GunLab

Parts wanted and for Sale!

Looking for G-43 fire control parts. Hammer,trigger,sear. This is for one of the projects we are working on. A friend of Gun Lab has helped out with this. Thanks

Continue reading Parts wanted and for Sale!

We are now taking reservations for out reproduction VG1-5 rifles! Price is $4000, and they will be ready to ship once ATF gives final approval on the design. The get on the priority list, contact Matt or Greg at Allegheny Arsenal – (814) 362-2642. No payment will be taken until the guns are ready to ship.

Mauser V9000 trench rifle

While doing research on the 1917 trench carbine I came across a rifle that I have never seen or even heard of. The V9000. There is a video on YouTube posted by LAI Publications. I just fell for this cute carbine.

It also dissembles and the stock comes off.

There was a print of it taken apart.

I thank LAI publications for posting about this rare and interesting weapon. I decided that I need one in my collection. There is no chance of buying one and it is full auto so actually making one that is exact is out of the question. However I can make a semi auto one. As with all of my projects I need to design it from scratch. With that in mind I have started just that, but I am making a few changes to the design. First I will make it in 9mm and not in 7.62×25 Mauser. Second, I am going to make it to use a different magazine. I have never been a fan of the Mauser style magazine. they are expensive, a number of the ones I have do no fit properly and they are hard to fine.

My favorite magazine for my Broomhandle projects is the Finnish M/20 smg magazine. They are available at Apex gun parts.

It is a great magazine that I will cut down to 25 rds.

The first step was to design the lower receiver to use a M/20 magazine. I started this process with using a cut Chinese Schnellfeuer lower.

I was able to make a basic solid model but with the proper dimensions for the M/20 magazine.

There is a number of features missing from this model but, it is just a starting point. So I printed it out on m Bambu P2S 3D printer.

I was able to check to see if my magazine housing was dimension properly, and it was.

The next print will have the magazine release button. The rear of the receiver needs to be corrected. the bottom of the receiver is to thick and it receiver needs to have internal dimensions reduced. I am currently working on the second model receiver and should have it completed by the end of next weekend. I also need to add the dove tail slot in the front of the receiver

1917 trench carbine 3D prints

With the new Bambu P2S printer here I decided to start printing out some of the components of the 1917 trench carbine to verify the design and measurements.

The first part that I printed out and checked is the fire control group. I Then used Bambu studio to do a slicing program on it. It was down loaded and printed out

After it was printed out it was checked with actual components to verify proper fit up.

There are a few minor changes that need to be made, but so far it does not look to be out of spec.

Why it is necessary to run a test part after changes to the program

A number of changes were made to the Sudanese AR-10 lower receiver. Selector stops were added and a new profiling program was used to allow for a better finish around a few areas of the receiver. Then a second lower was machined out of 6061 to verify the changes. During the process of machining a few issues were notes. The first is that with the new tool path it left on a thin section of metal.

The magazine release button also changed from an inside cut to and outside cut.

The other issue that was found was that the selector stops were located in the wrong spot.

All the issues have been corrected and checked. Next is to design a logo and write the printing program then start making Sudanese lower semi receivers.

More work on the 1917 Mauser trench carbine

In this post I am going to chat about a single part. The Lock frame stop. This individual part is common only to the carbine. The take down lever. you can see it here in this photo that I found on line.

This is the part in question.

Here are the patent drawings that I have been able to locate.

This last one is a color picture from a book

All the references are different then the patent drawings and while I have made a solid model of the part I am not sure it is correct.

This is the solid model.

I am currently at a loss in the proper design. I am not sure what holds it in place and it’s relationship to the magazine release. I am hoping that when I 3D print the lower receiver I can get a better understanding of how this part is actually design and fits into the weapon

Japex wire EDM update

I have received a number of questions concerning the Japex wire EDM that I have. Where can you get help repairing the machine, where can you get consumables for it and is there anyone that can help with getting it operational.
I used to recommend Bret at McWilliams sales and service. Well Bret has retired. The person to call now is Kurt at 734-449-4008. The contact email is kurtm@McWilliamsedm.com. I chatted with Kurt in depth and he seems like a very nice guy to deal with. He can help with some spares, board re-build and technical support plus consumables. He also has a couple of technicians to help with troubleshooting. The web page is also back up, https://www.mcwilliamsedm.com/index.html

Hope this helps all the people looking for help with there Japex machines.

1917 Mauser trench carbine

This Project is definitely interesting one. By using a combination of engineered drawings, pictures and C96 parts to measure I have been able to get a reasonable set of solid models. I started on the lower receiver but it did not take long before I realized the the fire control group holds the key to some of the interior dimensions, information needed to allow me to draw up the lower and match it with the upper slide assembly.

These are the pictures of the different fire control groups.

This is the second fire control group I located.

and finally the third type.

compared to a C-96 fire control group.

There are a number of changes between all the models. It was a start and next came the solid model attempts. there are subtle changes between all the models.

The first model

Second model

The third version.

And finally the fourth model

When all the fire control components are modeled I will work on an assembly. This will allow me to check for proper fit and measurements.

Machining the Sudanese lower receiver op.2 and op3

With op 1 completed it is now time to work on op 2 and 3. First a fixture needed to be machined to hold the machined receiver to all finishing the other side.

The machined op1 piece was set in the fixture and tighten down

All the holes were drilled in op1 so now the bottom was milled off and the receiver was contoured.

