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Converted OOW A3 to WW1 style


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I've just about finished the conversion of my OOW 1918A3 from the WW2 A2 style to the WW1 style. BMGparts.com provided the really nice repro stock set, repro flash hider, and what they said was their last complete BAR rear sight ladder. Apexgunparts.com provided the milled rear sight body. Gunpartscorp.com (Numrich) provided the rear sight axis screw and round slotted axis screw nut, and leaf spring (all from the Enfield M1917 and they worked on my BAR rear sight with a single minor mod). I owe a debt of gratitude to Oldtrooper's son Jake (S&S Machine, LLC in Indiana) for tackling this project. His work involved getting the A2 rear sight off (no small feat in itself!), fitting the early style rear sight to fit the A3 slot, drilling out the leaf spring hole larger, manufacturing a rear sight mounting screw, milling off the mag guide wings, Cerekoting the gas regulator black, stripping off the Parkerizing, and bluing the entire gun and mags. As nice as the gun looks in the pics, it looks even better in person! I highly recommend him.

 

All I have left to do is installing the early-style A2 gas regulator (which is being blued). When it's all said and done, I'll still come in several thousand less than having to buy one of the OOW M1918 "Colt" exclusives. Who needs a silly Italian leather case anyway!

 

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1324/13790650/24851870/414396507.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1324/13790650/24851870/414396508.jpg

Edited by cantgrowup
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My WW1-style OOW reconfiguration is complete. Today I received a WW1 style gas regulator from BMGparts.com that is a new-manufacture with gas ports configured for the OOW A3 semi-auto gun. It was $149.95 +$10 S&H. I had to do a lot of thread polishing with a grinder wire wheel to get it to go all the way into the A3 gas tuble/block, but it is in now and..... my rifle now looks like the WW1 config BARs. It even comes with the three separate circles stamped on the front to indicate port size.

 

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1324/13790650/24851870/414398227.jpg

 

But... I've learned from my historical B&C photo analysis, that it is NOT in Clyde Barrow configuration. Clyde apparently routinely removed the flash hider, the front and rear sling swivels, and in some cases the rear sight itself. This doesn't include the rifles that he sawed the barrel and rear stocks off. But mine is now in the configuration in which he stole them from National Guard armories. As a foot note, