[widowmaker]

Got the SG catalog today. item # HX6A-105889
M2 tripod with brass ID plate cleaned and repainted. From the picture I don't see any holes in the feet. USGI? $539.97 club price.

Just thought i would pass it along.

Shoot safe!

 

[Armorer]

Sportsman's Guide M2 tripods

The problem is they almost look too good. Do you think the brass plates are repros? The rivets don't look exactly the same as some I have seen. Look more like pop rivets to me. Does anyone know what they are supposed to look like?

 

[Slick]

It doesn't look like they come with a pintle for the $600 asking price... I'm liking the one I picked up MORE all the time.

 

[Arisaka San]

SG got those referb'd M2 pods from IMA. Those are the same Pods and repro data plates that IMA has been selling for a while now.
Also, looks like SG has another amazing $100 MORE deal for theirs!

And yet another SG misleading description...

My favorite is -

"A piece of history...even includes front brass ID plate!"

Yeah a piece of recent newly Mfg. data plate history from IMA... I guess.


IMA's add -

http://www.ima-usa.com/product_info.php/products_id/1286


SG - http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=282638

Same pod...

 

[tommygunner06]

I might be wrong but I thought the data plate is on the wrong spot,,doesnt it go on the rear of where pintal is?? Ive never seen a plate on the front above the leg. Also NEVER seen a pop rivet on a tripod. Can some one post a pic(s) of a real one?

 

[Armorer]

Brass plate in wrong spot?

I have never seen an M2 Tripod data plate in any place other than the front leg support but I assume they were also placed where you suggest and I believe some M2's had the data stamped into the steel rather than on the plate. In the Army we would occassionally run into these M2's with their serial numbers (we normally had M122's). This always caused confusion as we were supposed to record the serial numbers of all serial numbered items in the property book (M122's did not have serial numbers). We would have maybe 40 tripods in the unit and only one or two M2's with serial numbers. I believe this is why the plates were eventually removed from the tripods that had them.

 

[Arisaka San]

Actually In fact, original USGI M122 pods did have serial numbers..
Here is one of mine -

As for the data plates, most M2 pods had the data plate on the from leg, OR it was stamped directly on the front leg.

Here are some original WWII M2 pod data plates.

1943 Plate with screws -

1943 screw plate (over stamped "4" on the date )

M2 pod with original data plate removed and stamped directly on the steel -

 

[Arisaka San]

Arrg 4 pics per post stinks!!

Here is a CIC (CIC International manufactures military equipment and systems http://www.cic-international.com ) pod with a postwar "new" plate on the head.
I also suspect that only some converted M2/M122 pods or newly military made pods will carry this type of plate in this location (but I'm not 100% sure on that).

 

[tommygunner06]

Ok,,looks like both locations used, but with screws,,,I really like the messed up stamped one(with the screw holes).

 

[Arisaka San]

Oh yeah, I meant to add that I've also seen them with the round button rivets..(i don't have a pic on hand yet) not these pop rivets like IMA uses.

 

[Armorer]

..Original M122 pods did have serial numbers.

I stand corrected Arisaka San. The M122's we had in my last reserve unit were all brand new ,some still in the wrap(over 40 of them) and as I recall none had serial numbers. As I remember the government cost was over $600.00 each but that probably included the T&E and pintle. When we turned in the M60's we got new adapters for the T&E for the M249 and installed them in the T&E and disgarded the M60 adapters. Some of the T&E's looked like they went back to the .30 cal BMG days. The pintles we originally had for the M60 had a heavy metal add on plate adapter but we traded these out for the new light weight goose neck pintle.

I have a M2 Tripod that has had the brass plate removed. It looks like someone just took a chisel and took the head off the rivet and left the rivet shaft in the hole. The shaft was steel not brass and did not have a machine thread. The sides are fluted with the groves at a steep angle. I know there is a name for this type rivet but I don't know it. I assume it was a round head rivet. It was not peaned on the opposite side so I assume it was just driven into the hole like a nail.

 

[Armorer]

CIC International Systems Post war Pod

Arisaka San as a point of interest, that tripod by CIC International was made or remade in the early 1970's or later. The NSN (National Stock Number) with the two zeros after 1005 came into existence in the early or mid 1970's and replaced the Federal Stock Number (FSN) which was the same but without the two zeros. The idea was that any item adopted after the new NSN would carry the digits "01" and items adopted before the new system "00". Why I don't know. This change caused a lot of work for supply people as all property records had to be changed.

