dealer sample" MG42. We will be set up as vendors if you wish to come by and see the guns. We will have some Romanian 8mm ammo for sale if you want to shoot a bit.
I didn't know Camden had a machine gun shoot. My mom's family is from Waverly, and I live in Columbia, so I'd love to come see it. When and where exactly is it? Do you have a link? Thanks; I look forward to meeting you.
dagobert,
Try this link and see if that will give you the information that you need. http://www.tftc-inc.com
We plan on setting up as a vendor and would enjoy having you by to look at the builds.
Drover
See ya there. Any chance of you "vending" a barrel threaded end piece and/or a cam center section while you're there? Let me know how much so I can bring some cash.
Mike wrote:Has anybody laid out a trigger group using an AR-15 "drop in auto sear"?
As far as I know they have not. (except for the MG34). On the MG42, the match up between the FA M16 lower to the MG42 upper, would have to be worked out first. Didn't someone else post that some company had already done this a few years ago, but didn't remember who it was? I'm not sure how much demand there would be for this conversion. I'd say it would depend on how many REGISTERED Drop in auto sears are out there. Then on how many of the owners of these legal sears who would be interested in an MG42 upper? All NFA rules would apply. On the other hand there are probably many owners of semi AR15s, who would like to mate their lowers to a belt fed upper. There only choices now are the XMG-34, and the LM-7 ??? Someone correct me if I left out anything.
[quote="panaceabeachbum"]seems to me you would have to chop up the ar lower as the bolt and recoil spring of the 42 cant fit thru the stock attachment ring, if you want the ar geometry here is what I would do, works well on mine. Snaps right on the 42 semi and runs like a champ.
Duh.....I think I've been handling Beachbum's excellent gripsticks so much that I forgot all about the AR15's stock attachment ring. That would be an impediment ! Way too much of the original MG42 would have to be changed to make this worth it....in my opinion. And I don't believe that you can legally alter a registered receiver in order to make it work on another firearm. For example the Stemple registered tube has to be "unaltered" when used in the STG 76. Hense the "Take-down" feature that allows the Stemple tube to be returned to it's original configuration. Anything is possible...but it would take a totally new upper design to make the MG42 compatible with an original AR15/M16 lower. You still might be able to use a REGISTERED Drop in auto sear.....but then the market shrinks dramatically. This probably explains why no one is currently working on this. I think I'll save my few remaining brain cells for something else. As always, remember...all NFA rules apply.
"KDI" of Kentucky, with their newly acquired 02/07 SOT licenses, has just completed a semi MG42 using Panaceabeachbum's gripstick and modified bolt. People, Beachbum's modified parts work great ! 
His machine work is superb and our parts installed and functioned correctly. We only had to experiment with the recoil spring length, cutting off only a coil or two at a time, to get to the point where we still had maximum spring length and the extractor collar would still hit the buffer. We have also found that not all AR-15 fcg parts are created equal. The "full face" style hammer that is shown in Panaceabeachbum's picture works best for us. Buy good quality AR15 parts...name brand. We had one AR15 hammer that we actually wore out the sear notch near the bottom, after just cocking and checking the disconnector reset a few dozen times. This hammer has no manufacturer's markings on it, and we are assuming it is a cheap knock-off. We replaced that hammer with a known brand name hammer and everything functioned as it should again. We went on to design and build a "safety" into the new gripstick, using the original pushbutton in it's original location. The "Safety" is sort of a spring loaded toggle/lever mechanism that puts pressure on the rear of the trigger bar (similar to the original AR15 setup) when the original push button is pushed to the left...as in the MG42 design. I'll try to draw up some diagrams of the "Safety" if others should wish to use the same procedure. Since there is very little that is actually a "new" idea, we are wondering if anyone else has designed a safety of similar construction? We plan on bringing the SA MG42 to the Camden, Tennessee Machine Gun shoot, plus a "Post May Dealer sample" MG42. We will be set up as vendors if you wish to come by and see the guns. We will have some Romanian 8mm ammo for sale if you want to shoot a bit.
Duh.....I think I've been handling Beachbum's excellent gripsticks so much that I forgot all about the AR15's stock attachment ring. That would be an impediment ! Way too much of the original MG42 would have to be changed to make this worth it....in my opinion. And I don't believe that you can legally alter a registered receiver in order to make it work on another firearm. For example the Stemple registered tube has to be "unaltered" when used in the STG 76. Hense the "Take-down" feature that allows the Stemple tube to be returned to it's original configuration. Anything is possible...but it would take a totally new upper design to make the MG42 compatible with an original AR15/M16 lower. You still might be able to use a REGISTERED Drop in auto sear.....but then the market shrinks dramatically. This probably explains why no one is currently working on this. I think I'll save my few remaining brain cells for something else. As always, remember...all NFA rules apply.