biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on May 27, 2009 16:35:38 GMT -5
Scratch building the body from steel and an old caulking gun. The plan was to build 5, but the other caulking guns were disposed of without my knowledge. I started this project with the intention of putting the internals from a AGM MP40 into a Springer Grease gun. After acquiring the springer, I dropped that idea and went with raw steel. Still need to finish: Front and Rear sights, Stock, Breech & Breech cover, back of the gun. A small battery is going to be a tight squeeze to fit in the back, so I may run a LiPo. The trigger switch is actually a Milwaulkee Sawzall gun trigger, which means full auto only. I will post up more pictures and dimensions of the build. (My old camera died, and I just got a new one.) ///ed///
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on May 27, 2009 16:59:05 GMT -5
WOW very very nice, I love it!!!
TommyGunner
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Post by hairy apple on May 27, 2009 23:24:57 GMT -5
Holy poo! That's awesome.
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on May 28, 2009 20:18:11 GMT -5
Very much follows the spirit of the original gun. Looks pretty darn impressive! I'll beanxious to see it when your finishing touches have been added. Bizarre seeing you build something small.
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on May 30, 2009 5:11:54 GMT -5
It is the smallest conversion I have done so far. I am finished with the sights, and just about finished the breech cover. After I mount them, I post up another picture. The collapsing stock is next which is just 5/16ths rod, and then the two sling attachments on the left side of the gun.
///ed///
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Ersatzjack
Corporal
"That silly Franz... he thinks we are winning."
Posts: 1,093
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Post by Ersatzjack on May 30, 2009 8:21:40 GMT -5
Another awesome biged project. What happened to the guy who threw out your caulking guns? I wouldn't wanna be him.
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jun 3, 2009 16:26:50 GMT -5
My boss told some of the guys to clean out an area, they were in a box, sh*t happens.... Finished the sights, rear cover, breech, breech cover, and sling attachments. A small battery just fits inside. Next finish the stock, then some minor finish welds, and 2-3 hours of grinding, wire wheeling then polishing. ///ed///
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Jun 3, 2009 18:56:03 GMT -5
What a great build this is, I am very impressed!
TommyGunner
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deacon
Private 1st Class
Posts: 748
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Post by deacon on Jun 4, 2009 1:40:30 GMT -5
Will you modify the magazine at all to be more like the real things?
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jun 4, 2009 4:45:20 GMT -5
The real M3a1 had an adapter kit to except German MP40 mags. Although I have never seen a picture of this kit, or a MP40 mag in a M3. But, I did have an idea for "masking" the mags. It would be a false mag installed in the magwell, and the MP40 mags would slide up into it. Press the mag catch, and the MP40 mag would be released.
///ed///
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Post by Garrick Udet on Jun 4, 2009 8:44:04 GMT -5
I am still in shock that there's an allied weapon not fed by Hi-cap (Sorry 2nd Bat, I had to exclude you for dramatic effect... )
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jun 10, 2009 18:33:15 GMT -5
Finished the stock, welded on the stock retaining rails, added a "relay" mag catch attachment (which works great, but may mod further to look better), and added some details to the right side of the gun. Then did some minor grinding. Will spend quite a bit more time grinding than I thought before priming and painting. ///ed///
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Jun 14, 2009 21:00:19 GMT -5
GOD I love what you have built!!!!
Once that thing has a parkarized finish I bet it will be hard to tell the difference between the reall thing and that.
TommyGunner
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Post by savage94 on Jun 15, 2009 14:41:21 GMT -5
that's lookin good. keep up the good work!
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jun 23, 2009 16:58:47 GMT -5
Last pics before paint, after seam sealer, texture grips and a lot of sanding. Disassembled: (Two screws on body and one on the mag catch.) Gearbox setup: The "Back Bone" is piece of 1" wide x 1/8th thick steel with another piece welded at angle and the sawzall switch attached with one screw and a roll pin. It attaches to the bottom of the gearbox via two more screws. The Sawzall switch is rated for 10 amps at 125VAC or 1250 watts. So even a 11.1v Lipo can put out up to 112 amps without harming this switch. Primer is drying: ///ed///
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TommyGunner
Staff Sgt.
Hackjob Mauro
1st Marine Division, 1942
Posts: 2,265
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Post by TommyGunner on Jun 23, 2009 17:50:30 GMT -5
This thing looks great, Im very excited to see the final pics! Good job.
