Looking for welding repair help

[Kinger]

I have an older MG42 project that unfortunately was done by a friend of a friend who was not as good as I was lead to believe. It is a German WWII dfb receiver. The problem is, it was not welded back together straight. I'm looking for the right person who can make the right cuts and weld this thing up straight for me. I am not afraid to spend what it takes to get it done right. Can anyone refer me to someone who might be able to help me out? Thanks

[JBaum]

It might help to know where you live, that is, a little more specific than just "United States".

Knowing someone in Texas isn't much help when you're in Pennsylvania.

[flemgunner]

Are you looking at a full auto gun or a semi auto?

[Kinger]

Thanks for the reply's... I am in Connecticut. This is a semi auto MG42 build that was welded by a 07 a couple years ago for me. The new laws here have now changed this project from a home build to an officially registered assault weapon. I suppose one could argue pros and cons about that. Anyway, I decided that it's time to get this fixed properly.

Here are a couple pictures of what I have. The first is the actual completed receiver. As far as I can tell, the problem area is the weld right behind the rear sight mount. The second picture that I modified with Photoshop shows the front section canted 1 degree CCW with area behind the rear sight mount as the pivot point. I believe a couple cuts could be made at the pivot point, the front section canted CCW and re-welded. There is another point either just in front or behind the aircraft sight mount where the same will need to be done as a secondary operation. You can see a funny looking bend in that area. Finally, the very rear may need to be addressed but I think that needs to be assessed after the other work is complete.

[Kinger]

Here is one more photo showing the side views. As you can see the side views appear pretty straight.

[Kinger]

To clarify, here is an updated picture with a vertical center-line and horizontal line indicating pivot point. The receiver on the left is what I have that was misaligned when originally welded. The one on the right was modified with Photoshop as mentioned.

[www.Prussia.us]

That would be a masterpiece for Conrad Murphy,

Seriously that will take some work, not as many guys do these as 5-7 years ago. If nobody PMs you or posts, I would contact Brian at www.BRPguns.com he makes the shells, I would presume he may have a lead on some 07s he sells to, or could give you some leads. Obviously you want an 07 who has cut their teeth working with projects like this, however when all else fails try Matt Yemons. He TIGs AK47s back together, very different I know, however he is known for being very good, thorough, and conscientious. As long as their is a BATF-approved design he can do it.

Good luck.

[Kinger]

That would be a masterpiece for Conrad Murphy,

Thanks for the response and input... I value it. I have not contacted Brian yet. I did contact Stan at Project Guns and Allegheny. Stan was a little short... not sure why... seemed annoyed. He said he does not do them and told me he knew of no one who did. I guess he forgot about the guns I had purchased from him and does not need my business anymore. Allegheny said they do not do this type of repair. I was going to email Tony at Wise Lite... long shot, but he has worked with me on other builds.

[rgus48]

I have an 07 that is finishing up one for me that started in 4 pieces. He is a perfectionest, very good and very slow. He will not be rushed but when he is done it is right. Your job will be much harder becaues of the cuts needed to streighten the receiver back up and the builder will need a piece of donor receiver to replace what is lost in the process. I am not supprised that you are having problems, it will be no easy chore. Next conversation I have with him I will ask if he has any interest in the job. If he agrees I will PM you his contact information.

[Kinger]

I appreciate the response... thanks!

[42rocker]

Kinger
Do you know how the Germans used to make them straight? Sometimes they repaired them with a little pressure applied to one side or the other. There are pics out there of this happening. Same thing with minor twists.
A minor cut with a dremel tool wheel then pressure then welding to fill the crack might also get the job done. This should not be a major thing unless someone wants to make it into one.
While your white line shows it's not straight but it's not off that much.
Review this -- a lot.

Later 42rocker

[Kinger]

Kinger
Do you know how the Germans used to make them straight? Sometimes they repaired them with a little pressure applied to one side or the other. There are pics out there of this happening. Same thing with minor twists.
A minor cut with a dremel tool wheel then pressure then welding to fill the crack might also get the job done. This should not be a major thing unless someone wants to make it into one.
While your white line shows it's not straight but it's not off that much.
Review this -- a lot. Later 42rocker

Thanks for the advice. I realize it's not "that" bad. Actually the entire gun will assemble and the barrel fits in. I had it to the point of trying to get it to cycle then tucked it away a couple years ago when I moved. Now that I am settled again I have been finishing some old projects and this is the last one I have left. As a side, while buying a TIG welder this week I found a welder who I think can tackle the job.

