blank adapting the mg42/m53/mg1-3

[David]

Sounds like one of Guiettes adapters or the likes.

As for a solution to your issue, I couldnt give an answer to.

Im using his 8mm and 7.62 adapter and have had zero issues running my FA 42 on any kind of blank ammo.

Good luck.

[Blanksguy]

mikesal,
If your friend's FA MG42 is having isues with the forward-section of a 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assembly moving forward and cutting off the "keys" in the Barrel-Bearing.....then he has a 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assembly that was made incorrectly as shown below.

The 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assemblies require that "flair" at the rear of the forward-barrel-section as mine are made (also shown below)......if the "flair" is not currectly present, then the forward section is allowed to move forward. We machine our 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assemblies to have this "flair".

Last, I will have a few more 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assemblies for the MG42/SA42/M53/SA53 (and one set for the MG34/SA34) in from the machineshop that I use in about one week. By popular demand....they will only be in 7.62x51mm/.308 cal..
You can contact me at my e-mail address listed below if you are interested in a 7.62x51mm/.308 cal. 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assembly for your MG42/SA42/M53/SA53.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[CRUSADER]

Richard - LOL - you need to label those photos 'WRONG WAY' and 'RIGHT WAY'. Some folks don't have an eye for detail.

[HKARAK]

Would a bolt fastened through the booster hole work as a BFA? Cutting off all gas through hole make sense or need small hole drilled through bolt to release some? Thanks!

[Blanksguy]

HKARAK,
Sir............the answer is "YES" .....and "NO".

If you would like to ask this question at the end of the "Blank-Adapting the MG42" Thread...........I will go into more details of "why" on both counts.
.....or, you can ask one of the many "Moderators" on our MG42-Board to transfer your question to the end of that thread listed above......and I will answer at that time.

Not trying to be a hard-ass with not answering your question in more detail now..................it would just add more information to the thread already started......and more reenactors would gain knowledge in that thread. Done! ---bil

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[HKARAK]

Not a hard ass at all.....appreciate the enlightenment and want best for others as well. Looks like message was moved to end of blank adapting topic. No clue how I missed getting it here. Any thoughts appreciated. Thanks again.

[Blanksguy]

HKARAK,
"Yes"......a bolt through your Booster-Cup/"Nozzle" would work with "some" Blanks........"but" it will need to be drilled to the proper BFA Hole-Size for the Blanks being used "and" you will only be able to use the stronger Blanks due to the requirement for the Blank to move/push the entire Barrel-weight to the rear along with bolt-weight.....which for a semi-only SA42, you have to add-in the additional weight of a semi-only Bolt-Assemblies "rear"....and the additional spring-weight to move the hammer back to the "cocked-position".

You may/will experience challanges (problems) when trying to use the weaker .308 surplus-Blanks (7.62x51mm)....due to these being of a lesser pressure loading.

Some of the other items that will "play-into" this will be the condition of your parts due to spring-condition and/or gas-pressure-loss around the muzzle and/or Booster-Cup/"Nozzle".........."and" the length of the barrel-bearing that "times" when the excess-pressure is "dumped" when the barrel-bearing moves rearward.

Now......this will all change if you use a 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assembly as you will not even use a Booster-Cup/"Nozzle" as it is not required.....the restriction then is in the barrels-muzzle and only the short rear-section of barrel with piston/extension moves.......requiring less weight to be moved allows for either a weaker-blank....or more noise out the front/bigger BFA Hole-Size.

(NOTE: If any of this confuzes you, or you are not familiar with the words/explanations.......I would suggest that you start at the beginning of this thread.....and read all of it. There is a lot of good information about Blank-Adapting an MG42/SA42/semi-only-M53.

As noted earlier....the best method that gives you more "options" for using different Blanks, "and" is more adjustable, is the 2-pcs. Blank-Barrel-Assembly.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[stegger]

Hi to all . I'm new here , I'm from Lithuania . I want to make 2 pieces blank barrel ( MG53) , and need uour opinion , please . Will it be correct ?

PS. Tryed to write to Banksguy ,,Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net'' , but no answer yet , don't know why ...

[Blanksguy]

stegger,
Received your e-mail (thank you...but your "attachments" did not come through at my e-mail address.).

Please let us know if the measurements are in "inches" or millimeters.......and I will need to know the length of the "piston"/not including the flair nor the threaded-area......I'll let you do the math.
I will also need to know the length and width of the hole in the rear of the front barrel-section.
Next......what running/operational-clearance will you have between the piston vs. hole (?).

