Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #11
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    There*s a big jump in money for those kits, but they would be more fun to shoot.

    At least there is some reason for the climb in 1919 kit prices. They are pretty much all dried up.
    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  2. #12
    Join Date
    May 2010
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    So I built another one!

    Why build a second 1919? Well, it's kind of like that joke about finding an extra take down pin detent and needing to build another AR15 around it. The 1919 kit I originally bought came with had extra parts, so I felt compelled to build a second 1919. Also, being thrifty, I bought parts to complete my second kit as I saw deals on forums or bought a damaged part at a discount and repaired it.

    As always the first step was to machine the internals to be semi auto only.

    One part I had on hand was the 80% right side plate (RSP). It has no maker marks, so I think I'm going to have CDS Arms laser engrave it as a "Saginaw Steering Gear Division - General Motors Corporation" build. This RSP proved to be more difficult to finish than the other style of 80% RSP I used before. This plate had all the holes drilled (except the bottom plate rivets) but the plate thickness was unfinished. So first I had to mill the semi auto denial island. The island itself is not a terribly critical thing, but I had to be careful to machine uniform plate thickness all around it.





    The last steps were milling slots for the trunion, lock frame, back plate, and top plate to engage the RSP. Also holes needed drilled for the bottom plate and holes needed chamfered for rivet heads to sit flush.



    I bought a damaged left side plate from Apex to save a buck. It had no parts attached to it. It was 7.62x51 converted by the Israelis but someone machined away too much material for the belt holding pawl cut. I welded this back up and later cut it properly when the receiver was finish riveted together, as was originally done during the conversion. I used a nice NOS trunnion from a guy selling them on a forum, so it worked out that I had to mill that anyways for the 7.62 belt holding pawl conversion.





    I finished the left side plate by riveting on a used rear sight bracket and new made pintle pad, belt holding pawl bracket, and extractor cam set.



    Here is the step where I checked the fit of the receiver pieces and drilled the bottom plate rivet holes in the RSP.



    The bottom plate was a cheap one with rivet holes in poor shape. I had to weld up a couple cracks around the rivet holes, and with the holes being oversized my rivets didn't turn out very beautiful, but they work.

    After the rivet smashing and belt file sander:



    Then assembled for function test.



    I had to file the top cover catch to relieve some down pressure from the top cover on the ammo belt to achieve good feeding and cycling.



    So my other 1919 will stay in the 1919A4 configuration and this one will stay in the 1919A6 configuration with the flash hider, butt stock, bipod, and carry handle (not shown). I'm also working on adapting an M240B 50 round sack to this A6 to have a cool way to feed a 50 round belt.

    A note on the M6 flash hider I have on my new 1919A6:

    The M6 flash hider is a USGI part designed to work with .30-06. That means the center hole through which the bullet passes is larger than it should be for the less powerful 7.62x51 cartridge the Israelis converted these guns to and I am shooting. The flash hider, like the original A4 booster, has a chamber where gases traveling down the bore behind the bullet expand and push the barrel backwards to cycle the gun. So if you have too large of a hole in the booster, gasses will escape faster and the gun will operate slower, or it can even have short cycling issues and malfunction. Most people don't seem to have problems, but I figured it was easy enough to spit out a reducer bushing on my lathe. Some internet research turned up a drawing for this press fit bushing and I had to adjust the interference fit slightly from the drawing. I also tightened up the bushing bore from what the drawing called for, as it still seemed too large compared to the Israeli A4 booster end cap.



    Installed:



    So rather than spray paint this one like my first one, I decided to take the dive into parkerizing. I purchased a gallon of parkerizing solution from Brownells, a 40" stainless parkerizing tank from Amazon, and some piping to make a large propane burner from Home Depot. I need to weld up a stand to support the tank and burner. Then I will blast this receiver and barrel shroud, and try my hand at parkerizing. I have some smaller parts to practice on first. If this works out well I will blast my painted 1919A4 and parkerize it.

    Oh, and a few weeks ago I picked up an Israeli MAG-58 tripod with 1919 adapter blocks. These tripods are fantastic. They are tall and comfortable to shoot from on the ground, and mostly aluminum so they are surprisingly light weight despite being well made and sturdy. They fold up nice and compact too.





    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    skilz

  4. #14
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    CDS Arms did some nice laser engraving for me.



    I made a stand for my new parkerizing tank from some scrap metal, just need to figure out the pipe burner.

    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Jan 2016
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    Do you ever sleep ?

  6. #16
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    Haha, if you only knew what else I was up to that isn*t gun related! I spend most of my time outside of work in the seat of a Kubota or a Caterpillar trying to whip my 23 acres into shape. I still get about 7-8 hours of sleep a night amazingly.
    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    next to my neighbor, Pennsylvania
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    Nice.

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    West Alexander, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    Great 1919 build. Now tell us about the jeep.
    Washington County Machine Guns & Tactical Range -- CMP Affiliated Club -- FFL 07 / FFL 10 / FEL 20 / SOT 02 / ITAR
    Largest MG Rental Business on the entire East Coast. M2HB, M9 Flamethrower, M67 Grenades, M240 Bravo, M249 SAW, M1919, RPD, M60, Bowling Ball Mortar.
    Now offering High-Explosive Classes (Open to the Public)

  9. #19
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    That*s just my old 63 CJ5 I converted to an M38A1 over the years. Had it since high school. I mostly just use it for parades and getting ice cream.

    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

  10. #20
    Join Date
    May 2010
    Location
    Scenery Hill, Pennsylvania
    (Washington County)
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    Default Re: 308 Israeli 1919A4 Belt Fed Build

    Before:



    After:



    I'd like the parts to be darker. I'm going to try backing them in an old oven while coated in grease. If they still aren't dark I would have to blast them again and go with manganese instead of zinc solution. Overall they look good, just not dark enough. Also my seasoning of the solution must not of been done right because the first part I did (A6 butt stock) is noticeably lighter than the last part I did (bolt).

    In America arms are free merchandise such that anyone who has the capital may make their houses into armories and their gardens into parks of artillery. - Ira Allen, 1796

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