[1919 newbe]

Just curious about when people purchased their first belt fed. I am 58 just purchased my first. I have a humble service rifle collection but just got my first Belt-fed 1919 last fall. I see some incredible collections here that i can never dream of but love seeing them. And i was just wondered the average age of first time belt-feeders. If I had only known what i know now when i was 20.

 

[joshs1ofakindxj]

You look like you're playing a guitar.

I bought my first 1919 kit in 2012 at Knob creek at the ripe old age of 25 (and promptly signed up for this forum). I paid $800 for the Izy 308 kit, got it from some guy named Steve who seemed to have a bunch of kits for sale at the creek. I sent it to John Maguire and he built it into a beautiful semi. Then a few years later I sold it to fund night vision. Today, I still have the night vision (and I use it about once a month), and now I have a semi 1919 that I built. I missed having a 1919 to sit on my jeep's mount for parades. It's nice to shoot and all, but it spends way more time as a parade queen than it does sending rounds down range.

Now the next question, how long until I buy my first transferable 1919 machinegun? I'm hoping in the next year or two. Just waiting for the prices to come down...

 

[brassmagnet]

There are many of us that wish we knew at 20 what we know now!! 🙃

My first came when I was about 55 - that's when they first started to become READILY available as kits and popularity was growing with belt feds. The good ol' days when surplus ammo made shooting them enjoyable and way cheaper than now days. Most I ever owned at one time was five.....all semi's tho.
Very 1st build =

 

[1919 newbe]

Yeah Me too JUST WAITING FOR THE FA PRICE CRASH!!!

 

[Invictus77]

I'm 58 and bought my first (and only) belt fed, a semi 1919, about 7 or 8 years ago. Part of my collection is US military issue cartridge rifles, everything starting from the Trapdoor Springfield to the current M4. A 1919 just seemed a "must have" as a part of that interest

 

[SilentNight1647]

I was 25, pretty fresh out of the Navy and had developed quite an eclectic interest in belt feds and other oddities. Still continues to this day and I am up to 5, I think.

 

[1919 newbe]

I am a late bloomer it seems. Better late than never. I have a real soft spot for Winchester Service Rifles. But i needed a 1919 for my collection of US rifles. Does the Izzy Stock qualify it as a Service Rifle?

 

[Craig Johnson]

I bought a C&R full auto AR-18 about 5 years ago.

I purchased a registered sideplate from a longtime friend about 4 years ago. Last year, I built a 1917A1 out of spare parts. I never got it to run right. Last August, I picked an unmolested Model of 1917 Westinghouse gun with an original cut right sideplate. That is what I'm building right now.

Technically, the 1917 might not qualify yet because it doesn't shoot, but it is very close. I was trying to beat the heat, but it's already 81, so I need to get going.

So I was 51 on my first purchase. Before that, I lived in Washington State and could only dream of a full auto. Joined this forum in 2006 because I was looking for a Water Jacket.

Ar-18

August 16, 2020

youtube.com

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk

 

[R.S.Mtn.]

It steered from a 1917 semi project I had everything needed and then a friends 1919a4 Xferable he was going to put up for sale. It all seemed like the right thing to do. Two months before my last child support payments, I never missed a payment. I deserved it. 44 I think I tried to reach out but would never get a call back from her. She has no idea how much fun she is missing.

 

[theduke]

49

I have to thank Oboingo for putting me out of work and I learned the computer in 09

 

[MG34_Dan]

My first belt fed MG acquisition was a C&R , DOT 1944, MG34 I got on my 49th birthday in 2000. I still have that baby.

(with my BREN)

 

[Kirby]

In 1983 at the age of 27 I bought my first machine gun, a C&R MG42.

 

[btwiest]

In 1983 at the age of 27 I bought my first machine gun, a C&R MG42.

I bet this has gone up in value!!

 

[Abominog]

I bet this has gone up in value!!

We graduated in 83. My buddy went to work for Pratt & Whitney and blew all his money on transferable MGs. He had 130 plus. He sold them in 2003 and retired. Lol I bet he wishes he’d waited!

got my first semi belt fed about age 32. Damn those thing reproduce like crazy.

 

[Minnesota Belt Fed]

I wanted a 1919 since I was a little kid. I use to watch "The Longest Day" sitting on the floor of my folks' living room with .30 caliber ammo can loaded with 7.62 bottle neck blanks on M13 links that my grandpa had gotten somewhere, I had no clue it was the wrong thing at the time so I thought it was just cool. Yup...... I am a only child in case anyone is wondering after reading that haha.

Annnnnyway..... my grandpa was an outstanding wood worker and although he wasn't much of a gun guy outside of hunting, I think his experiences during Korea maybe turned him off to the idea of me playing army. But I was able to convince him to help build me a wooden mock up of a 1919. I actually still have it.

I did finally buy my first semi auto in February of 2021 at the age of 29.

Yup, it looks pretty rough now, but as a kid with a belt of the wrong ammo playing army, it was the coolest thing. So I guess you could say I got my first belt fed when I was 10.

 

[1919 newbe]

Such Cool Stories. I didn`t really start collecting Rifles until i was in my mid 40s i had 10-15 assorted pistols rifles and shotguns. But I`m an Archer when it comes to hunting. I`ve only shot 2 big game animals with a firearm a Elk when i was 12 with my 1917 Remington bought with berry picking money and a bear with my 1911. All the rest of my big game have been with a bow. But i was raised with a uncle who was a awarded the DSC in the battle of the bulge while manning a 1919 and he had strong feeling about them. So i always wanted one. And watching the movie Guadalcanal at 6 i was hooked on the 1917. I wanted a gun you could pee in????

 

[Invictus77]

I`m an Archer when it comes to hunting.

Me too for the last decade, before then, mostly hand gun, but.....

I will occasionally take one with a rifle, but not the typical scoped, bolt action, 30-06. So far I've killed whitetail with a Garand, an M14, an L1A1, and an FAL. I'm thinking my Trapdoor may be up to bat this year.

 

[theduke]

Should add a poll to this thread.......be interesting to look at the results thataway.....probly not too late idk.

 

[BRMCII]

Bought a DEWAT MP28 in 1956 and got a DEWAT 1909 .303 Portative for xmas from my Grandmother in 1957, purchased from Numrich Arms. Born in '43 so you do the math. Remember the '68 Ammesty posters in the post office. First live MG in 1970, a Colt overstamp from J.Curtis Earl. Had to hav 'em!! Still do......

 

[Abominog]

Yup, it looks pretty rough now, but as a kid with a belt of the wrong ammo playing army, it was the coolest thing.

Uh, we used a stick and a belt of blanks. You would have been God.