By the way can anybody identify the maker of my M2. It only carried the initials "LMC".

 

[57Strat]

The problem is they almost look too good. Do you think the brass plates are repros? The rivets don't look exactly the same as some I have seen. Look more like pop rivets to me. Does anyone know what they are supposed to look like?

They tell you in the ad from IMA and SG that the data plates are repros

 

[Armorer]

They tell you in the ad from IMA and SG that the data plates are repros

I agree IMA does but SG does not. SG shows the data plate and says "A piece of history...even includes front brass ID plate". I couldn't find anything more in the ad about the plate

 

[Poverty Ridge]

attaching rivets

The rivets holding the data plates are refferred to "Drive screws" (there is an AN number for them, and I can look it up if anyone is interested in it) from the old timers in aviation. They were used in steel tubed fuselages to plug the holes where they would pour boiled linseed oil in the fuselages to keep the interior of the tubes from rusting.

I wonder if they did the same on the old mounts ???

 

[Arisaka San]

Thanks Armorer! Interesting info about CIC.

Also, too bad you couldn't have brought a few of those wrapped new M122's home with you!

My M122 is set up for the 1919, but i have the 60 T&E, H adapter and goose neck pintle. I don't suspect I'll ever own an M60, (not in my state)
I've shot an F/A M60 at the SOF convention in Las Vegas back in the early 90's.. WAAAAAAAAAAAY coool!! and too much fun!!) but I do have a complete USGI pod for it.

The only thing I "think" I need to finish it 100% complete is my next question...Were M122 pods issued with a canvas cover hood like the M2?
I found a tripod hood that's dated 1970 (same date as my M122) and its stamped HOOD MOUNT TRIPOD, CAL. 30 M.G. 6591428. 9/70. It's different than the M2 cover and has a zipper instead of a pull string.
Do you know if these were issued with the M122 for the 60? I wouldn't think so because I've never heard the M60 referred to as "Cal. .30 MG". I know technically it is one, but I've always associated the "Cal. 30 MG" for the 1917-1919 class of MG's.

Oh yeah, I do believe LMC was the "Lovett Mfg. CO." Circa. 1940's-50's


Poverty Ridge,
Thanks! I never got into aviation too much, but I've learned something new today!

 

[Bill Ricca]

There was a Lovell Manufacturing Company in Erie, Penna, that made tripods in 1942.

 

[Armorer]

Arisaka San. Those Tripod head covers did not come with the tripods. In fact we were unaware that they existed. None of the National Guard or Army reserve units that I served with (7 units) ever had them. The only one I ever saw was in a surplus store. I am sure they could have been ordered seperately. Had I known the stock number I would have ordered some but I don't think I ever saw them in a technical manual either. Now I am looking for one of these myself.

An interesting story about an M122. During Desert Storm I worked for the Army Reserve and one day one of my soldiers walked into my office with a complete M122 (T&E and Pintle) and laid it on my desk. He explained that he worked for an airline and they had found this in a cargo hold along with a vehicle log book and they thought I would know what to do with it. From the log book I got the unit name and address (in Kansas I believe) and I UPS'd the tripod and mailed the log book to them. A few days later they called and said they got the tripod but not the log book. They told me they could care less about the tripod and had already written it off their books but they desperately needed the log book. Gee I could have had a free tripod. But I was an honest Government employee. WHAT WAS I THINKING! Actually I wasn't even tempted as I had no use for it back then anyway.

 

[Armorer]

Arisaka San. This never fails to happen, no sooner than I post a reply I come up with more/different information. The cover Tripod Mount WAS supposidly issued as part of the basic issue equipment for the M2 (but not the M122) as far as I know. I don't have an older copy of the TM for the M60 so I can't be sure on that point either but the newer TM's don't show it. It was known as: Cover, Tripod Mount 6591428 with FSN 1005-659-1428. The stock number starts with 1005 meaning it is a weapon part or component or equipment. Most load carring canvas gear would have had a number starting with something like 8465 but weapons specific items didn't. This info is according to TM 9-1005-212-10 Operator's manual Machine Gun Cal .30, M1919A4/A6 dated April 1969.

We never had them for our M2 tripods (for our A6's) but that is not surprizing. We didn't have a lot of things we were supposed to have like for instance a TM on the .30 cal Machine gun. I had to buy my copy at a gun show and I was the unit Armorer. Note the date of the TM above. It was published about two years after the Guard and Reserve turned in their BMG's and got M60's.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Does anyone else repro those brass data plates?