1919A4 questions

traveler57

traveler57

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Anyone have experience with the semi-auto 1919a4s that are available? In looking for my next big addition, I have been looking around for 1919a4s. I have actually found a number of places (3 so far) that sell rebuilt complete guns for in the range of $1000-1350. In the past, I have seen semi-autos for $2000-2500, so I didn't look too long. I have also seen a lot of kits for the $700-800 range, but I am not a machinist/rebuilder type. So the complete gun idea, at this low of a price, sounds pretty good to me.

I have also seen tripods at reasonable prices, along with options for barrel swaps to 30-06 and 8mm.

(And, no, I am not quite ready for a Class3 at $15,000-50,000.)

Any advice or comments from 1919 owners/users would be appreciated.

1919a4left.jpg
 
Never fired the semi. A friend has one in full auto and it's fun to shoot.
I recell seeing one for sale at Pete's Gun Shop in Adams when I was there a couple of months ago.
 
AWB issue?

Okay, just to confirm or at least help my confusion. Is the 1919 covered under the MA AWB laws? From the text, I (as a non-attorney) don't see it being under this definition.

No detachable magazine, as it is belt feed. But I admit that I have seen some aftermarket drums that are being sold somewhere.

It has a pistol grip, but none of the other things. So, it looks like I am okay.

I am asking this as I have found some 1919a4s being sold as "post ban" configuration. And since some (many) are new (i.e. post 1994) builds, it got me to thinking. What is the difference in a post and pre-ban 1919a4? Maybe some can have a flash supressor? But the ones I am looking at do not and do not have a threaded barrel. But I would assume that a welded compensator is okay, just as with ARs?

Any comments? What am I missing? Thanks.

AWB definition------
Quote:
a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--

`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;

`(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;

`(iii) a bayonet mount;

`(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and

`(v) a grenade launcher;
 
I have one that I build and also had one that was a complete gun (I sold it to buy something else). They are lots of fun, you will spend more on stuff for the gun than what you payed for it. Go to www.1919a4.com if you want good info about the guns, or if you have some questions you can ask me and I will try to answer them
 
I've built one as well, they are a lot of fun. Particularly with a crankfire adapter, then they really spit out lead! As someone mentioned, be prepared to spend some money beyond the gun itself. You need a mount to start with, the cheapest option being an A6 kit ($150), on up to a 1917 tripod ($1100), with a couple options in between. Plus belts (or links), and set aside a LOT of money for ammo! Go to 1919a4.com and look around and don't be afraid to ask questions, they are a friendly bunch.

PS Shameless plug - If you do get one and are interested in a nice tripod setup, I have some Colt 1928 tripods that I am refurbishing and selling. You can see pictures of them here: http://www.1919a4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5064&page=2
 
TheFaz said:
I've built one as well, they are a lot of fun. Particularly with a crankfire adapter, then they really spit out lead! As someone mentioned, be prepared to spend some money beyond the gun itself. You need a mount to start with, the cheapest option being an A6 kit ($150), on up to a 1917 tripod ($1100), with a couple options in between. Plus belts (or links), and set aside a LOT of money for ammo! Go to 1919a4.com and look around and don't be afraid to ask questions, they are a friendly bunch.
Click to expand...

If I had a complete A4 and bought the A6 parts is it an easy conversion, and where can you buy the A6 parts?
 
Soxfan9 said:
If I had a complete A4 and bought the A6 parts is it an easy conversion, and where can you buy the A6 parts?
Click to expand...


The A6 "conversion" is just a bipod, a shoulder stock and a flash suppressor. All of them can be installed in less than five minutes. The flash suppressor may need to be modified with a bushing(to reduce the opening) to work with 7.62 nato but some work as is. Depends on your guns action. Mine worked without mods. The bipod just slips over the barrel jacket and locks into place.
The stock slips over the buffer tube on the handle and has a wingnut that tightens.

As for availability, check on 1919a4.com and post a WTB ad on the classifieds. They come up for sale frequently. There may be other vendors carrying the parts but I haven't looked in a long time.
 
Finalygotabeltfed said:
The A6 "conversion" is just a bipod, a shoulder stock and a flash suppressor. All of them can be installed in less than five minutes. The flash suppressor may need to be modified with a bushing(to reduce the opening) to work with 7.62 nato but some work as is. Depends on your guns action. Mine worked without mods. The bipod just slips over the barrel jacket and locks into place.
The stock slips over the buffer tube on the handle and has a wingnut that tightens.

As for availability, check on 1919a4.com and post a WTB ad on the classifieds. They come up for sale frequently. There may be other vendors carrying the parts but I haven't looked in a long time.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. That is a great site. I dont have a 1919 yet, I am trying to decide which way to go at this point (A6 or A4).
 
Soxfan9 said:
Thanks for the info. That is a great site. I dont have a 1919 yet, I am trying to decide which way to go at this point (A6 or A4).
Click to expand...

Buy a 1919a4 parts kit, an 80% semi auto right sideplate, rivets, a KMP trigger and semi sear and build it. They are not difficult to build and require a minimum of tools and its very rewarding to build your own. There are tutorials on the 1919a4 site to guide you. Internals can be machined by several guys on the board for reasonably cheap. Building it yourself can save you several hundred dollars, even after buying some tools.

