M53 shroud front repair

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Abominog
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M53 shroud front repair

Post by Abominog »

What is the best way to repair the front of an M53 shroud which has been torch cut? RTG has the MG3 front ends w/ sight, that seems to be the easiest way, but will it fit the M53 barrel bushing, FH, and barrel (concerned because MG3 rear lugs not the same as MG42/ M53). The other option is to get the US made receiver bushing to replace the torched front, but that actually seems like more work.

Thoughts?
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Der Alder
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Der Alder »

It would depend on where your shroud was cut. If it is like *most* of the recent batch of Apex M53 shrouds that I've seen including my own then replacing the bushing might be easier. If it is torch cut too far back or worse yet one of the kits from a few years ago that went through the sight mounts, then the RTG/MG3 complete front would be the way to go. The type of bushing depends too on the look you want as the MG3 has a thinner neck. The threads on them are are same BTW, though some are a little tighter than others.

I got the complete RTG/MG3 front thinking I was going to use it and posted pics on another board of my shroud and a couple posters there talked me out of it (glad thay did) simply because if you have enough front shroud left, all you need to do is grind it past the torch cut, knock out the old bushing out get one of the RTG MG3 bushings (if thats the look you want) which are on the long side, square and trim the yugo shroud till you reach the correct spec (13mm extended/8mm retracted if memory serves me), tack weld, double check specs and square it and weld it up.

The complete front is nice being that the sights are installed, but may take a bit more to align compared to just the bushing. There are slight differences in the splicing areas of the shrouds (M53 vs MG3), but they could easily be ground to match depending on where you cut and weld. I would use a complete front if I had a short cut shroud. But that said, alignment on any area on these guns can get tricky and warpage can happen as well so if I could get away with just welding in a new bushing thats exactly what I'd do. Just my 2 cents, others may differ.
Blanksguy
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Blanksguy »

NOTE: For those 13mm and 8mm measurments, the user must know if you are using the long or short Barrel-Bearing.
There are two lengths:
1: 1.865" is the short version.
2: 1.970" is the long version.
......I believe that you can see the "challanges" if you measure using the wrong length Barrel-Bearing.......(?).

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Der Alder
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Der Alder »

Thats an important point Richard brings up, one that I found out the hard way when I used a MG3 bearing with those specs intended for an 8mm bearing. Those numbers are for your typical German or Yugo 8mm bearing (short), the type found in most of the M53 Apex kits currently. You can switch to the long MG3 type if desired *after* welding, you just don't want to set-up or measure off of the long one, not without compensating.
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Blanksguy »

Question......if the below information is correct from earlier postings.......

Why not just use the standard 19.5" measurement (measured from the rear-or-the-barrel-stop......to the front of the receiver (?).

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Der Alder
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Der Alder »

Just a guess, but they are just different ways of doing the same. Some may want to check their barrel stops (retracted and extended). If the barrel stop under the site is intact you could use that measuement (19.5") from it to the end and or double check it with the 8/13mm.

Seems most of the online builds I've read use the 8/13mm measured from the front edge in relation to the barrel bearing with the barrel from stop to stop. Both ways acomplish the same I believe.
Abominog
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Abominog »

Would you be so kind to explain the 13/8mm retracted measurement? Is this related to the barrel bearing caming?
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Re: M53 shroud front repair

Post by Blanksguy »

Abominog,

Those 13mm/8mm measurements are in reference to a "known length" Barrel-Bearing.

With the MG42/MG3/M53 standard barrel-asemblies being interchangeable in lengths/sizes........I believe that using the 19.5" measurement from rear of barrel-stop (in receiver/under rear-sight) to the front of the receiver would be more uniform and take the "variable" of different length Barrel-Bearings out of the equation. It also removes mistakes made when using those same different length Barrel-Bearings...........
.........and/or........
....................takes away the chance possibility of a worn or incorrectly made front receiver bushing (the part welded into the front of the receiver that has the "key-ways" machined into the ID.) being incorrectly located/welded into the receiver-front. (IE: The next Barrel-Bearing's keys may hit on forward movement.).

Regards, RichardS
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