Take my WLA M53 and fix it!!! Please

[1fozziebear]

I've posted before where last summer my M53 would fire every other round (Yugo 50's ammo). Installed a higher power hammer spring. After all this time I go to the range today to test it out. I swear this thing is a lemon. The damn bolt would cycle just find with no belt. I put a belt in it and the bolt would hang up and not even strip a round into the chamber. Did this about 15 times and just about threw it in the dumpster. Arrrrgh.

Is there anyone whose had good success with tuning these things???? Please send me the name and phone #.

Thanks
Dwayne

[42rocker]

Wiselite is started to regear and retool. Ask them first, I know, but give them a call and see what they might have to say.
That said the only person that I think that I have heard of that has fixed "several" is Flemgunner.

I also know that several other folks on this site have helped folks to get theirs running.

Another thought, is your belt for 8mm or 308 and what are you shooting. If you are using 8mm in a 308 belt that could make for a problem unless the belt is well used. If you are shooting 8mm think about getting a old used WW2 German belt. Also either buy the book from John and make a ramp angle checking guide or buy one from John ( http://www.germanmanuals.com/ ) and check your feed ramp which also could be a problem.

Good Luck

Later 42rocker

[Der Alder]

Could be a number of things.

Start with the easiest and cheapest and work your way through the process of elimination. These semi conversions run right on the edge of functionality at best. Are you following the semi auto charging procedure? (it's different than a full auto).

Like 42 mentioned try some WWII German belts as they tend to be looser. Try lubing the links, make sure the gun is well lubed. You want minimal drag.

Check to make sure the recoil spring is not binding. Maybe pick up a few spare recoil springs and make one with a coil or 2 less than your existing spring and one with a coil more. If it's not seated exactly it will cause problems. BTW when I put mine in, I always watch it carefully and sort of turn it so that its seated evenly before installing my buffer.

Next suspect is the top cover. Get a gauge to check the pressure plate.

It could need more boost, this is where having a few different size booster cones come in handy for tuning and trouble shooting.

Could be other things too, but this is where I'd start.
That and if you don't already have them get a set of manuals.

Just take it one step at a time and you'll get there.

Keep us posted.

[1fozziebear]

Thank you.

I was using a pretty worn Yugo belt. Barely any finish on it. The gun was well lubed. I've had it on the tripod and cycling the charging handle about 20 times a day in the garage because I felt it was too "tight". Been doing that for a while. The feed tray gauge might be an issue I will look into. I will buy some differnt boosters, but until it fires again...

I know things are expected when you do these conversions, but this thing is definitely not a plug and play. The range is about 30 min away so incremental steps are painful.

Flemgunner, if your available please let me know.

Thank you all for the replies.
Dwayne

[bbrown]

I gave my WLA S/A M53 to a local 07/SOT to figure out what was causing it to have persistent runaways, and he got it running like a champ in no time at all at very little cost. Flemgunner can certainly get it running for you, but you might try a local 07 first to avoid the shipping costs.

Bryan

[oakrodent]

Take some good pics of the top of the receiver under the trunnion. There needs to be a cut-out in the receiver. If this is missing or not big enough it will cause this issue. Also try a different feed tray and chain. In the beginning I used to go the the range and for no reason at all my fine running mg-42s or 34s would act like a peace of crap. It turned out it was the chain. I have long since worked threw that problem and now. I keep the good ones and give the crap ones to my kids to play with. Take some good pics. Also start to look for bright spots inside of the receiver. Someplace where the bolt could have too much play and the added pressure of a round being feed into it is causing it to bind up. I hope this helps.

[JBaum]

What's a chain?

[JBaum]

The damn bolt would cycle just find with no belt. I put a belt in it and the bolt would hang up and not even strip a round into the chamber.

You're putting the belt in with the bolt held to the rear, right? Lay the belt in, close the top cover, let the bolt go forward. Leave the safety on when you do this - there's no need to go to the range. Does it chamber the cartridge?

If the bolt is forward when the belt is laid in, the feed pawls try to advance the belt when you cycle the bolt, which jams the belt causing a misalignment before a round can be stripped from the link. If you think this requires 3 hands to do, you're not doing it right. The first 3 links of the belt are supposed to be empty (when not using a starter tab), so that the first empty link can hook onto the feedtray belt catch. It holds the belt in the correct position so that you can have a free hand to close the cover while you hold the bolt back.

For it to not feed from the belt, something pretty easily fixed is wrong.

No, it's not a plug and play gun. It requires understanding how it's supposed to function to be able to run it correctly. This isn't your cousin's AK, but it's certainly more rewarding when it runs right.

[bmwr12]

I have worked on a few that belong to members of my reenacting unit. Are you loading it correctly per the wiselite manual? Do you have the wiselite troubleshooting guide?

