have an opportunity to pickup a 34 parts kit at a reasonable price from a local friend. Been wanting one for a while since I got the M53, so wondering if anyone has had any luck with converting the Phil Ordance 80% reciever to semi-auto? Project guns shows rewelding a torched one, but this won't be possible with this kit and rather than keep trying to find enough torched sections that can be cobbled together, wondering if I could simply take the steel non-recvr, and get the machining done to it instead.
Any suggestions on best way to obtain/build a semi-auto recvr with whats out there today. Sturm and Gbroke didn't have anything that I could see. If I'm looking down a rathole of time and tears, would appreciate to know beforehand.
Glen
On something like this I would go by the price of the parts kit. The 80% receiver is something that I know little about. There are cut receivers out there that can be redone.
I would not want to pay to much more than the price of a parts kit. Which have been going up in price.
K. Anyone got a fair market value for a 34 kit in decent shape (all parts but recvr, barrel doesn't appear to be shot out) since I'm not seeing anything but "non-guns" in the usual spots.
You can have a Philli 80% made work, its spendy. it can be machined with a Milling machine but you have to make lots of passes with specially made cutters growing in size almost every pass, its painfull but can be done, or, you can wire cut it if you can find someone with a large enough cutter or EDM it, again $$$$$. Im doing one at present by the wire cut method, it will be some time off yet.
The biggest issue is the broach channels down the length of the 34 receiver. The Phil Ord 80% does not have those. If you can get creative enough to cut them (broach, EDM, shaper, etc), then the rest should be relatively easy.
I have had builders tell me they will not touch one of the those recivers because of the tools and machining required to finish them. Too much time and money for what you get. You would be better off buying a cut origional receiver and having it rewelded.
You may want to go back and reconsider the "wire-cutting"/EDM of the entire length of the 80% receiver.......cut from the top through the bottom........then do your internal machining.
When you go to weld together the halves........insure that your semi-only cuts are made prior to welding......then make up a "welding-jig" to use and copper-covered internal-supports to hold the inner measurements to needed size requiremenmts.
Post pictures as you do the process......and you may want to this as a "group" to get some pricing incentives (?).....there may be others on our Board that want to do this also (after you post pricing for your EDM/"wire-cutting" costs.
TNW developed the semi-auto firing system and obtained the approval. They make the semi-auto receiver that uses these parts. You can order a receiver from them new. TNW MG34 receivers come up on Gunbroker once in awhile starting at around $1500....Phil
Have also seen the BRP XMG recvr for around the same price point - but uses the AR15 lower instead of the MG34 gripstick. However, I did see that someone did a fairly nifty reconfig of the AR15 lower to more resemble the MG34 gripstick. I also suspect it would a helluva lot easier to prove that a AR15 lower is *absolutely* SA, since even the most podunk inspection would show no M-16 fcg bits or capacity.
Wire cutting on a Philly 80% done, job worked out very well, had a tool and die company do it for me, while they were at it they also machined the pocket in front for the cams. I handed it over with a section of an origianal for mesurements etc, got it back in a couple of days, VERY good finish, no more work to do, just finish machining lots of little bits, sear clearance, cocking handle stub clearance, and so on. $1000.00. that said, yes its expensive but, and there is a but. my work effort was all of maybe 10 Min to brief the machine shop, no welds to clean up or deal with, VERY accurate, I would have spend days on it machining, re welding (if split) and so on. So, the price is good for me, the hardest part is over by a long shot.
Crash, good to here from you and that you had success with the receiver. I was just contemplating one myself. A parts kit with the phila. Ord. Receiver. Was thinking of using the mitz and merril keyseater and grinding the bits to proper profile. Well, the late bidders went over my price limit so maybe someday. Hope your doing well down there.
Hey RR, all is well thanks, the Cuda is taking up most of my time right now, between that and way to much work travel I've had little time for gun work sadly!
just a few notes on the Philly rec, the one I have is all I can refer to, they drill a large hole in from each end, front and back, this hole is like a half a mm larger than a genuine rec, and it looks like when they machined the top down for the feed cover its not parallel to the holes, the guys that did my wire cutting set it up to check it all out, also advised the the front and rear holes were not in line with one another, slightly offset. Anyhow we came up with a compromise that I think will work ok, tightened up the spec for the wing cuts a little. I'll try and get some pics posted. All I'm saying is the one I have is not the perfect candidate for a perfect job but will be ok.