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[johanlutz]

I am new to this forum and have followed for some time the topic of blaml adapting my SA42. Its a Wise-llite M53 in 8mm. I intended to use the gun for reenacting, however, I have had some trouble getting her to run blanks. What I have done is
1. I use the Bill Guiette adapter with an original Yugo barrel not the wise-lite barrel.
2. blanks are 8mm from atlantic wall, I think they are Yugo military.
3. The allen adapter I am using is the .187 sized hole
Many of the Yugo parts were switched out with WWII German to include
a. top cover
b. feed tray
c. front site
d. rear site
e. buttstock
f. grip panels
Nothing terribly imprtant to the firing process. My problem is she runs fine except shall we say my semi 42 becomes a "runaway" gun and goes full auto. Any thoughts to the problem and how to fix it. Once she started firing full auto I have become too worried about using her for fear of damage to my weapon, self, or legal implications, Gott Mit Uns

[Blanksguy]

johanlutz,
You will need to go into more detail as far as what you are using and where you have the restriction located.
Photos "REALLY" help when trying to "SEE" what is going on and/or where the stopages are so that we can better help you.

Just from your short information.......it sounds like a couple (maybe-3) things are going on......
1: An SA42/semi-only-M53 firing full-auto sounds like either the bolt-assembly is recoiling back far enough to eject the spent-blanks/chamber the next blanks...."but" not far enough to fully cock the hammer of your guns semi-only design.........."or":
2: That you have a defective semi-only trigger-group (?)....."or":
3: That your firing-pin is either bent/broken and/or stuck in the bolt-head where it is sticking out of the face of the bolt firing anything that is chambered (??).

If the gun does not recoil the bolt-assembly far enough to have the hammer caught by the disconnector.....the fix is to use a slightly smaller BFA Hole-Size/Restriction (where-ever your gun is being restricted at.....????).

Next, AtlanticWallBlanks sells several different 8mm-Blanks. Are these the full-length 8x57mm Blanks (?).....or the shorter 8x57mm Blanks made from 30/06 Brass (??).....or the resized 7.62x51mm/.308-cal. surplus-blanks sold as 8mm Blanks (???). You can't always go by the case-head-markings as some vendors use re-formed 30/06 brass to make 8x57mm Blanks for reenactors..........again, PHOTOs really help us to better help you.

Questions that will come up are as you load your semi-only SA42...pull the bolt to the rear and chamber a blank (remember-semi-only....not MG42 full-auto):
1: You pull the trigger and exactly what happens (?).
2: What have you tried (?)......what BFA Hole-Sizes have you tried and the results (?).

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[SgtSteiner47]

Mine did the exact same thing!, turned out i had to send my bolt back..they worked on that..said the firing pin in the back was too long, then it still didnt work...turned out my sear wasnt working properly. CHECK THAT FIRST!!!!!! that most likley problem to begin with..as i attempted to blank adapt 2 Wiselite's and they both did the same thing..never did fix the first one..had a outer battery on full auto and she blew up..thankfully no harm done. 2nd wise lite did it and then i took sand paper and filled down a bur on the sear and now she works fine. So those are the only things that i did and she works now. I am not a expert..i just know what i had to do to my wiselite.

[johanlutz]

Sorry for not having replied for awhile, I was moving from one town to another and have been without internet.

The amo I have been using are the MG blanks from atlantic wall blanks that come in 15 rdboxes and appear to be either prvi partisan or military 8mm blanks from yugoslavia.
After loading a belt into the weapon and charging it when I pull the trigger she runs like a FA '42'. After that two things either happens.
1. she either stops firing when I let off the trigger like a normal MG
2. She fires like a run-away gun until I either bend the belt or she stops on her own.

The BFA is one of the Bill Guiette ones that slip over the muzzle. I will try and have pics later today or tommorow. The restrictions are caused by allen plugs drilled out to different sizes. The one I was using the most frequent is the .181 size. I also have a .160 and .159 I believe. When i use the smaller holes though it still shoots FA but she will usually blow the top cover up. This happens every so often on the .181 hole but not as often.

