[sdk1968]

so here is the start:

a yugo version called the M53 is the parts kit im goin to use,(its the same gun made in a yugoslavian factory)mine is a 1943 model, it has very little wear on the top cover and no visible marks on the bolt. this is a serial # matching kit to boot!! pretty rare to get one of those now days!

the only part that didnt serial number was the barrel. no surprise here, as good of shape as this kits in someone grabbed that baby quick and replaced it with a barrel that looks new on the outside and is not worth a **** on the inside.. so i'll be getting another barrel. minor set back, since everything else is serialed and in excellent shape.

only other part with any trouble is the rear stock... has a chip out of it, but since its a number match im gonna use it and just strip it down and refinish it. if it hadnt been a serial match would have bought a replacement one.

this is what you start out with:

next is to decide how much work your going to do yourself. this sounds easy to say: hell im gonna do it all myself.

not the case!! many of these builds require a machine shop or a machinist to do the conversions to keep the goberment happy. the average guy just cant whip this **** out.

on some builds i do my own machine work in the garage, on others i get help from some of the best guys in the biz!! trust me on this one folks these guys are some of the most skilled machinists out there who like to stay in the shadows and share their knowledge. most people who can do this work are out to skin you alive.

im very very lucky to have guys like Pirate,John Mcguire,Sherman,Musibike, Jestism,Tommerr and Dan diesel to give me real technical advice and machine work.

each man has his own special weapons skill. ive worked from all of these guys on various builds.

without them and a host of other people id still be trying to get my first ak47 together. im forever thankful for their help and proud to say they are people ive associated with.

this build is a Pirate machined fire control group and bolt conversion as he is one of the most trusted and precise guys in the country on this type of gun.

here is a picture of his grip and bolt conversions:

Pirate converts the bolt over to meet the regulations for a fee that is very reasonable. he can do several stages for the various skills you may have. since this is a very very expensive gun i had him go all out on the bolt and FCG for me.

the fire control group is made up of FAL parts (the Israeli combat gun) and he reworks the bolt with his own special set up.

(im not gonna go into anymore details and give away Pirates hard work.. he has a lot of time and money tied up in this and needs to get his parts sold.)

then you need this part from WLA:

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h18/dutigaf/wiselite42.jpg

after that its pretty much paint by numbers if you follow Pirates tutorials at:

http://www.projectguns.com/mg42.html

after some basic welding, grinding, cutting & a hole lot of cursing.... you wind up with this:

a rather nice table topper!! (and a pissed off wife)

i chose to use the classic blued look instead of one of the fancy blue jobs and i dont have the park set up or place to do it....

its the same instant bluing that ive had great luck with on all of my "military looking" guns.. looks old and a bit worn as soon as its done, and thats the way it should look!! it IS old.

is it as good as brand new factory blue? probably not. but its good enough for me.

lots of comments on instant bluing out there.... its just like anything else, you learn what works for you and stick with it. ive not found anything we build that doesnt "take" to this type of application. ive got a mini tutorial on this already posted.

 

[FTB1-SS]

Looks great, can not wait to here the range report, is it 8mm or .308?

 

[mspurg]

Very nice. I know it is a LOT of work!!!

 

[IMBLITZVT]

Very nice! I like the blued look! Looks very well done!

a yugo version called the M53 is the parts kit im goin to use,(its the same gun made in a yugoslavian factory)mine is a 1943 model, im guessing that it was a "interior defense" position gun cause it has very little wear on the top cover and no visible marks on the bolt. .

Without the back of the receiver how do you know when it was made? It was my understanding that all M53 were post war... but you say 1943 model?

 

[par0thead151]

just picked up 2 m53 kits... very excited to build them
just how dificult is the 80% reciever to get functional?
is that where the majority of machine work is or the bolt and trigger/fcg mods?

 

[sdk1968]

Very nice! I like the blued look! Looks very well done!



Without the back of the receiver how do you know when it was made? It was my understanding that all M53 were post war... but you say 1943 model?

ya know i thought i deleted that out of that post... LOL

when i first made this post (3 months ago, when the build started) i didnt have all the information on these and like a dumbass thought that the date in the top meant the year it was constructed.

since then ive had some "history people" tell me that it was just the date the country was established?? is this so?

the date is Dec 12th, 1943 and the letters HRJ are stamped into it right under that. was guessing that might have been the factory??

so im all up for any help in that area from you old pro's at this stuff.

as to the build:

there is very little to do to the WLA section after you get it.

all about getting it square,true and following Pirates directions.

the parts are the real deal! since im not a "TIG" person got Pirates complete grip and bolt conversions and just moved on from there.

field report for now: only got to put 12 rounds thru it before bluing.

it hits the primer with some FORCE!! and the ejection was great, fed smooth so far, used Romainian and Turkish mixed on that first run. no troubles!!!

hope for a longer test and some video if the weather is good this weekend.

again: without Pirate holding my hand and prompting me in the right direction this build would not have happened.... thanks bro.

sdk

 

[IMBLITZVT]

thought that the date in the top meant the year it was constructed.

the date is Dec 12th, 1943 and the letters HRJ are stamped into it right under that. was guessing that might have been the factory??

