www.MG42.us

Hey Folks!

Checking in here from Pennsylvania, with my large paperweight otherwise known as a Yugo M53 converted by Wise Lite Arms. Unfortunately, it's been nothing but headaches so far. So here I am, and hopefully somebody on this forum has a few ideas how to get this gun running correctly. Any help is greatly appreciated!

So the story starts with a failed trip to the first range, mostly because I forgot to install the booster on the end of the barrel. After figuring out that it needed to booster to cycle, the feeding problems started. Following the manual for a semi-auto, I loaded a belt with the first round left of the feed ramp so when the bolt is pulled back, it would pick up the first round and chamber it. But to no avail. It wouldn't grab the first round, rather just slide over it and pulling the trigger would result in just a "click"

The feed pawls on the top cover have always had a problem in grabbing the next round and sliding it over underneath the feed ramp. It's almost as if the springs in the feed pawl mechanism just don't have enough tension to grab, and just slide over the incoming rounds. A quick fix at the last range outing was to have an "assistant-to-the-assistant gunner" gently pulling on the empty links on the right side of the gun to help feed. It worked for a little while, but the problem is still very apparent.

So my question is:

Would replacing the top cover assembly with all the internals from an MG42 solve the problem? Or finding another M53 cover if they have differences?

The tolerances inside the current top cover feel loose and worn, almost wobbly. I've spent 6 years behind a M240H, and I know that is a completely different weapon system, the design is still very similar and the tolerances on that were much better. Any help is greatly appreciated, and don't let me forget to tell you all the story when both roll pins in the trigger assembly broke and jammed the sear sideways underneath the bolt. Thanks much!

1st Welcome to the website.
2nd Sorry to hear about your problems.
3rd With the help from the folks on this site several wiselites have been helped out.

Well sounds like with help you got it to fire. I'm guessing that you are shooting 8mm?

If so next question is do you have a .308 belt? This causes the rounds to be held in to tight. Also the bolt pushs the round out and into the chamber.

Also can you hand cycle rounds in and out? Is it well lubed?

Lets work on in.. Tell us some more...

Later 42rocker

Well from a fellow Wiselite owner who experienced umpteen problems with mine. To start the first time i pulled the charging handle back the bolt slammed past and locked in the barrel and was a major pain especially being new to the m53 i didnt have any idea and i never experienced any problems like this when i have dealt with modern amchine guns like the 249 and 240. It also lead me to believe wiselite probably didnt even test fire it at their place. After semi i fixing it i could at least fire it but this would continue to happen finally got it fixed though. Somewhere in between my front pin also broke, i recommend buying both heavy pins for the trigger and a wolf spring for it, ditch whatever cheap crap wiselite uses and enjoy your gun working properly for you. Id also check on the front site and the lever that latches onto the flash hider, since they also chose to have drill the hole out to big and my pin fellout, high quality workmanship i must say! i say this to both omplain and also to help you out and so yo ucan look over where i have had problems so hopefully you can avoid them. A point to make is my gun was a early 08 late 07 gun they made, and so maybe they had different standards or ways of making them im not sure It also has alot of ww2 parts not sure how many they have cranked out had them either.
i would say that mine seemed to have a slight problem with feeding the belt in initially until did it in this process to a T. A-gunner makes it alot easier! To many letters so i will continue in next post!

One rack the bolt back and hold it there, a piece of wood dowl or something that came with it you can use but it will probably break or man up and hold it back. Then you open the top cover. Try not to move the drive lever( not sure what its called on the MG, the thing the lug ontop the bolt rides in) or the top cover will not close and slamming or forcing can bend the dust cover and stuff inside. Nest start the belt on teh feed tray making sure the ammo is to the left as you say you are doing. Now close the the top cover while holding the ammo belt, gently resting it on the receiver you should be able to easily press down and it locks in place. Next Pull the belt to the right it should bring the rounds with it. After it wont move anymore right i like to give it a little tug one seems to ensure they are in place more often then not for me. Then while maintaining pressure on the belt( a start tab make sthis easeir) to the right let the bolt slam forward, dont ride it. It hould now have a round in the chamber. This is why an A-gunner is pretty much mandatory for the SA M53. Holding the bolt back and maintaining rightward pressure on the belt is going to be impossible.

Hey 42rocker and others, thanks for the quick responses!

Yes, I am firing 8mm yugo surplus out of it. I do not hand-cycle ammo in it to test it, because there have been a few occassions where it picked up a new round and fired it automatically, without even looking at the trigger.

And I completely agree. An A.G. Is absolutely needed with this gun.

Now something I thought about was when I first got the gun, I didn't realize that the feed lever that rides on top of the bolt lug wasn't properly centered and I tried to run the gun. If that top cover feed lever is bent upwards slighty, do you think that would cause my feeding problems? How tight and snug are the feed tray components from the factory?

Thanks much!

Sounds like someone could benefit from a real operator manual...... ooooh! was that out loud?

Mr Manuals, aka John that just posted above has a point and he also has a gauge that can be used to test out that ramp. Or buy the book and copy the diagram and make your own ramp gauge.
Your mg SHOULD NEVER fire just by releasing the bolt handle.... This could lead to some full auto work. Take your bolt apart, clean it and make sure that everything is sliding well. Your firing pin could be sticking or bent and that whats causing the firing on release of bolt handle.
If you can get some fired hulls / cases and then put a bullet on the end. Some glue the bullet into the case so it will get stuck in the barrel. Load about 5 into a belt and work the handle and check out how things feed. Your weapon should be able to lift and cycle just fine without an a.g.. Check all of the springs and such clean and oil and make sure that the long arm on the bottom of the top cover is in the right place when you go to close it. You normally do not need an a.g. pulling on the belt to get it to feed.