The proper way on a wiselite is to

1. Open top cover and make sure the lever on top cover is on the correct side(wont close if not)
2. Insert belt preferably with a starter tab or a belt with the first 5 or so links empty.Do not put a round over the top of the bolt
3. Close topcover and then pull strater tab or empty links until they stop.
4. Pull bolt back and let it go.
5. Gun should be loaded and reday to when the safety is off.

Hope this helps.

[1fozziebear]

I've tried loading the weapon using the SA method as described. All my belts have starter tabs.

I truly think the problem is more severe. Even with the buffer and recoil spring out of the gun the bolt will stick. It does not always move freely. I've spoke to Flemgunner about it and its boxed up and ready to go. The initial thought is that one of the rails is off. When looking at the bolt inside the gun from behind it, it appears to lean to the left.

I truly appreciate everyone's input.

[Der Alder]

Sometimes If you force the top cover closed on a loaded belt you can bend the pressure/feed plate on the top cover. It only takes one time. That's why it important to follow the SA loading/charging procedure. This is why I recommend you get the set of gauges Jbaum sells so that you can rule that out. The gauge set include a pressure plate profile gauge.


Please keep us posted on how you make out.

[1fozziebear]

Well,

I sent my M53 off for Flem to take a look at it. I think I get the award for the WLA BOHICA award. Please read below. I always thought it was something bigger than suggested. The gun was brand new when I got it too. How it left the factory after shooting 50 rounds and passed quality is a bunch of lies (politely stated).

"Howdy got a chance to look over your gun. The rails arent in alignment but that’s because the receiver is actually a bit off as well. Basically the bolt is riding down the rails at a pretty good angle and dragging real hard against the hammer. Im gonna try to take some off the hammer to lessen the drag to see if that works. As for the rails because the receiver is out of alignment there isnt much I can do about that.I cat raise the left rail as its already in the highest point. If I lower the right rail it will drag even more. Ill send some pictures of the receiver misalignment later today"

I'll keep everyone posted. Amazing it could be assembled out of square. It appears they offset the rails to compensate.

Dwayne

[volgrimmer]

this is my first time posting on this site, so bear with me. fozziebear, i understand your disgust with a weapon that does not operate, with that said, i am the new gunsmith at wise lite arm. i understand the hard times that some of the members here have had, or are having with their m53's. now with that said, i understand the mg42, 53 operating system, the "gunsmiths" before me didn't, they are no longer there. i have spent the last month tuning up and fixing simple problems of m53's that customers have had. i understand that it is hard to get respect back from customers that have had a bad experience with a company, but let me assure all that have had, or continue to have problems with their m53's, that i will do everything i can to fix your problems, or answer any questions you might have about your weapons. i'm just putting this out there for all past customers to know.

[anjongni]

Thanks for your nice post, Volgrimmer. You have taken on a tough task. Please have patience with us, we'll do likewise. Best of luck....Phil

[flemgunner]

Hi volgrimmer and welcome to the forum. Im glad to see you posting here and stepping up man thats a real cool thing to do. One question though for future reference if I have a customer who has a messed up WLA 42 should I tell them to send your way?

[volgrimmer]

Thanks for your nice post, Volgrimmer. You have taken on a tough task. Please have patience with us, we'll do likewise. Best of luck....Phil

thank you phil. patience is one of the best things that all of us can use in situations like this. i look forward to dealing with everyone on here.

[volgrimmer]

Hi volgrimmer and welcome to the forum. Im glad to see you posting here and stepping up man thats a real cool thing to do. One question though for future reference if I have a customer who has a messed up WLA 42 should I tell them to send your way?

thank you flem. for future reference, you should stop having customers coming to you with a messed up WLA 42 from this date on, lol. i will not allow a m42, 53 leave without a long test on firing reliability, that would make me look bad, and the customer very mad, and i would be mad too if a weapon i just bought didn't operate. so if you have any customer at this moment with WLA 42's or 53's that are under warranty, you might ask them to call me before you do any work on them, we can get it all figured out.

[42rocker]

Remember Test firing can be fun. Lots of "company" ammo. I can hear it now, but I just needed to test a few more belts out on it today before this one left. The thought Free Range time and "Free" ammo. Need any helpers??

Good Luck with everything everyone.

Later 42rocker

[volgrimmer]

Remember Test firing can be fun. Lots of "company" ammo. I can hear it now, but I just needed to test a few more belts out on it today before this one left. The thought Free Range time and "Free" ammo. Need any helpers??

Good Luck with everything everyone.

Later 42rocker

you have read my mind 42rocker! one of the perks of the job!

[bbrown]

so if you have any customer at this moment with WLA 42's or 53's that are under warranty, you might ask them to call me before you do any work on them, we can get it all figured out.

What if it's out of warranty?

Bryan