Well that would make sense to me too. That would be a easy mistake to make. I can not remember seeing this date on any of the M53 kits I have seen in pictures. I have a 1943 German receiver myself. I would assume that your gun could not have been built prior to 1953 since the model date is 53 but who knows?

 

[sdk1968]

heh heh i did think of that bub... but the crazy number systems they use over there beat me.

i can take a pic of the crest, date & letters if you think you could cypher it out ??

and yes im wanting a 42 that was built in wartime "inside" the borders just for the heck of it.

went back and checked my other 53 kit and it has a different date from 1943 in the top.... cant make it all out, but it looks to be Nov of 43???

any ideas on these markings??

now im curious and will post the pix of it tonite.

 

[IMBLITZVT]

I would be interested in the pictures but do not know who much help I will be.

 

[MuzzleMonk]

WLA Semi Autos

I am glad to hear the WLA receivers are easy to work with.

Has anyone gotten any updates on the semi M53's from WLA to be sold through Century? I am on the Century waiting list but haven't heard any recent chatter beyond the first 10 pre-production guns.

The positive report is encouraging. If the Century deal drags out much longer I may be compelled to do my own build.

 

[franks71vw]

well I placed my own order to build one of my kits since WLA will only sell you 1 receiver per customer so I am still on the century list and hopefully it stays at the introductory price so I can have a good deal both ways and have 2 guns Now waiting for WLA.

 

[dellque]

MG42 bluing:

Looks REALLY nice!! What did you use to blue it?? THANKS!! Rod (dellque)

 

[sdk1968]

C&P of my post on blueing at another site...

the insta blue is no real secret. it takes good PREP WORK.

been using the Casey Birchwood insta blue for the last 8 or 9 builds... some people love it, some hate it.

key to it is really the sandblasting so that the welds and stuff take.

heres how i do it:

degrease with your favorite degreaser (purple stuff or simple green for me)

sandblast

airhose any remaining sand off/out

dont touch with your bare hands!! (oils)

then apply the insta blue. THIS TAKES SOME PRACTICE to avoid any runs, streaks or dark spots.

the directions on the bottle are 1 thing that i dont follow... (go figure, who would have guessed that one???)

put the first coat on, wait about 2mins and wipe it off with a clean terri cloth rag, working my way around the parts in order as they were done,

then go back for another coat or until its as dark as wanted. this is where playing around came in.

the bottle says use cold water rinse to neutralize, buff and blah blah blah

since im after darker: i dont rinse it, just dry wipe with the terri rags then go back to the next coating.

usually about 3 or 4 coats gets you what you see in the pictures..

then there is the "super secret squirrel" part of the deal!!

to stop and "neutralize" as they call it. i use a dark oil! just totally drownd it in it and then wipe it off. this really makes a big difference in the color. then re oil it and let it set overnight.

thats really what im doing. it looks old and used but not wore out.

some day i would love to parkerize or "real blue"... but being a poor ******* this is what it gets.

thanks for the great comments guys and hope this helps somebody else.

sdk

 

[MuzzleMonk]

Dark Oil?

What do you mean by "dark oil"? Is that a high-viscosity gear oil (happens to look dark) or do you mean an oil/water-based wood stain that is dark?

 

[sdk1968]

nah i mean oil... im using a cutting oil, or some PB blaster in a squirtcan. no special tricks here, just using what i have laying around at a low cost. gear oil is dark(& smelly) give it a try on a test part and let us know...

Nitegunner tells me that he's using wd40 and getting the same results after letting it sit all nite.

 

[MuzzleMonk]

OK, thx, gear oil is smelly. I'll pass on that one and go with the WD-40.

 

[franks71vw]

Poor ******* my butt lol send it to Alamo and we can park it down here Alamo is a gunsmith so it can be done at the shop. I have to make a long park tank out of SS. I will post pic of my 1919 and 50 I parked with the great help of the captian himself arrr

 

[sdk1968]

thanks Frank but i like that classic "used" look it has now.

 

[Pirate]

thanks Frank but i like that classic "used" look it has now.

Let me have it for a few weeks and it will really have that used look!!



Frank, I have a mg42 tank!!

 

[sdk1968]

smartass!! you got 3 already!!!! LOL

dont worry bub im gonna shoot it alot.