Later 42rocker

Just also wanted to add. Unless you are firing full belts through your semi auto mg42 / m53 you should not need an A.G.. If your belt has 10 or less rounds in it then after the first round is cycled in it should be able to pull the belt in and work by itself. For more rounds in the belt then you should use someone to lift and feed the ammo it.

Later 42rocker

Sorry to hear about your problems. If you would like some help, I live in PA just north of Willow Grove. PM me. I can get any MG42 to run correct. Even the Wise Lite crap.

Don't get discouraged, there is allot of info here and knowledgeable members. There are a few of us with 12+ MG42 builds here.

The feed pawl and everything are not really tight however they will not shift just from gravity or turning the gun on its side. Make sure there is no cosmoline or anything on them and they are oiled. But mine wont move unless i actually push a little bit on em.
Also as for the top cover and guide if you always have the bolt to the rear when you close the top cover it will line up correctly as the guides rear is center and the bolt lug will be aligned.

redblur
If oakrodent is around and offering to help, don't walk,,, run to see him... He is great with mg42's. He might not like wiselites to much but he knows how to fix them. I'm also happy to see him posting again.
As far as closing my top cover I believe that I always do it with the bolt forward.
man_am_boden
What area of Wisconsin are you in? If on the West side try to get an invite to DA's Red Wing, Minn shoot that's coming up. He and several other folks there might have some ideas and be able to help out face to weapon. That sounds weird,,, but it might be worth a trip to see the shoot and get some help.

Both of you Good Luck.

Happy to say mine is running just fine. Without a helper it can feed a small belt of 10 rounds by itself. Have not tried more than that before. With it in the lafette tripod I just sit back and pull the lever and let the belt feed itself.

Later 42rocker

Hey, this is turning out to be quite the informative thread! Oakrodent, would you be willing to take a look at the MG for a few minutes one day? Willow grove is not far from me at all. I live right outside philadelphia. I just want to get this weapon to go through a full 50 rnd belt without jamming.

And where can I get this feed ramp gauge (or at least a template) again?

Shameless ad:

MG42 Gauges

These gauges have been laser cut from stainless steel according to the dimension drawings on page 20 of the 1944 MG42 armorer's manual HDv 181/7.
The pressure plate gauge checks the curve of the finger which guides the cartridge from the belt into the chamber. Hold it up against the pressure plate (the knob goes forward). If it doesn't match, correct the pressure plate till it does.
The firing pin gauge has a Min. and Max. recess for checking the firing pin protrusion. Remove the bolt housing from the bolt head. Slide the bolt rollers to the outside, push the firing pin holder fully forward. Use the gauge to check how far the firing pin point sticks out.
The little hook should slide under the extractor. If it doesn't, then a cartridge probably won't either and there's a problem. The slot with the rounded bottom is for checking the contour of the firing pin point. I guess it's for when you need glasses and don't have them, so you can see if the point is deformed. See what others have to say about these gauges 1/16" thick stainless steel, laser engraved as shown.
$30 for the set - includes U.S. first class postage.
Foreign sales are OK, postage is at actual cost. Email for the cost of postage.
http://www.germanmanuals.com/images/MG42Tools.jpg

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What else can be said for a great guy that has spent a lot of time and money in helping out folks with what he sells. John your """Shameless ad:""" is great in the fact that ramp gauge really helps to find problems. Something for sale that really helps, Wow. I have one and use it on all of my mg42 top covers.

Good Luck with getting everything running well.

Later 42rocker

So shameless, that I actually learned things about the MG-42 from John Baum's translated German Manuals..!!!
(Thought I knew all about MGs, with 22 years in tanks in the Army using the lousey M-73/M-219 coax MGs, the replacement for those, the M-240 (we got in Germany in 1978), the M-60 & M-2) ...also John Baum's translated manuals on the MG-34!....

I have the gauge also. it doesn't matter if the bolt is open or closed when you close your top cover as long as everything is lined up. It could be there is not enough of a radius in front of the feed tray. This will cause all kinds of issues. Also there should be a cut out under the trunnion for the top over. If this isn't big enough it will cause feed issues. I will be at a reenacting event in Horsham, PA on the 5th

Always glad to see more PA people around here!

Oak helped me out with my WLA 53...let me know if you guys are heading to a range...I need to feed my 53 as well:)

Ah this is awesome.

Oakrodent, what's the event at Horsham, PA on the 5th for? A WWII re-enactment? I don't know if it would be possible for you to look at the weapon there or not? But it would still be cool to check out a re-enactment.

Somebody mentioned that if the gun is turned on the side and the feed tray components moving. Well mine does. If I open the top cover everything will shift a bit and the feed lever will rotate if it's not down already (or to the right?). Maybe I'll pick up a set of these top cover gauges and see how they fit on the weapon.

Thanks again!

If yours move by turning the gun to the side than they move easier to mine. Mine require a little force before they will move

It is a WW2 Event at Graeme Park from 10 -4 on May 5th, Sunday is the rain date in Horsham, PA. There are going to be some battle reenactments, venders, live music, restored vehicles , and camp. There shouldn't be a problem bring it into the event. If it is I can always come out to your car. You can't miss me. I am going to have my two MG-13's, MG-34, SG-43, and my Schwarzlose. There will be a MG-42, it's not mine. It is a gas gun, I did the re-weld on it.