GunLab (KnownHost) » VG1-5 https://gunlab.net Adventures in gun building! Fri, 03 Apr 2026 17:06:41 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.1.41 VG1-5 update https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-6/ https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-6/#comments Thu, 16 Jul 2020 14:19:07 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8533 Most of the work being accomplished on the VG1-5 is hand work and parts fitting. With the cnc router completed we need to make some fixtures to finish the stocks and hand guards. The wood shop is in some serious disarray due to work going on in there, but it will be finished shortly.

All [...]]]> Most of the work being accomplished on the VG1-5 is hand work and parts fitting. With the cnc router completed we need to make some fixtures to finish the stocks and hand guards. The wood shop is in some serious disarray due to work going on in there, but it will be finished shortly.

All the rifles have been engraved, welded and straighten.

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The upper receivers have been completed with the available parts.

Most of the rifles have had all the parts fitted. Still have 15  or so left to do. We are making barrels and any parts that are missing.

IMG_6700sStocks and hand guards are next on the list.

]]> https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-6/feed/ 9 The SAR show after action report https://gunlab.net/the-sar-show-after-action-report/ https://gunlab.net/the-sar-show-after-action-report/#comments Mon, 16 Dec 2019 08:00:37 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8444 This is a quick update. The first 5 finished VG1-5 rifles were at the SAR show and were quickly picked up by there owners. One of the Groto 6 rifles was also sold.

The whole week of events went great. It started with the pre-show shoot. This is just a little get together where the [...]]]> This is a quick update. The first 5 finished VG1-5 rifles were at the SAR show and were quickly picked up by there owners. One of the Groto 6 rifles was also sold.

The whole week of events went great. It started with the pre-show shoot. This is just a little get together where the guests just have fun shooting machine guns  as well as the latest rifles we have built.

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In this case I brought out my Webley Fosbery and anyone that wanted to shoot it could.

 

In addition the Sterling and Bren gun were brought out making it a British weekend.

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Thursday is vendor set up day and all the guests were at the show setting up. Friday through Sunday was the actual show. The general chat about the show was how good it was, actually my best show ever for both selling and buying. I obtain a number of books for the reference library, both at the show and the week prior. These are from the show.

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And the ones ordered.

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The reading material alone made the show a success for me. How ever at this show is when I generally spend my saved gun money. I was able to obtain a number of missing pieces for the reference collection. Three new rifles were added.

IMG_3244sA sporter 1941 Johnson rifle IMG_3251scAlso a SKS that uses AK magazines

IMG_3250scAnd last but not least is a French Lebel rifle converted to 7.5 French

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IMG_3247scEnough for now but more to come on the show.

 

]]> https://gunlab.net/the-sar-show-after-action-report/feed/ 2 VG1-5 update https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-5/ https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-5/#comments Fri, 01 Nov 2019 13:33:51 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8402 The first 5 rifles have been made and tested, then re-tested, then again photographed and re-tested and finally photographed in slow motion and re-tested. I number of interesting issues were found and collected, not serious but still interesting. We have one more test to do to verify that everything is good to go.

These are [...]]]> The first 5 rifles have been made and tested, then re-tested, then again photographed and re-tested and finally photographed in slow motion and re-tested. I number of interesting issues were found and collected, not serious but still interesting. We have one more test to do to verify that everything is good to go.

These are the next 9 rifles. All the changes that we made on the first 5 are being incorporated in this group. The upper receivers are being worked on.

IMG_2510sAt this set we are setting up and machining the ejection port. The port is being lengthen slightly and beveled.

IMG_2511sThis actually two different cuts. This is the tool to make the slight radius cut.

IMG_2512sThe set up was changed again due to a chatter issue that showed up.

IMG_2570sA close up of the new look for the ejection port.

