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Any Source for Argentine Colt/Browning/Commercial MGs?

7K views 50 replies 10 participants last post by  BRMCII 
#1 · (Edited)
I'm coming up short in my fairly extensive personal library, and there isn't much on on-line either regarding production variations, etc.

My first and most obvious question is why, when finding pics do some have 1928 bottom plates, and others have M1917A1 bottom plates? I understand all the photo references I can find are put togethers, but are both versions correct?
 
#35 ·
Mg38 uses same notches and barrel lock as 28. 24 I examined had 1917 style headspace notches and spring. Mg40 uses a spring similar to a .50 to set headspace, not a plunger like the 38-28 guns.

recoil spring assembly is different on the mg40 compared to mg38.
 
#38 ·
Thanks for the transcription JMann mostly what I was looking for. May help to ID a barrel as I saw a weird one in my mix. Is there any pictures of variations or discussion of bolts on the MG38 MG40 or M1928 to help date a Colt gun?
Tom Stewert - Tex had one Transerable MG38B come through is shop last year. A quick mention on Sturm and picture on other listing for belt feds got the word out and it never made it to a formal listing. It was faught over quick and commanded an astounding price tag almost 80 clams, and that was just the gun. I doubt that was a side plate gun listed as a Colt and marked MG38B as Tom is highly reputable. The factory Colt gun I’ve handled not a side plate gun. I suppose those could have been amnesty registered and not C&R. But then that brings up another interesting questions and maybe validation, as to where were several of these guns sitting for years unregistered for that long. And the origin was told that this gun I know was sitting in a factory for years, built 7.65 Arg for export and never exported. I doubt I could talk the owner into doing a FOIA request. So that statement did interest me about C&R status.
 
#42 ·
The factory Colt gun I’ve handled not a side plate gun. I suppose those could have been amnesty registered and not C&R. But then that brings up another interesting questions and maybe validation, as to where were several of these guns sitting for years unregistered for that long. And the origin was told that this gun I know was sitting in a factory for years, built 7.65 Arg for export and never exported. I doubt I could talk the owner into doing a FOIA request. So that statement did interest me about C&R status.
Any MG registered in the '68 Amnesty is a C&R gun now. Sounds like a buy the gun not the story situation. A FOIA would tell the true story.
 
#39 ·
The gun can be dated by serial number with pretty good accuracy. 28 and 38 guts are the same except for the argentine stamps on 28 parts.
 
#40 ·
Another thing vague is that the MG38 diagram only mentions steam condensing device and not the steam tube exclusively. At some point we know there are circulating pumps used on several of the special guns and I’m waiting to see a picture of one of those showing if it had a steam tube port milled into the the front end plate or not, it could be that a plug is also used when configured for the pump. It took a second visit the the gun I mention to realized I didn’t have a picture or know if it had at least an area where the steam tube hole or steam tube should be. In fact it did have a brass plug which looked like a steam tube but now realized that I wish I picked the gun up and rattled it around to hear for the bead or not. I was trying to astablish if it was one of those special purpose Colts.
 
#46 ·
 
#48 ·
Thanks again Jmann ! I need to find a copy of that printing. Is that the handbook or a sales booklet its in incredible shape for being that old.
The muzzle gland is the same size as a M1928 and so if you wanted to screw the 1928 flash hider on you could. He had a flash hider but it was cross threaded bugggered up so I didn't even try it. I'm pretty sure the M1928 open wrench fits both or its the same muzzle nut wrench as the M1928. I made a fun video on the gun and put it on CD, Its about 20 minutes long. I dont do youtube though and have held back making it public mainly because I'm an enthusiast not a good voice public narrator, and I used some great music in the video which will probably violate music rights and then be stripped of the audio anyway and then the Video is useless. If there is a way to upload it and make it private and not strip the audio let me know I might try it.
 
#50 ·
Is this an MG38 waterjacket/trunnion?

Lot Detail - (N) OUTSTANDING CONDITION DLO SIDEPLATE BROWNING 1917A1 MACHINE GUN IN WWII CONFIGURATION (FULLY TRANSFERABLE).

Too bad that gun was assembled with an Israeli left side plate. Will be interesting to see what that hodgepodge sells for.
Yes its a 38 jacket. I looked at this gun many years ago when it lived in either nevada or utah. Its been a while now, but we couldn’t get together on price. Sadly its a bit of a mess but still a neat jacket.
 
#51 ·
Came across this thread and noticed that I had been referenced as stating that there was only one factory MG38B in the NFRTR. As a great fan of the MG38 and MG38B I'll post some of my experience with these MGs.
The gun to which I was referring was owned by Dolf and in the inventory of his MG parts business, ARPAC, Inc which he ran out of both San Antonio, TX and and also I conjunction with a friend in CA in 1970-1990s. I received his periodic mimeographed guns and parts lists, which showed up about once year. In the listing for Jan. 1982, there was the ad for an MG38 in 7.65 Arg. with an array of accessories including a complete spade grip setup to convert to the "B" configuration. I called Dolf and talked with him about the MG38 about which I knew very little and was interested in knowing more, which turned out to be a very unusual model but the price was way beyond my means. Anyway, Dolf said this gun was the only one he had ever come across that was original. No reason to doubt that since no other original, factory MG38s have ever been acknowledged or confirmed. I stilll have the ARPAC list from 1982 with the ad for the MG38.
DLO imported a quantity of Colt MG38s and 38Bs from England but I don't have the number of guns or dates of import in front of me. I visited DLO in Stamford, CT quite a few times from 1971 until the 1980s, having grown up in the next small town over, I did not visit him again after he moved to Torrington in central CT. I don't remember when he started building the 38s. I bought a total of four of the MG38s from him over a period of time in the late eighties and early nineties. I still have three.
Here's the interesting part. He marked the MG38 right sideplates he made and registered with the same format, style and ID info as the original Colt's were marked using Colt's Hartford address, etc. He did not do that with his other sideplate WC MGs, 1917s and 1917a1s but put his Stamford, CT license address on those guns. The markings are engraved and not roll stamped.
I had heard about the MG38 that Stewart handled and have no reason to doubt that it is the one that Dolf had all those years ago. FWIW
 
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