When the second side was complete receiver was removed and debured and parts were checked for proper fit,

The magazine release was checked for proper fit.

Op 3 was conducted, out of house, This is where the magazine housing was edm. it was then checked with a number of magazines to verify proper fit.

Next post will be about op4

The Mauser 1917 Trench Carbine

I happen to like the Mauser broom handle pistol. I know it is not well balanced or comfortable to shoot, but it is an iconic and historical weapon. I have a small collection and I am always looking to add to it.

One of the pieces that I would really like to get is the 1917 Mauser trench carbine, as well as a slab side, a 20 shot pistol and a Schnelfeuer. However due to the cost of these pistol it will probably never happen. But the 1917 just might.

It is a classic design

These are a couple of pictures on the internet that I found from an auction site and a web page. This is just a good looking gun and one that I have never seen in person or will ever own. In fact the only way I will ever own one is to make it myself. This will be a long and interesting project. Most of the parts are not interchangeable with the normal C-96 pistol, but some are close and other are basically the same. To accomplish what I want to do I started by obtaining all the photographs that I can find from books, videos and pictures on the internet and from friends.

I have also located patent drawings that has helped with some concepts and line drawings.

There is also a c-96 cut away in my collection which allows be to study the concept and method of operation

Then I take pictures from the C-96 parts that I own.

To be able to obtain accurate measurements the pictures need to be as close to 90 degree as possible to eliminate distortion.

Having assembled everything I can on a part or assembly I then check for common measurements then I down load pictures into Fusion 360 and using the known dimensions I calibrate the photo and start a basic drawing of the part or component. Frequently it takes a number of different solid models to finally come up with one that has what looks like proper dimensions. This solid model is of the fire control housing and is close to being complete.

When the rest of the fire control are completed then an assembly will be made showing all the parts as a completed model. I will then perform an analysis to check proper fit and alignment. Once I am at this point of the design I will make a 3D print of everything and actual do a physical inspection. This is a Schnellfeuer frame I did a while back.

When the plastic model is complete I will start the process of making a cut away steel model and check everything again prior to making a complete and functional weapon. Currently I have approximately 60% of the project in a solid model. If anyone knows someone that owns a 1917 trench carbine I would really like to chat with them. I could use some specific pictures and measurements. If I am unable to find a person with one then it will just take a little longer to work through the problems.

machining the Sudanese lower

Now that I am back into the shop it is time to get back to projects that was started years ago. The first project on the list was the Sudanese lower receiver. It had been drawn up in a solid model years back when the modeling program that was used in the shop was Solis Works, however due to the cost I shifted modeling programs and we now use Fusion 360. The model was moved from solid works to fusion 360 but you do not get any of the steps or even a drawing. All you transfer is the solid model. Some changes can be made to the solid model but it is not an easy task.

The first step was to write a cam program. With a friends help this was accomplished.

With the program written it was time to set up the HAAS machining center. All the tools were loaded and touched off and the program loaded.the first op was ready to go.

This is a test run and this receiver will be destroyed due to the material is the wrong material. The actual receiver will be made out of 7075 aluminum and the test piece is being made from 6061 aluminum. 6061 is about 1/3 the cost of 7075.

This photo shows the completion of op1. To deal with all the surfaces on the receiver there was a lot of fine detailed machining, generally referred to as surfacing, here are a few pictures that shows some of the finer details.

The radius on the front of the receiver magazine housing.

The detail around the magazine release.

A view of the tool paths.

The next post will be about op 2

Back on line

It is hard to believe that I have been shut down or at least stop posting for over 5 years. Life just got in the way and something needed to be set aside. I will start with what is new here. I finally retired, sort of, I still work for the company that bought me out. However, I work a lot less hours and not have time for the shop and making things.

The first thing I did was to start repairing broken equipment and actually get the shops back in some kind of order, still have more to do in that respect and I don’t think that will ever stop.

The major projects that I am currently working on is first and foremost getting up to speed learning the new solid modeling program that we currently use. In the past I used Solid Works but the cost got to be prohibitive and I have shifted to Fusion 360. I started in earnest about 3 months ago. To allow me to learn Fusion 360 I bought a number of books with engineered drawings and finished every drawing at the same time I checked out ever Fusion site that I found and followed them along on how they did certain tasks then I watched the game show on youtube dealing with a contests between individuals using there preferred solid modeling program. After about 2 months and 800 drawings completed I started working on drawings that I had to make them into solid models. I have to admit that actual engineered drawings are a lot harder then anything in the books or on youtube. However, I was able to start working my way through the drawings then it was onto reverse engineering parts using what ever information I could find and pictures to trace over. this leads me to where I am at now.

A number of the projects that was worked on previously had to be re-modeled. I started with the AR-10 Sudanese lower receiver. With the drawing complete I was able to program the solid model for manufacture, I did have some help with this. The next post will be about making the lower receiver, spoil alert it turn out perfect for the first 4 ops still a couple of ops to complete. My plan is to make 10 receivers and then go on to the next project.

I still need to finish the drawings on the Portuguese receiver but I will finish this project before I remove all the tooling and start on something new. I have no desire to make any more receivers then a limited supply as I have other things I want to do.

It is good to be back in the shop and having fun. There are still a number of projects around the property that need my attention and money so unfortunately not all my time will be in the shop.

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