One word of caution, you will be buying many accessories. A tripod or bipod, links, a linker, a T&E mechanism, pintle, spare barrel, broken shell extractor, this is at a minimum. Most guys have spare bolts, extractors, top covers, lock frames, barrel extensions, firing pins, firing pin springs, ect. Nothing worse than a deadlined gun on the firing line because of a small part like a spring or firing pin breaking.

It's not a cheap endeavor whether you buy one or build one but building is cheaper and more rewarding.
 
An A6 setup is the cheapest way to go, just requires building the gun and slapping on the A6 kit. You can get them from Coles Distributing right now for around $110+shipping. I've never shot from one, but they are not regarded as being a very comfortable platform to use. The next step up is an MG-42 AA tripod + adapter, which will probably run you $250 w/o the T&E mechanism. Word of advice - get the T&E mechanism (another $100), it makes the gun much more stable.
 
TheFaz said:
An A6 setup is the cheapest way to go, just requires building the gun and slapping on the A6 kit. You can get them from Coles Distributing right now for around $110+shipping. I've never shot from one, but they are not regarded as being a very comfortable platform to use. The next step up is an MG-42 AA tripod + adapter, which will probably run you $250 w/o the T&E mechanism. Word of advice - get the T&E mechanism (another $100), it makes the gun much more stable.
Click to expand...

As far as comfort shooting the A6 setup, it was designed for shooting in the prone position, usually from behind a berm or sandbags and for rapid carry and deployment. Not very applicable on a target range but they look pretty cool with the conicle flash suppressor though. The carry handle balances the gun out nicely and the weight of the entire setup along with the action of the booster absorbs most of the recoil so its not punishing to shoot. A folded towel over the shoulder helps bring the gun up level in the rear.

Keep your eye out for an Emory Jones crankfire device, they are one of the finest and most fun accessories I've ever seen and used on the 1919. They are an excellent and rugged design, built to last. They run smoothe and really throw the lead down range simulating auto fire very well and perfectly legal to own...for now anyway. I don't think he is making them anymore but they come up for sale used once in a while on the 1919 board.

It is very easy to spend as much or more in accessories and spare parts than the gun costs, depending on what kind of tripod you get. Don't overlook building a tripod either, they are not hard to build and can be made inexpensively.

Ammo is the other expense, especially lately with the cost of ammo almost doubling in the past year and availability diminishing nationwide. In hindsight, I kick myself for not throwing ten grand worth of South African on a creditcard when it was $139/1260rds.[crying]

I've been reloading every piece of 7.62 nato brass that I have and saves me almost 50% compared to surplus. I load lighter than normal nato specs to increase the life of the brass. I advise against using Federal or UMC brass as they are both soft and really stretch in the chamber. Lake City, Cavim, Winchester, Hirtenberger, and most other miltary brass is preferred.

Owning a 1919 is an ongoing process of aquisitions. There's always one more thing to get to complete the collection.
 
80% receiver machine shops in MA?

Finalygotabeltfed said:
Buy a 1919a4 parts kit, an 80% semi auto right sideplate, rivets, a KMP trigger and semi sear and build it. They are not difficult to build and require a minimum of tools and its very rewarding to build your own. There are tutorials on the 1919a4 site to guide you. Internals can be machined by several guys on the board for reasonably cheap. Building it yourself can save you several hundred dollars, even after buying some tools..
Click to expand...

So, can I learn who, on this forum or elsewhere in MA, can do the machining for the side plates? I am not a machinist nor welder. With an 80% side plate costing under $100 and a finished one at $500-800+, it would make sense just to finish the 80% one.

Also, from 1919a4 and weaponeer forums, I think I have understood that a only a licenced (BATF?) person can make and sell the 100% side plates, since the side plate is now a firearm reciever and the seller needs their FFL. I have found several on those forums where I think I can send them my 80% plate and they send me back a 100%. But this return has to go to a MA FFL to get to me. So, hence, my search for a local shop.

Actually, some places will even take my 80% receiver and parts kits and send me back a finished complete rifle. But, this is almost as expensive as just buying the completed gun outright.

But what about me just giving a local MA shop my 80% plate to work on? I read somewhere that the owner of the plate must be "present" for the machining, so that it still falls under the "owner built firearm" definition. Otherwise when the plate gets to 100%, the machine shop will then have a firearm that they must transfer?

Can anyone who has already done this in MA, help set me straight on the rules?

Note: I am also getting ready to buy other receivers and kits, and want to find this machine shop first, before I go to far with my plans.
 
It is only the internals that need machining. The 80% side plate is completed by you with a drill...thats it. No machining is necessary on the plate except for maybe some minor fitting that can be done with a file. You drill it, rivet it to the trunnion, bottom plate and top plate and put in your machined semi auto parts and you are done except for finish.
You are the builder and owner of it. If you ever sell it it must be engraved with your name address and a serial number.
 
Only 1 word of caution, DO NOT GO NEAR GARTMAN ARMS IN WRENTHAM!!