IMG_2571sThe new ejection port cut in and radius

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]]> https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-5/feed/ 9 Testing No 7 https://gunlab.net/testing-no-7/ https://gunlab.net/testing-no-7/#comments Wed, 05 Jun 2019 08:00:26 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8303 In the last post the high speed video was of the first generation VG1-5 that was built a number of years ago by John. What we here at Gun Lab did was start and finished the first 5 VG1-5 rifles. The remaining weapons are currently being built but the first 5 are going through very [...]]]> In the last post the high speed video was of the first generation VG1-5 that was built a number of years ago by John. What we here at Gun Lab did was start and finished the first 5 VG1-5 rifles. The remaining weapons are currently being built but the first 5 are going through very serious testing. The rifle in this video is number 7.

Enjoy the video.

 

Again my thanks goes out to Axel and Carl and Ian from Forgotten weapons. There help in this phase of testing and the use of Ian’s high speed camera was a great deal of help.

]]> https://gunlab.net/testing-no-7/feed/ 1 More Testing of the VG1-5 https://gunlab.net/more-testing-of-the-vg1-5/ https://gunlab.net/more-testing-of-the-vg1-5/#comments Mon, 03 Jun 2019 08:00:22 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8294 Sunday Axel and I got together with Ian and Carl from Forgotten Weapons to do some high speed photographing of the VG1-5. The information that was obtained holds a number of clues to re-occurring issues that have come up. For the next week or so I will be posting high speed and standard videos of [...]]]> Sunday Axel and I got together with Ian and Carl from Forgotten Weapons to do some high speed photographing of the VG1-5. The information that was obtained holds a number of clues to re-occurring issues that have come up. For the next week or so I will be posting high speed and standard videos of all the VG1-5’s, the 05, 06 and stg45 rifles.

Here are a couple of pictures of the rifles tested. The first is the VG1-5’s

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The second is of the 05, 06 and stg45.

IMG_9636sThis was a very useful day at the range. My thanks go out to Axel, Carl and Ian for all the help they provided in the testing.

The first video in the series. This one is on the VG1-5 first prototype rifle that was made years ago by John. This rifle has had more rounds put through it then can be counted. These include reloads,WW2 German steel case, Czech post war steel case and all the different types of factory ammo that was made.

]]> https://gunlab.net/more-testing-of-the-vg1-5/feed/ 13 A day testing guns https://gunlab.net/a-day-testing-guns/ https://gunlab.net/a-day-testing-guns/#comments Wed, 01 May 2019 08:00:48 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8270 This Sunday we spent 6 hours testing a variety of weapons. A few more VG1-5 rifles were tested. The MG-34 had all the springs replaced and was tested as well as the mpi-69. This is a quick video of what was 6 hours of actual work and testing.

]]> This Sunday we spent 6 hours testing a variety of weapons. A few more VG1-5 rifles were tested. The MG-34 had all the springs replaced and was tested as well as the mpi-69. This is a quick video of what was 6 hours of actual work and testing.

]]> https://gunlab.net/a-day-testing-guns/feed/ 7 Test firing the VG1-5 production rifle https://gunlab.net/test-firing-the-vg1-5-production-rifle/ https://gunlab.net/test-firing-the-vg1-5-production-rifle/#comments Sun, 17 Mar 2019 16:53:08 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=8226 It has been a while for a VG1-5 post. Once the rifles were completed we notice a few issues. With the changes of a new reamer and new fluting tools we were have some issues with proper operating pressures and proper operation. This caused use to go back and check everything. A through examination of [...]]]> It has been a while for a VG1-5 post. Once the rifles were completed we notice a few issues. With the changes of a new reamer and new fluting tools we were have some issues with proper operating pressures and proper operation. This caused use to go back and check everything. A through examination of the rifle caught a few minor problems.

We started by redesigning the fluting tool, actually there was 6 different designs. Each new tool was tested with two new barrels. Some of the barrels did not provide sufficient pressure to move the slide all the way to the rear. A couple of the new fluted barrels caused excessive operating pressure. Finally success was accomplished and the flute design worked very well.

