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Post by volkssturm on Sept 10, 2014 14:45:40 GMT -5
I've got a M1 wood stock (Danish I think) I started inletting years ago and never finished. I don't expect to finish this any time soon, so I'm offering it for anyone who wants to finish this for an M14/M1 conversion. Make offer, plus shipping (figure $25).
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Sept 18, 2014 18:31:17 GMT -5
Did you save the upper cap from the stock neck? If so and if your particular stock is thick enough it appears you have completed most of the hard work and have a stock that could be fairly easily finished out into a nice M14/ M1 Garand conversion. Some dremel work, precise fitting and some epoxy work and you're there. I found the Danish stocks thicker through the neck and able to facilitate the conversion where most Garand stocks simply are not. The other nice thing is one never worries about ruining a piece of history.
The needed parts to complete the conversion are both wood handguards, sling hardware, a butt plate, ferrules and the front gas assembly, epoxy filler, lots of assorted grit sandpaper assorted stains and of course a base M14). The end results can be quite gorgeous and are very very skirmishable.
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Post by volkssturm on Sept 18, 2014 20:45:30 GMT -5
Yes, I have the upper cap. There are still moments when I'm almost lucid. I've enough unfinished projects I'd thought I'd see if anyone was interest in taking over this one.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 13, 2014 10:38:41 GMT -5
I would be tempted to adapt one of my RECRUIT edition conversions.
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Post by volkssturm on Oct 13, 2014 11:43:24 GMT -5
I'll toss it in the mail in a day or two. I've got too many unfinished projects as it is.
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Post by volkssturm on Oct 14, 2014 16:55:32 GMT -5
On the way. Consider it an early Christmas present. Post pics if you can make it work.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 15, 2014 0:41:00 GMT -5
Volks,
You keep feeding me! I will certainly put it to use. If I can get it to work I will post the results. either way I will let you know how it is going. from the look of it you have done all the hard grunt work!
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 18, 2014 13:16:56 GMT -5
Received the stock. Volks you are too kind! I immediately started in on seeing if I could make it work. My dremel got a real work out. The stock is the more normal size so its pretty iffy as to whether it is going to work in its proper shape. In the past actual Garand stocks I've managed to get to work were slightly oversized stocks especially in the neck area. These I believe were either Greek or Danish stocks. In laying yours side by side with one of mine the size difference though subtle is significant.
What I may have to do is file to the greatest extent I feel comfortable doing and then place your filed down cap to where there will be couple stir sticks gap between the lower neck and your cap. I will fill this gap and sand down the upper hump so it aligns with the stock. That portion does not require hollowing out so there is lots of wood to work with. The inner lining of the hollowed out area will be painted in resin over fiberglass mesh. If I can make it work it will leave a somewhat thicker neck but shouldn't be too distracting. I have found this very thin layer of fiberglass even on this wood provides incredible strength
I have already started in on enlargening the hollowing out area in the butt stock area for a full sized battery. Dremels are a wonderful tool. I love the smell of the burning wood although my wife is not so enamored with it.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Oct 20, 2014 12:45:46 GMT -5
The butt stock is adequately hollowed out to facilitate a small 9.6volt battery or a 7.4 lipoly with lots of room. I hate having to squeaze batteries into tight spaces so I will continue this effort. i'd rather have to wrap the battery in a rag to keep it from rattling then pinch wires trying to fight with limited space. I am going to tackle the final precise shaving in the neck area and am going to shave the area at the bottom as thin as I dare but know there will still be a gap between the cut out cap and stock itself which is unfortunate but unavoidable. in this process I came across another Garand stock that I had started inletting years ago and set aside so perhaps I'll be inspired to get them both done?
The final inletting is the shaping needed for the trigger assembly and mag well and this is always tricky and frustrating for me. Exciting however when it is all done. i will be curious as to how effectively I will be able to disquise the gap in the neck which will be tricky to stain. Often the neck area on military fielded weapons was quite dark due to body oils and that may be my salvation.
I'm hoping I can get them to work but we'll see.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 30, 2014 0:54:09 GMT -5
The butt stock area hollowed out nicely and will now easily accomodate even a full sized battery. I thought I had managed to hollow out the neck sufficiently to facilitate the motor and M14 bits but alas even paper thin it just wasn't going to provide adequate room. I carefully disassembled everything and will attempt to fill the needed gap with wood spacers glued and sanded into shape and will sand down the hump that will result and blend it all into the stocks upper surface. Once done I will hope things will facilitate the parts and if so, I will coat the inner surfaces with a thin layer of fiberglass to strengthen the neck area.
based on past conversions the final result will be strong although this will be my first real stock using the spacers so new trails getting blazed here.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Dec 8, 2019 0:50:36 GMT -5
It's hard to believe that this was 5 years ago. Since this thread the S & T Garand has come out and I of course bought one and tweaked its goofy shaped stock to create a better looking Garand. The M14 conversion using Volks real Garand stock has held up fine and continues to soldier on. The thinnly inlaid neck has held up better than I feared. We had a neighborhood father son WW2 battle this last weekend where a!! My WW2 Garands were fielded (5, m14 to M1 conversions, My IC S and my S & T Garand. They along with my S & T Springfield, a home made VSR Springfield and assorted commercial WW2 weapons.
The IC S stopped working for some reason but everything else held up fine. 21 loaner weapons in total. HE and German. There was a time when half of the airport guns I lend out would go down at an event (most being easy fixes). It seems airsoft guns are more reliable than they used to be. I will go through the IC S and hopefully it's nothing major. It has well over 9,000 rounds through it so I can't complain. It froze up in the first skirmish. All the guns needed cleaning and a little TLC. A couple of the cheap sprinted carbine had broken sights and one of my career conversions lost its front sight. As always I lost some spare clips but I expect as my loaner clothing all get back to me most will show up.
It was a fun but small event.
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