TommyGunner
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jun 25, 2009 17:15:06 GMT -5
Paint is dry. It was a Mix of Flat Black, Gray primer, Navy blue, and the reminisce of some flat OD. Shot three coats on it in very humid room, and let dry 24 hours before assembly. I have a feeling I will end up repainting it again. ///ed///
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Post by hairy apple on Jun 25, 2009 17:18:59 GMT -5
Oh my Gawd! I want!!! That is just getting better and better. I LOVE it. For whatever reason I have a strange love of grease guns. Great job!
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Post by pouncethejaguar on Jul 9, 2009 17:23:13 GMT -5
Awesome mod! why doesn't some one mass produce a whole bunch of AEG grease guns, they would sell like hotcakes.
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Post by shadycadence on Jul 11, 2009 8:46:13 GMT -5
Beats me, you'd think they could do it cheap too, considering the real ones were knocked out WAY cheaper than a Thompson. If I recall correctly, the real ones were made by the guide lamp division of General Motors. Some dies and a punch press, and you could rattle these things out like brass from an MG.
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Sgt_Tom
Technical Sgt.
Combat!
Posts: 3,580
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Jul 11, 2009 8:52:32 GMT -5
If I recall correctly they were made for something like $15 a gun while the Thompson was something like $300 a gun.
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jul 12, 2009 7:58:16 GMT -5
I have a firearms book that has the Thompson listed at an average production price tag of $450, the M3 and M3a1 at $50-$70, and the Sten at $12-$15. Cost varies from manufacturer to manufacturer.
The main reason for the development of the M3 was the cost. And that two ships carrying over 200,000 Thompsons to the UK were sunk by German U-boats.
///ed///
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Post by shadycadence on Jul 12, 2009 8:43:30 GMT -5
Is the upper half of this a suction gun, commonly found in the automotive industry?
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Sgt_Tom
Technical Sgt.
Combat!
Posts: 3,580
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Post by Sgt_Tom on Jul 12, 2009 9:53:08 GMT -5
I have a firearms book that has the Thompson listed at an average production price tag of $450, the M3 and M3a1 at $50-$70, and the Sten at $12-$15. Cost varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. The main reason for the development of the M3 was the cost. And that two ships carrying over 200,000 Thompsons to the UK were sunk by German U-boats. ///ed/// Too bad they don't sell them for that today
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2nd Bat
Master sergeant
Posts: 11,813
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Post by 2nd Bat on Jul 12, 2009 14:30:25 GMT -5
Great work Big Ed. Thank you so much for sharing. Like others I'm a huge fan of the Greaser and likewise don't know why some airsoft company isn't in the Grease gun AEG business. It is a gun that transcends many, many periods and is widely recognized.
Before one gets too excited $45.00 in WW2 vs. todays dollars was a lot of money. At the risk of sounding like the old man I am I recall gas in the 60s was .25 a gallon. It was even cheaper in the 40s so... The Thompson was an incredibly expensive item to produce and the Grease gun though a great value was pretty costly as well. (Relatively speaking)
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Post by volkssturm on Jul 13, 2009 2:15:42 GMT -5
I'm not sure, but I think I remember reading that a Captain's pay during WWII was $90 a month.
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jul 13, 2009 5:21:39 GMT -5
It was a VERY OLD style caulking gun. The front nozzle was submerged, and the plunger was drawn back sucking up the caulking. They were also commonly referred to as "sausage guns". Loading method was to remove the back end and insert a "sausage roll" of caulking. This technique gave way to modern style caulking guns, which are shorter, lighter, and cheaper to manufacture.
I had four more, but they were disposed of without my knowledge. They had not be used since the early 80's and were covered in dust when I discovered them 2 years ago in a 3rd floor corner at the shop.
It took me 2 days to remove the residual caked on caulking from the one you see in the pictures. I burned most of it off with a torch. I have no idea where to get a similar style gun, or if they are still manufactured.
///ed///
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Post by hairy apple on Jul 20, 2009 20:05:21 GMT -5
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biged
Master sergeant
Posts: 468
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Post by biged on Jul 21, 2009 4:46:22 GMT -5
That appears to be a dead-on copy of the caulking gun I used. I believe it is the larger one, the Model 632-GTS, which is longer than the 624.
///ed///
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Post by hairy apple on Jul 21, 2009 16:31:59 GMT -5
Too bad your others got thrown away, those guys aren't cheap.
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