The secondary sear was re-worked to allow for save operation, there is a complete post coming up on the tooling used to do this. The secondary sear was cut at 1 degree increments until the correct angle way determined.

When the slide came back we located a couple of spots where we had metal to metal contact that we should have not had. Each of these contact points  had to be looked at and a determination made as how to fix them. Most were fixed by changing the buffer spring and redesigning the barrel support.

There were a few other very minor but aggravating issues that would pop up at irregular intervals. One would be corrected only to find that the correction made a different problem worse.

To put it in context we have used close to 7000 rounds in testing this rifle design. After all this work this is a video that was shot yesterday.

The rifle was tested in both slow and rapid fire.

We went through 200 rounds today shooting the rifle and the only issue that came up was my arthritis, the rifle worked great.

]]> https://gunlab.net/test-firing-the-vg1-5-production-rifle/feed/ 12 VG1-5 update 8-19-18 https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-8-19-18/ https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-8-19-18/#comments Mon, 20 Aug 2018 08:00:23 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=7863 It has been a while since I have posted an up-date on the VG1-5 project.

The fire control groups have all been assembled and tested. The top covers have been fitted to the rifles. Here are a few pictures of the rifles getting ready for the next operation.

A quick video

[...]]]> It has been a while since I have posted an up-date on the VG1-5 project.

The fire control groups have all been assembled and tested. The top covers have been fitted to the rifles. Here are a few pictures of the rifles getting ready for the next operation.

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IMG_6102sA quick video

]]> https://gunlab.net/vg1-5-update-8-19-18/feed/ 12 Update on the VG1-5 The new trigger guard https://gunlab.net/update-on-the-vg1-5-the-new-trigger-guard/ https://gunlab.net/update-on-the-vg1-5-the-new-trigger-guard/#comments Wed, 16 May 2018 13:35:15 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=7834 With mainly doing the hand fitting on the rifle we are correcting a few problems that have come up. This issue is the trigger guard. The original design that we had did not have the correct look and was actually to close to the trigger it self.

The solid models for the new design trigger [...]]]> With mainly doing the hand fitting on the rifle we are correcting a few problems that have come up. This issue is the trigger guard. The original design that we had did not have the correct look and was actually to close to the trigger it self.

The solid models for the new design trigger guard.

1

2After shearing to the proper width and the guide pin holes drilled in.

IMG_5451sThe first style trigger guard. This was all wrong and also left no room for the trigger.

IMG_5505sThe second style increased the space for the trigger, but the angle of the stock lower support was incorrect and the lower stock support was now to short.

IMG_5506sThe shape and the diameter looks a great deal better with this new design.

IMG_5507sThere was a great deal of stretching with the single hole design

IMG_5508sWe went from a single hole design to a two hole design that later will be machined off and a single rivet hole installed.

IMG_5509sThe series of design changes to the trigger guard

IMG_5504sAfter the first couple of ops.

IMG_5498sAfter the second pressing

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IMG_5522sThe older style trigger guard required a great deal of work to fit up and the angle was still not correct.  Neither was the actual diameter size.

IMG_5525sHow the new design trigger guard fits

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A video of the process.

]]> https://gunlab.net/update-on-the-vg1-5-the-new-trigger-guard/feed/ 3 Part 2 on the VG1-5 barrel fluting https://gunlab.net/part-2-on-the-vg1-5-barrel-fluting/ https://gunlab.net/part-2-on-the-vg1-5-barrel-fluting/#comments Wed, 29 Nov 2017 12:29:43 +0000 http://gunlab.net/?p=7546 In the last post I talked about the new fluting tool and press. This post is about the actual process.

This is a short video showing the speed and ease of fluting with the new system.

]]> In the last post I talked about the new fluting tool and press. This post is about the actual process.

This is a short video showing the speed and ease of  fluting with the new system.

]]> https://gunlab.net/part-2-on-the-vg1-5-barrel-fluting/feed/ 3