[Kojak]

I got the bug. It started with the seemingly innocuous purchase of a 1917A1 Spanner Wrench from Sir Plus. (I love the original box marked "Atlas Mfg. Co") Real early WW2 Stuff.

Then I called OOW about their 1917A1 Tripod, since I now had a wrench that needed a tripod. Then wanted a 1917 Semi auto - funds limited supply tight, opted for the 1928 Colt Argentine Contract. Now OOW is not making anytime soon, but the complete gun kits, as oppossed to the parts kits, are available. This includes milled internals, semi side plate and in .30-06. Everything including the rivits. Gun only.

Plan on making this as close to a WW2 era 1917A1.

Planning ahead on accessories, in the market for the hose, steam chest, etc.

I would not have considered building one without this sight and having a ORF 1919A4. Seems logical enough. Looking forward to my first build.

Thanks all for your insights and continued inspiration.

Chester.

 

[DRH]

Chester, How much was it for the complete 1928 gun kit?

 

[Kojak]

OOW Semi 1928 Kit

$1855 all parts including semi side plate, no tripod or accessories.

 

[ohioblacksheep]

Chester,

Could you get us some pic's when you get it???...Lou

 

[Kojak]

1928 Pics

Hi Lou, not at all an unreasonable request - it is just a learning curve for me. Sure, I will try. There is a digital camera in the house somewhere....All a question as to how to go about posting them. Confucious said a picture is worth a 1000 words, but then, were there cameras in the age of Confucious?

 

[RICKI]

Chester Nimitz...Please explain $1855.00...Thankyou

 

[Waorani]

I've been wanting one of the OOW 1928 kits for years but just haven't been able to bring myself to call and order. Will probably regret it one day when they are gone!

However, if they'd come up with an online ordering system -- I'm sure I'd be drinking too much beer one night and a few days later the BBT would be showing up with "what the [email protected]&% did I order now" boxes!!

 

[Kojak]

Explain What?

Chester Nimitz...Please explain $1855.00...Thankyou

Explain What?

 

[msg1956]

Guys

I bought, by mail, a complete 1928 kit and a spare water jacket that I made a 1917A1 copy out of. While the parts were in good condition, I noticed that the kits the OOW brings to the shows are much nicer. Go to the OOW website to see what shows they are going to, and pick the kit up in person if you can!

Jim

 

[Waorani]

Chester Nimitz...Please explain $1855.00...Thankyou

Logical guess would be w/o tripod given previous discussions of 1928 on 1917 pod.

 

[Kojak]

Correct

The question was price for the gun kit only. Read the fine print on the OOW site, one sees a higher price for the kit, but comes with a (low grade) M1935 tripod. I did spend another $1200 on a 'select grade' M1917A1 tripod. All in all spent over 3 g's with OOW today. Bob should take me out too lunch, or have me on his cable show, back to back with Orange County Choppers!!!

 

[balming]

All from a wrench?

Wow, I thought I was bad buying guns to go with odd calibers of ammo I already had on hand!!!

 

[Kojak]

You don't know the half of it!

All from a wrench?

Wow, I thought I was bad buying guns to go with odd calibers of ammo I already had on hand!!!

A buddy of mine and I were collecting for years, lamenting on a new dilemma: "Now I need this, now I need that". Get a Springfield, need the right bayonet. Get a bayonet, need the right rifle...God, It just never ends....LOL

 

[B.A.R. gunner]

expect plenty of dents, and lots of rust

i bought 2 kits from them a couple years ago

great stuff though, and overall you should be happy
be prepared to remove the waterjacket from the end caps to pound out dents

 

[dghattierdc]

It was nice to see someone else who drinks to much beer and then places orders. Sometimes I think there should be a legal alcohol limit when using a computer and a credit card at the same time.

 

[Kojak]

Water Jacket

expect plenty of dents, and lots of rust
great stuff though, and overall you should be happy
be prepared to remove the waterjacket from the end caps to pound out dents

Is it difficult to remove the water jacket from the end caps?

 

[B.A.R. gunner]

Is it difficult to remove the water jacket from the end caps?

end caps/trunnion are threaded and soldered

lots of heat to melt the solder and they unscrew

 

[Kojak]

Thread direction?

Are these threaded like everything else in the United States? In other words, to unscrew, turn counter clockwise?

 

[Nosegunner]

Alright, everyone has something that makes them crazy, and this is mine.

The 1928 contract Colt Commercial 1917 is basically the gun John Browning designed and first submitted to the military for adoption. It's a beautiful old slab sided receiver MG that predates 1917A1.

I recently put up this site: http://www.liberatorcrew.com/Colt1928/1917.htm to provide some information I hoped might inspire some appreciation for this beautiful old MG. There have always been those in the gun community vandalizing classics. Who has not cringed at a beautiful old Kentucky rifle that has had the fore stock cut off by some thoughtless owner? I was at a friend's house recently inspecting an old 18th century trade gun his father had picked up at an auction 50 years earlier. It had the beautiful signature brass dragon screw plate. It would have been a real beauty but for the fact that someone had cut off the stock to "sporterize" it.

It's not important with the 1919 because they are everywhere. Build them with screws, paint them green, chop them up to make other guns. The market is flooded with them and there are enough so plenty will survive in their original form. I understand the thinking behind converting a gun. I did it myself when I converted a 1919 to a tank gun. But the 1928 is a rare gun. They were not made in the hundreds of thousands like the 1917A1 was. There were less than 1000 made, along with the equally rare M35 tripod. This is the only known production run, of any number, that was undertaken for the earliest design of the Browning .30 caliber water-cooled machine gun and mount. The 1928 is a beautifully made, pre war production weapon. The 1917A1 was made by a company that manufactured refrigerators. Trashing a 1928 to make a 1917A1 is akin to cutting up a vintage 1920s Bentley to make a 1940s Ford.

I know these comments will enrage a few, but for those of you with a genuine love of these old weapons I would ask that you at least weigh the value of restoring a vintage old 1920s water-cooled against the permanent damage that will be done if it is destroyed.

Thanks,
Jon

 

[jmann]

Agree with Jon

Could not agree more Jon. It is ashame people have to be told that a super high quality blue gun that reveals wonderful old world craftsmanship (similar to a prewar maxim) is a nicer gun than a bead blasted parked refrigerator. People assume because they have seen and priced a C&R westinghouse at the 40k mark that this is the holy grail of american water cooled guns. Bull crap, they have never seen what a mg38b C&R gun sells for. You could put a "refrigerator" in every room of your house for what these colt guns bring. And as far as craftsmanship, there is no comparison. I have seen some untouched original colt guns and they were assembled by people that were very skilled and proud of it. I have quite a few friends that slapped a side plate on a 1928 kit and made a 1917 out of it. Ran it through the bead blaster and parked it. I cant stand it. Mine is being assembled with all the care that it originally was in the first part of last century. I feel the grand old gun deserves that. Of course another way to look at it is the more that are bastardized today, the more yours will be worth tomorrow. By the way, great job on your site. It is a great resource.