I am thinking that the problem is either one or a combination of
a. Slam Firing- the process of the bolt running home and striking the back end of the primer with either a free floating or stick firing pin
b. Half Cocking- Where the bolt recoils enought to cycle the weapon but not enough to fully return the hammer to be caught by the sear
The one possibility I am afraid of is that the gun is slam firing and the recoil is so violent that it is damaging the bolt extension the buffer and the receiver. This would explain the top cover "popping" open about everytime i shoot her.
Gott Mit Uns
Johan

[junglewalk]

I'm finally getting around to describe the results of using 'Blanksguy's' two piece MG-42 blank barrel, under pressures of 'simulated combat' during a recent Russian Front battle here at Marion-grad, Kentucky.
.......Two days before the battle, I experimented with using the 308 Austrian green tipped blank that has been around for years. I have had such good luck with them before, in a sa MG-42, and have about 5k left.
+I wound up using the .140 plug that Richard sent with other drilled plugs, for the end of the barrel. I combined this sized plug with a shortened recoil spring. The shortened recoil spring is a method I have used with my MG-34, using my 8mm blanks, and has done well with it........also with my old sa MG-42, I had a special shortened recoil spring I used with blanks also.
.....>I have always realized, for me, the full power and strength of the recoil spring is not needed when shooting blanks. I also found in Folke's book, he refers to a special recoil spring used for blank firing in the MG-34. What could that be, but a weakened or shortened spring.......I removed approx 4 inces of recoil spring, one coil at a time, while on the range, until it stopped double feeding, and signs of too much back pressure disappeared. (closed case mouth after firing shows over-back pressure, you want the case to have an open mouth to be just right)
.........
During the battle when anything could go wrong, and would go wrong, the 42 with this arrangement held up nicely, and kept on running so well, I was more concerned with the barrel over-heating that anything else.....
...What a reliable blank barrel this has turned out ot be......Thanks Richard...!...bh

[cediboy]

Hi there, i am a french WW2 reenactor, i own since few weeks a blank MG53. The problem is that it does not work.

After first shot, bolt does not come back. I have to pull back the handle if i want to shoot again. The worse is that most of the time, i can not pull back the bolt with the handle, it is blocking somewhere... It looks like something is on the way or that the belt jams and prevents bolt from coming back... i have to open top cover and reinstal properly the belt if i want to keep shooting...

Is there somebody here who can help me? If i provide pictures of top cover, barrel, bolt, booster, and ammo, does it help?

Thank you for your help.

Cedric.

[Blanksguy]

Cedric,
Give us a little more information please....such as/but not limited to:

1: Is this a Full-Automatic MG42/M53 or a semi-only design (?).
2: We take it that you are trying to fire "Blanks" as you posted this question in this area....correct (?).
3: What type of restriction are you using at the muzzle (?)....what type of Blank-Firing-system (?).
4: What Blanks are you trying (?).
5: Are you trying 8x57mm belts or post-war 7.62x51mm belts.

With the additional information, we will better understand what you have and where/how to help you.

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[junglewalk]

Richard;
.............Your two piece blank barrel (I have it set for 308) just never quits!!.......At times, I just have to get out of the way in tactical battles, and spray down your barrel because of over-heating.....It just keeps on running!
....and right now, I still am using the Austrian green tipped 308 blanks, and will be eventually using the Austrian red tip ones.
.......Cedric, follow what Richard here tells you, he will steer you right, & get your gun going.

[cediboy]

Thank you for your help Richard.

1/ It is a Full auto yugo MG53.
2/ I am shooting only blank, (FA live firing machine gun is not permitted).
3/ the booster and muzzle has not been modified and are original. Barrel is an original one, modified into a two pieces type (very similar than yours), it is plugged at two places inside but still provides front venting.
4/ I am shooting 7.62x51 blank, it is a gold box written CBC, it looks like coming from brazil.
5/ I have war time and post war belts, but it seams that it jams whatever type of belt i use. Well i am not sure as i did not think checking that.

Do you need picture of my key components?

Ced.

[Blanksguy]

Cedric,
Yes on the photos.....I need to see where/how the barrel is restricted.....and how it is made into 2-piece.

Next, I need to see a photo(s) of how and where the 7.62x51mm Blanks "jam" so I can sort this out. Also, are you having 1 or 2 cartridges jammed (?).

Last, what size restriction(s) are you using at this time (?).

Regards, RichardS in MI.
US Army, Retired
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[cediboy]

I have some issues posting pictures, they are too big...

I try to make them smaller but it still does not fit in the forum window!!!! I just can not do it!!!