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Post by Obergefreiter Kurt on Oct 3, 2009 21:29:58 GMT -5
Hey fellas!
I'm new here, new to airsoft, but have been around collecting German rifles, submachineguns, and machineguns for a while. Some of you guys asked me to join up with your airsoft group at Travis' last WWII reenactment in Big Lake, MN.
I'm looking to learn where to find the proper airsoft tools and accessories, from GOOD quality .25g BB's to silicon grease to replace the petroleum grease in my new AEG so it doesn't rot out the O-rings soon.
Looking to totally revamp the AGM MP-44 by replacing parts with upgrades, including:
1) barrel (as necessary)
2) hopup assembly
3) add wood to pistol grip panels
4) replacing the plastic stock with a repro made of real European walnut
5) weathering/painting t he metal to improve appearance
6) replacing gearbox grease with proper silicone grease to make the rubber parts last
I just don't know where to get some of the parts like the replacement barrel, silicone grease, hopup assembly, etc. I have a small machineshop with mill, lathe and welder, so many things can be made. I have a real working MP-44 to help with replication of parts, appearance, and modifications for accurizing. The thing to do is make the AGM MP-44 as close to the original one as possible using all the methods tricks available. Many of you guys have a lot of great ideas on how this can be done.
Could someone post links to the sources where they obtain parts and other things to support this MP-44 upgrades? I have already read most of the MP-44 upgrade posts on this forum, but WHERE to find the parts or materials is typically not mentioned.
Also, if anyone needs some shop work done on their projects and are in the Anoka, MN area, feel free to bring your projects over and we can work on them. Projects ranging from medieval armour, weaponsmithing, crossbow making, gun refinishing, and machinegun repairs to construction of a full sized ancient siege engine have been performed in my little shop. It's fun and the learning never ends. Feel free to contact me if you have some projects you want to work on. I will be back in town in 6 weeks (I'm currently working out of State).
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kalbs
Master sergeant 
Posts: 1,142
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Post by kalbs on Oct 3, 2009 22:16:09 GMT -5
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Post by lrich on Oct 4, 2009 0:24:54 GMT -5
Yes, i measured a 455 mm barrel (standard AK length) is the perfect length and will work. I need to get one, but i have yet to, because i have spent too much already
For the hop up, the assembly itself isn't too bad in my opinion, however i believe with a better bucking (i like systema, a friend loves madbull blue) and an H-nub, it should be great.
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Post by Obergefreiter Kurt on Oct 4, 2009 20:01:32 GMT -5
Yes, i measured a 455 mm barrel (standard AK length) is the perfect length and will work. I need to get one, but i have yet to, because i have spent too much already For the hop up, the assembly itself isn't too bad in my opinion, however i believe with a better bucking (i like systema, a friend loves madbull blue) and an H-nub, it should be great. Could you provide specific links to where I can get a proper hop up assembly and improved barrel? |
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Post by lrich on Oct 4, 2009 21:40:50 GMT -5
anywhere you can get a tightbore barrel (Airsoftgi.com, evike.com etc.) is fine. Also, some people like different tightbores, some like the madbull barrels, some don't. I do like the deepfire ones as they are stainless steel (so they are not coated) and well made, but others don't like them. Generally i find them under internal upgrades, and then inner barrels, such as at airsoftgi.com www.airsoftgi.com/index.php?cPath=31_55As for a better hop up assembly, i can't tell you where to find a good one, as i am using the stock one, but for the buckings, generally they are found in the hop up section, again under internal upgrades, such as here: www.airsoftgi.com/index.php?cPath=31_170Finally, it is up to you to shop around with different stores to find the best price, as different stores have different pricetags on different items. But be sure to add everything up and include shipping before making a final decision, because saving $2 on a bucking but paying $5 to get it shipped from a different store sucks. |
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Post by Obergefreiter Kurt on Oct 5, 2009 17:59:34 GMT -5
Thanks for the tips!!! They are much appreciated.
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Post by fahnenschmied on Oct 6, 2009 21:21:01 GMT -5
Kurt,
If you want to look at "Weathered Axis Weapons", you can see where I posted how I covered my grips to make them look like something other than painted metal. I had thought about trying to cut them out and replace with wood, but i was afraid it would get too thin and fragile. I also toyed with cutting out the area for the selector switch and filling it in....but that might weaken it, and besides, the grip angle is still wrong.
