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Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 8:57 pm
by TbcSEOD
I have been doing some looking around for a M53 kit to work on this winter and was wondering what the going price was on these kits? Also wondering who all has them (in case I missed any while searching around). I found them from $200.00 (centerfire - back ordered) all the way up to $350 ish on GB. Anything to watch out for or checkout before buying a kit? and importers to keep away from or such?
Thanks for any help or advice,
~T
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:23 pm
by tomcatshaas
call SOG
http://www.southernohiogun.com/
also, it looks like Allehgany has them too.
http://64.23.61.151/
TC
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:47 pm
by TbcSEOD
Allehgany is out of stock
SoG site was updating.
I have found them at Apex for $325.00 (And they are only 40 miles or so from me)
GB for $325-350ish
FALfiles/1919a4 for $350.00
and I seen someplace last night one for $250.00 (I thought) but now I cant seem to find it again :/
Just wondering if there is a better price out there or if someone has kits that are trash and should be avoided.
~T
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:58 pm
by tomcatshaas
SOG has them for $250.00. You won't find them on their web site at all. They only list them in their FFL flyers that I get. They will sell to non dealers though.
You need to call them
TC
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:59 pm
by tomcatshaas
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:05 pm
by TbcSEOD
tomcatshaas wrote:SOG has them for $250.00. You won't find them on their web site at all. They only list them in their FFL flyers that I get. They will sell to non dealers though.
You need to call them
TC
Sweet - TY TC, since you pointed me to the stickies forum I am blown away with the detail and information available here

and have decided that I am no longer THINKING about building a 53 over the winter months here in Denver........... I am..... no, I MUST

build one!
~T
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:14 pm
by Bil
Good work,TC!,Lead them in slowly,give them a little slack,set the hook,and BINGO!! Another addict! He will be looking for lafettes and tripods in a few months! ---bil
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 10:48 am
by redneckframe1991
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 3:31 pm
by Gorbachov
I may be dead wrong, but when I did the math on buying a $200 parts kit, along with buying all the necessary receiver components from someone like Wise Lite Arms and or Burnt Capital, it made more sense to spend the extra money and buy a 4-cut German MG42 parts kit. You’re going to end up spending the money anyway no mater how you look at it. With a German 4-cut kit it’s all there and you don’t need to go running around trying to figure out what you need and piece milling it all together from various different sources. There’s also a lot less fabricating. If you look at Florida Gun Work’s parts kit for $799.95 (See
http://www.floridagunworks.com/Merchant ... +PARTSKITS) that’s probably a bargain. I paid $200 for my M53 from Sarco about 6-9 months back and after researching what all I needed to build the kit, I ended up buying a 4-cut German receiver from Tom Kirksey (aka Cpt_Kirks) for $1,000 and I’m no where near done spending money in order to complete the gun. Somebody please correct me if I’m wrong on all this!
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 4:49 pm
by Bil
They are back ordered-at that price,you would be crazy to any other route.That said,I have never seen them actually go for that amount.The usual market price is $1000 plus,usually about $1200. Sometimes you get a few extra parts,and sometimes you can get a 3-cut.Add the time to do the work,and if you buy the semi mods,it gets up there. But your point about doing the $200 kits and finding the rest is spot on,the complete German kit is made to the actual specs,and was a running gun.An added plus is it is original,i.e. historic.That matters to some.Personally,I think the quickest and cheapest way would be to get the Century gun when it is perfected. This is only my opinion-you know what they say about them... ---bil
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Tue Nov 06, 2007 6:34 pm
by Gorbachov
Thanks Bill:
I guess the advantage of going the cheaper kit route is if you want to extend the cost of the build out over a period of time in order to pay for it in a manner that’s not going to take a heavy bite out of your monthly cash flow; then maybe the way to do it is the pay as you go method by piece milling it. I was fortunate to have received an inheritance from my dad’s estate shortly after buying my Sarco kit, or I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford Tom’s receiver, plus he was extremely patient with me. My financial situation has improved considerably since then and I’m now thinking about buying another 3 or 4 cut German kit. I’d prefer to have an all German gun in my collection and the one I have now is a combination M53/MG42. If I do purchase another one I’ll keep the 1st one for spare parts, or maybe display the two of them on a double gun mount like the ones RTG is selling.
Gorbachov
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 9:59 am
by MauserMatt
I just have this to say
DO NOT BUY ANYTHING FROM FLORIDA GUN WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
There has been LOTS of bad stories come from that company. Do some research on Google and you'll see alot of people have lost alot of money, and TIME with these people. From what I've heard myself they don't have anything in stock. They wait for an order to come in to try to locate what it is you're buying. And most of the time they don't come up with anything...
Just an FYI.........
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:07 am
by sdk1968
On FGW: im with Matt on this.... ive had 2 deals with them and both were crap.. no merchandise either time and had to fight to get my money back.
on the kits: ive not found any "real 42 kits" for less than $1100... too late getting into the game!
ive went the 53 kit way and will just have to tough it out now that im committed.
cant get into all the details right now, but im going to have less in the 53 kit and a replacement SA receiver than i would have had in JUST the 42 parts kit.
will still be getting the bolt work and FCG w/grip from Pirate but the cost is gonna be way under buying a semi, plus the fun of building it is half the reason for doing it.
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:35 am
by MauserMatt
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 4:11 pm
by TbcSEOD
Good info - looks like I am gonna pick up a kit from APEX on Friday - I've had really good results buying from them and now that I live in Denver they are local(ish) to me so I can see the kit before its paid for (another bonus).
~T
Re: Where are the kits?
Posted: Wed Nov 07, 2007 6:48 pm
by Bil
Thanks for the heads-up,guys.It is nice that we watch out for each other here.I couldn't get the link to work,but the warning is enough.I guess it is easy to have the lowest prices if you are always out of stock! $1100/$1200 is about where the German kits with cut receiversseems to be staying,I haven't seen lower in a while,some much higher.If you shop around and aren't in a hurry,you can do this project fairly inexpensively.If you don't have the skills and are in a hurry,the Century is the alternate.Personally I enjoy doing the work. ---bil