[oakrodent]

This is an easy fix. Stick a pipe in the barrel end and block up the receiver with some wood ( inside and outside ) in the vice and bend it straight. Very easy fix. Have had to bend most of my MGs sometime in their use. I reenact with them and I'm not nice to them in the field. Trust me you can very easily bend a MG-42 if your not careful.

[oakrodent]

This is an easy fix. Stick a pipe in the barrel end and block up the receiver with some wood ( inside and outside ) in the vice and bend it straight. Very easy fix. Have had to bend most of my MGs sometime in their use. I reenact with them and I'm not nice to them in the field. Trust me you can very easily bend a MG-42 if your not careful.

[42rocker]

oakrodent
Thank you for that. As small as a bend that it is I find all of the repair reweld and using cuts from others interesting to say the least. ""Might still need to be done"" I still think a simple repair like you and I are posting about is all that is needed. Time will tell. The Germans even made a repair tool to help out with find where the problem is. Then I believe that they also bent it. Like I said if needed make a small cut and bend add the weld material and you should be able to make it straight one way or another without major repairs.

Later 42rocker

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

42rocker, cutting one side, bending such that the cut widens, and filling the slot with weld filler metal will result in a slightly longer receiver. Before you decide to go with that approach, a careful measurement and comparison to a working MG-42 should be made. It may be that you need to make the cut, bend the receiver such that the cut narrows, then prep the edges and weld the receiver, which will cause the overall length to grow shorter.

The truly difficult thing is to determine where the BEND is and where it is centered. The apex of the bend is where you need to make the repair to remove the angle and straighten the part. Use straight edges and measurements off an untouched MG-42 to locate the distortion. If the bend is localized and sharp, you can make a localized cut and reweld to straighten the part. if the bend is part of a generally wider curve, like a warped part, the repair is more difficult, since the part needs to be reheated and straightened using jigs that will remove the bend.

As a medieval armour smith, I have a good understanding as to how metal behaves when you try to shape it. Think of it as very hard potters clay, shaped cold with hammers against solid supports, or hot with bending force over forms or supports. Getting the MG-42 receiver perfectly aligned with elimination of twists and warps is a major PITA. Whatever you do, think it through carefully and ponder what can accidentally get bent out of shape in the course of your attempts to straight out the kinks and bends, and support the correct areas of the parts sufficiently when reshaping, or you will make matters worse and mess the job up. How and where you hold the part while you apply force to correct a bend or twist is really important! Do things in steps so if it starts going bad you can catch it and adjust your methods. And if you don't have the right tools, tools that do not properly support the part in the area you are clamping them, or tools that mar the hell out of the surface (can you say VISEGRIPS?), STOP and get correct tools, and MAKE THEM if you have to!

[robertmcw]

This the tool I used to straighten it mine:

http://www.robertrtg.com/mgreceivertool.html

I used the two blocks when hitting it to the camming piece. It works well. I used a large hammer and whacked it a bunch of times and fixed within specs. It is like a corn holder that supports at both ends and whack it in the middle so you don’t screw the metal.
I can rent it to you for 50 bucks but I would need a big deposit so I would get it back and the shipping would cost about $150.00 both ways.

Robert

[42rocker]

DA as we don't know the length of the receiver as it is now it could be a correcting factor in getting it to the correct length. Also doing a cut then bending the receiver in such a way as to close said cut and welding would make the receiver shorter.

Remember the starting ideas of cutting finding another receiver and cutting and replacing parts was one of the first ideas.
If you think of supporting and just bending -- (which I think is the best idea) or doing the simple cut and weld (2nd best I think) I feel both are better than cutting and adding different pieces from another receiver. Fist two ideas simple can be done at home. Buying another receiver and hiring a welder and so on well if you have enough money to spend go for it.
Can't forget the picture that I saw someplace of a German with a MG42 receiver stuck in between the fork of a tree giving it a little adjustment to bend it back to a working weapon again. Field repairs got to love it quick simple and sometimes they work. LOL

Later 42rocker

[robertmcw]

You can remove the stock but leave the buffer and get a piece of pipe and cut a piece of 2/4 and support the parts by the 2/4 pieces and use a third piece of 2x4 to whack the camming piece and you will be in business.

Here is mine:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=12713

My two cents.

Robert

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Guys, I agree that bending the receiver should be the FIRST method to try before cut/reweld, especially if the receiver sections with the bend have not had any cuts/welds introduced to the problem area in question. Hope you can locate the area of the bend and make corrections. Try not to introduce any NEW bends.