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Sportsman's Guide Just Hit A Home-run!


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I ordered a 1928 parts kit a week ago from their HQ catalog....under $600 shipped with a finned barrel, and I had to pay sales tax on it, too.

 

Local delivery company just dropped it off. So what did I get? http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/huh.gif

 

A parts kit from a brand new saw-cut gun! Not only that, aside from a tiny spot of rust on the front grip support it is unfired and absolutely flawless!

Not only that, the lower receiver has an A. O. serial number of 59718. only a few hundred away from my '28 Thompson(51,983)! (which has a mismatched Savage lower on it....I've been looking for an affordable lower in this s/n range since I bought the gun seven years ago!)....early Bridgeport production.

I don't know if this was a lend-lease gun, but the barrel is marked with a small "s" and has witness marks on the top of the barrel ring and receiver stub (small center-punch dents at twelve o'clock, with the dent on the rear barrel fin inside the loop on a "P" proofmark.

 

Wish I had the rear receiver piece.....wish I had the whole gun!!! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

Anyway, if this was cut as shipped from Bridgeport, this gun had no knurled parts and an "L" rear sight.....but it's possible that the rear Lyman sight that should have been on there was stripped off by whomever cut the guns apart. I know it wasn't S.G. as they have none for sale.....

Gun has a horizontal front grip marked "S", and I gotta say that the wood is flawless! Not a scratch or dent anywhere. The parts came heavily oiled and wrapped carefully in bubble-wrap, with lots of padding. Great job by the Guide!!

I gotta say I've looked at a lot of parts kits in the last couple years and this one is undoubtedly the nicest I've ever seen!

 

Anyway, I'm a real happy guy!!! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/woot.gif

 

now if the drums I ordered show up in as nice a shape as this parts kit.......

 

john

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QUOTE (john @ Feb 2 2006, 01:09 PM)
I don't know if this was a lend-lease gun, but the barrel is marked with a small "s" and has witness marks on the top of the barrel ring and receiver stub (small center-punch dents at twelve o'clock, with the dent on the rear barrel fin inside the loop on a "P" proofmark.

Anyway, if this was cut as shipped from Bridgeport, this gun had no knurled parts and an "L" rear sight.....but it's possible that the rear Lyman sight that should have been on there was stripped off by whomever cut the guns apart.

John,

 

The A.O. made guns would have come with a mix of other contractor parts. Initially, they only made the receivers and grip frames. The barrel on the gun is a Savage made, which would be correct.

 

That serial number range for A.O. guns would probably not have the knurled safety and fire selelct levers. Remember, Auto-Ordnance started building their own 1928A1's nearly a year after Savage was making them. The knurled parts were being phased out by then.

 

It may or may not have had a Lyman adjustable sight at that serial range. Frank's book has an approximate serial number cut-off, but I don't remember the exact number.

 

Glad your happy with the parts kit!

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When did you order it? Mine is on backorder still... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/sad.gif

 

DOH!! http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/buttkick.gif I reread the the "week ago" part.... Hmmm wonder why I went on backorder....

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I received SG's shooters catalog on Friday two weeks ago,and the '28 kit was featured on the back cover,on sale for $539(with buyers' club discount).I went online to order one on the following Tuesday,and the ad stated they were sold out.

They looked/described as new,so your example seems to indicate they were accurate in their description.

Glad the deal worked out for you.I don't think we will be seeing kits of this quality offered very much longer.

I don't know how accurate the info might be,but I read/heard somewhere that these were Russian lend-lease guns which were found stored in an old salt mine since WWII,10,000 or so units.The receivers are stamped with a Russian ordnance crown,usually on the right rear and left front sides.It does not appear they stamped any of the other components.There must have been quite a number of them,owing to the availability of kits here in the States,as well as the number of complete guns all over Europe.

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I ordered one from the guide middle of January, and I got a message it shipped yesterday. I hope mine is in the same shape as Johns. I will let everyone know. I have looked at the thompson parts kit for about 4 years, and I figured with the barrel ban that they were not going to get any cheaper.

 

P.S Does anyone know if the guide has any more of the WW11 drums? I saw them one day, went back to order one and I could not find them.

 

Tobacco Man

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I ordered it a week and a half ago....and mine was immediately backordered also. Maybe someone cancelled and I got lucky?

Anyway, being only 12 miles away they use a local courier so delivery takes a day only.

 

My A.O. gun has a mismatched Savage lower with the knurled safety and selector and a knurled actuator. My gun also has a Lyman sight but the guy I bought it from said that he had replaced an "L" sight. These parts will be ratholed in case I ever get tired of shooting it and have it restored to original (former owner also polished and reblued the gun...YIKES!

 

But it runs great!

 

I'm wondering where these came from? I also ordered a pouch and five 20-round mags same time for a bit over a hundred $$....but that was also backordered.

 

Guess I'll have to start checking the closeout store as the Guide usually puts odd parts on the shelf CHEAP.... http://www.machinegunbooks.com/forums/invboard1_1_2/upload/html/emoticons/tongue.gif

 

john

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