I had also thought about sawing out the trigger guard hole larger and fitting a new, larger, inner ring.....but I am not sure it the effort would be worth it.
I reworked my wood stock and am happy with it. I've never seen many MP44s with a walnut stock, most I see have either solid beech or laminated wood.
It has always seemed to me that many airsoft dealers seem to make it almost impossible to find parts. I searched all over not long ago looking for these MP40 magazines that had neat stampings on them. It seems I would have to buy six MP40s to get a set of mags. Evidently the sellers don't realize they could sell alot of magazines!!
Well, you sound like my kind of guy...I'm building a cannon carriage right now in my shop, and if I were closer I'd bring a lockplate over to see if you could weld up some farb markings on it.
One question - does your MP44 have a serial number on the bottom of the stock? I want to stamp mine but have only seen one with a recognizable number there.
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Post by Obergefreiter Kurt on Oct 7, 2009 3:40:09 GMT -5
My MP-44 originally came with an original walnut stock, but since the stock did NOT fit properly (loose fit) into the stock ferrule, I assume it was a replacement stock. It is possible that what I think is walnut is actually beech, but the grain and color are not correct for beech, and it appears just lilke the Erupoean walnut I have in the shop to my reckoning. I saved the walnut stock in spares and replaced it with the factory unused original laminated stock that it has on it now. There were no numbers on either original stock. I don't think stocks were usually stamped with any serial number. They are devoid of markings.
For the airsoft toy, I was considering all the changes you just mentioned. It may be possible to epoxy walnut grips over the machined out sections of the metal grip handle, but as you pointed out, the dimensions of the handle are so far off that it may not be worth doing. Likewise for accurizing the other parts of the toy gun. I only have two mags for it at present.
A friend recently sold me a rarer phosphated magazine for the real MP-44 that is stamped "MP-45". It's one of the last ditch mags made just as the war ended. It's rather light gray in color and the finish is rather coarse.
What sort of cannon are your making the carriage for? I was thinking I might buy a mountain howitzer someday. I know the Paulson brothers in Wisconsin. The've been doing carriages for cannons for years, and have the largest Civil war cannon collection that I know of in the US.
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Post by fahnenschmied on Oct 7, 2009 22:18:59 GMT -5
Actually I was pretty impressed with my toy MP44 when I held it next to a real one. Aside from the lack or markings, and the lack of striations and scratches where the real sheet metal was pulled through the dies, pretty much right on. My friend who owns the "live" one thought for a moment that I had spraypainted his, when his back was turned.
My friends has a three letter code raised up in the middle of the side of the front sight. if I were handy with casting I'd pull a mold off that and try to glue, or stamp, a scaly patch there with the code. Might just glue some nice big scabs of forge scale in there, if and when I refinish it. Part of me wants to stuff a .22 automatic in there and make a proper looking grip....guess I'll have to buy a "dead' one off somebody someday.
As to the stocks - one of my German friends thinks they were made of not just beech - which now you mention it, I never saw a really beechy looking one - but also hazelnut, chestnut, and elm. Cant go wrong with European walnut though!
Some stocks I see have numbers on the side - I assume Russians did that...and some have many small stampings down in the sling buckle slot...but I have never seen one (yet) with the big H on the side like other German arms.
I have two MP44 mags, one is stamped Mkb42/mp43, with a beautiful blue, the other, simply mp43, a little rust freckled. But phosphate is really cool too! I stroked the innards of the toy with a file, so the feed lips of a real mag will fit round the BB port, and if I take the spring out of a mag it'll fit right in.
Im building a Galloper Gun carriage for a 3 pder gun, as per John Mullers description from 1740. Did much research, so it will be much more like what he described than the awful Park Service drawing for the same where thy scaled up an out of scale sketch and ignored his measurements and dimensions, save for the wheel and axle.
I don't know the Paulsons but they do excellent work. I always liked the first type of carriage for that gun - but I'd hate to have to make the iron for one. Whew!
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