Mg.42 semi auto

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jerseydamien
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Mg.42 semi auto

Post by jerseydamien »

Hi,
Sorry if I am asking asilly question here. But there is a slight possibility now that our gun laws have changed slightly that I may be able to acquire what is at the moment a fully auto (subject to inspection) mg.42, and be allowed to convert it to semi auto keeping it within the law here.I have seen that in the US you can buy whole trigger group assembly's that are made in semi auto only, so my question is.... is that all thats needed to change a fully auto to a semi or do you need to change any other parts?. I am not sure if those that sell these trigger groups would even ship them here to me but it would be good to know if that one piece would do the job ot not.
Hoping some of you who know will be able to answer the question for me. Please PM on this.
D.
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by JBaum »

The only function of a trigger group in a full auto MG42 is to stop the bolt from moving, i.e., to enable the shooter to start and stop firing.

Without a trigger group, the MG42 will continue to fire all by itself (once the first shot has fired). The firing pin is pushed forward not by a hammer in the trigger group, but by the roller locking wedge being pushed forward by the recoil spring, via the bolt housing.

A semi-auto trigger group has a hammer just like any other rifle trigger group. The MG42 bolt must be modified to have a normally operated (struck by the hammer) firing pin for it to work with the semi trigger group. If you had a gun with the modified bolt and trigger group, there's no reason to change anything else in it to make a semi-auto rifle, other than whatever modifications may need done to satisfy the pertaining gun laws.

In short, if you don't need to modify the receiver in any way, putting in a semi bolt and trigger group would be sufficient to convert a full auto MG42 to a semi auto.
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by drooling idiot »

SA trigger group installed , SA bolt, and cut recoil spring would be the only physical changes needed.
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by 42rocker »

Don't you need to add a welded in full auto bolt blocker? Ok, just read it again, Location: Jersey, Channel Islands... Different laws I guess.
Buy the spring and semi auto grip stick and semi bolt from Brian at brp and you could make a full auto into a semi auto and still have the chance to just replace the parts and your full auto again. Which for me makes it a legal question. A semi auto mg42 that you just change a few parts back and it's full auto again???

Like the man said """Interesting..very interesting"""

Just have to visit the Channel Islands someday just to see all of the neat stuff there.

Later 42rocker
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MG42 full auto to single shot, no can do with BRP parts

Post by Folke »

Sorry guys, but its not that simple. I am looking for the conversion parts for an MG42 myself as we have similar laws to what you have in the Channel Islands. The MG42 parts from BRP will not fit a standard MG42. I have tried, so there is no need to go there. I am in touch with BRP regarding modified parts from them that will fit a standard MG42, but so far nothing. Damien, we can discuss this off the forum as I have other ideas that could work.
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by 42rocker »

I'm sorry, say what? brp parts don't fit in a normally mg42??? I'm using the brp bolt system and spring in my mg42, mg42 not a m53. Also using the brp grip stick fcg, which you do need to enlarge the opening about 1/4 inch for.
What is not fitting in your mg42?

Would be interested in learning more on this.

Later 42rocker
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by drooling idiot »

Its not that simple of a conversion in the U.S. either, but IDing which parts need to be altered for function is easy.

How to interpret the laws of different countries is beyond the scope of advice I'd trust from the internet.

Suggestions on whats worked and what hasn't once you understand your laws, THIS is the place to get that info.

I'd ask that you keep your discussion on the public forum so others can read it and learn. Members helping members is why this forum exists.
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Re: MG42 full auto to single shot, no can do with BRP parts

Post by jcmg42 »

Folke wrote:Sorry guys, but its not that simple....
In the USA, you cannot simply swap out auto parts for semi auto parts. You would still own an illegal machine gun.

To prevent the the FA Fire Control Group (fcg) grip stick (pistol grip) from being installed in a 'semi-auto (SA)' receiver, the slot {in the receiver} is cut long. The FA fcg is now too short to catch at the front. That means the SA fcg grip stick must be made long or as BRP does, hook via the ejection port. Is that what doesn't fit?

Additionally, we install a FA bolt blocker in the receiver. This prevents the FA bolt from ever fitting into the receiver. To accomplish that, the SA bolt is trimmed down (or in fact the bottom is trimmed up) to clear the bolt blocker. That makes the SA bolt smaller, but it will fit in a FA receiver.

Last, in order to fire 'closed bolt' as a semi-auto, there are different fcg parts and the bolt, firing pin and spring are modified.

If your laws allow you to install FA parts back on your SA, BRP is not the direction I'd go. In fact, even if you have to follow what I've stated above, BRP is not the direction I'd go. For one, how could he possibly sell you anything? I sure wouldn't run the risk of becoming afoul of your laws let alone export laws. Second, does the BRP grip stick look like or fit like the original? Finally, AR parts in an mg42? Bite your tongue!

Get a stripped grip stick (they're < $20 here) and an FAL fcg and make it work. Check it:
viewtopic.php?f=10&t=9455
Note, he also had some modifications to accommodate the extended grip stick cutout.

Which brings me to the next question, you handy or were you thinking there'd be a drop in solution?
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by jcmg42 »

jbaum wrote:A semi-auto trigger group has a hammer just like any other rifle trigger group.
Only for the BATFE definition of semi-auto. If they do not have the same restrictions, an open bolt SA becomes a possibility.
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by 42rocker »

Lets review the following. If you have a legal full auto mg 42 here in the US, I believe (don't have one to check) that you could remove the buffer then the spring and bolt then remove the tripod pin in the rear of the gripstick, remove the front pin dropping the full auto gripstick. Then reversing, install a semi auto gripstick, then install a semi auto bolt with a brp semi auto spring and you should have a full auto mg 42 that is now shooting in semi auto. That is one of the items that I believe has been talked about. As I stated before why? But I believe that brp parts could be used and it would work that way. The only way that it would be legal is to have started with a legal full auto mg42. I really don't see any reason why this could not be done. To legally take a $30,000 fa mg42 and make it into a semi auto mg42 would be to weld in that full auto bolt blocker that I talked about before and then open up the gripstick area so a fa gripstick would not stay in. Then you would have to do the batf paperwork and you would have a legal semi auto mg42 worth $3,000 after parts you would only lose about $28,000 (parts costs & paperwork also). However I still believe if the project is to take a legal fa mg42 and use brp parts to make it work as a semi auto it should work and you would still be able to change it back to a legal fa mg42 as long as you don't do the welding etc and the paper work.
Now laws and other things seem to stand in the way of obtaining a mg42 and just making it into a semi auto.
I wish everyone the best of luck on this project. brp parts should work.
I also hope that what ever is done (if legal) please make some posts about it. If it's not going to be a legal project then keep the info to your self please.

Later 42rocker
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Re: Mg.42 semi auto

Post by drooling idiot »

jcmg42 wrote:
jbaum wrote:an open bolt SA becomes a possibility.
OOooooh, Didn't consider an open bolt semi..... that would be easier for sure. doubt it be legal anywhere theres a gov. looking out for their subjects safety.
"good , bad, .....I'm the man with the gun."

Its amazing anything works right around here with a bunch of
over-age juvenile delinquents running the place.
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