I don't know if they are even still in business (they had a machine shop downstairs), but I sent someone there for the same thing and the lunatic owner threatened to call the BATFE on him (even though everything he wanted to do was legal) and literally terrorized the guy before throwing him out of the shop.
 
Well if you want to get a full bore setup and not build one the 1919a4 in the classifieds is THE way to go. he has just about Every accesory you could want.
You could buy it and sell off the stuff you don't want to get the price down to
a build. (just keep the A6 kit on the gun and sell the rest. the tripod (if an original ) is worth 600+ and the other parts are right up there.

I am building one as it is my current hobby, (building /smithing) and will come out cheaper but I am also fabbing my own tripod etc. Just an FYI.
 
As someone mentioned above all you need to finish your 80% sideplate is a drill press and a couple of different bits. The internal machining you send out - there's a guy in Virginia who does it very reasonably. Then you rivet the whole thing together, which takes a hammer, punch, and some bucking bars you can make out of screws and nuts. Once again, check out 1919a4.com for the full tutorial, or if you have any other questions PM one of us who have built one. If you think that the above work is beyond your abilities or desires, your best bet is to talk to somebody who's built one and get together with them to help you out. Belt-fed guys tend to be a friendly bunch, especially if you bring ammo!
 
I am still reading 1919a4.com, weaponeer, and now even MG42.us forums everyday. Amazing amount of information out there for the new guy. Yes, I am still looking at getting into building. I was leaning to building a 1919, until I talked to marc and now his deal looks pretty tempting, just because of him having all the toys in a single package.

Wildweasel - I saw you online at MG42.com this week. Are you considering a mg42/m53 build too? Kits are plentiful and cheap, but the 80% receivers are still up in the air for availability and good price. And, I am assuming all the demilled receivers have dried up or are priced way too high.

It is great to find so many people in Mass that have experience and interest in building.
 
Yup thats me over there. I am thinking about the M53 yugo (MG42 clone) but they will require a TON of work and messing around to get them to funtion correctly. the 1919 will be a cakewalk compared to that. I will likly get a kit and the reciever blanks once they come out. I have a small milling machine and lathe and am a decent welder. (gonna have to buy a TIG)

ALL the demilled recievers are expensive. you can find them (reciever only ) in the 800.00 range but then you would need the 200 yugo parts on top of that, then the semi parts. it is still a little up in the air about 922r compliance also.
(I will do the US compliance parts just to be safe. ) receiver and FCG and the grip stick.

AS for the 1919A4 I have the kit sideplate and the rest of the parts, just waiting on my semi parts to come back from being machined. (cheaper for me to send them out than to buy the tooling for one) I will be getting new parkerizing soulution and ill have to make some stainless tanks. I am also going to get a blast cabinit to clean things before parkerizing.

and it all will wait till I get my other projects done. (3 Ak's ) and some mods to my bushy m17)
 
Wildweasel said:
Yup thats me over there. I am thinking about the M53 yugo (MG42 clone) but they will require a TON of work and messing around to get them to funtion correctly. the 1919 will be a cakewalk compared to that. I will likly get a kit and the reciever blanks once they come out. I have a small milling machine and lathe and am a decent welder. (gonna have to buy a TIG)

ALL the demilled recievers are expensive. you can find them (reciever only ) in the 800.00 range but then you would need the 200 yugo parts on top of that, then the semi parts. it is still a little up in the air about 922r compliance also.
(I will do the US compliance parts just to be safe. ) receiver and FCG and the grip stick.

AS for the 1919A4 I have the kit sideplate and the rest of the parts, just waiting on my semi parts to come back from being machined. (cheaper for me to send them out than to buy the tooling for one) I will be getting new parkerizing soulution and ill have to make some stainless tanks. I am also going to get a blast cabinit to clean things before parkerizing.

and it all will wait till I get my other projects done. (3 Ak's ) and some mods to my bushy m17)
Click to expand...

Thats a hell of a lot of work to do and a lot of time wasted sending out stuff and waiting for stuff to come back and building stuff to finish stuff between the stuff you have to do to live. WHEN THE HELL DO YOU GET TO SHOT THE THING!!!
LIFE IS SHORT.
BUY MARCO'S GUN AND GET TO THE RANGE AND DO OTHER THINGS.
I know you might save $200- $300 and have the satisfaction of BUILDING IT YOURSELF but you can buy this and on the way home, back up your P.U. at the range and blast away.
Fred
 
actally I will save close to 500.00 And I LIKE fabricating things. (just for the gun) the deal listed in the for sale is a great deal. I allready said that.

Besides we are supposed to shoot them? LOL We are renewing our club membership this year (westfield sportsmans club) and while it is crappy weather I would much rather be building kits up. (I will have as much in the 3 ak's I built as one I would purchase here in mass. )

I used to build high end 4wd rockcrawlers but my health has kind of gone down the tubes and this still satifies the itch. not for everyone to be sure.

Besides Fred I figured you would buy the 1919a4 setup anyway! (or do you have one allready? ) (grin)
 
Is there anywhere anyone knowns of where they sell full 1919A4 parts kits (including the right side plate)?
 

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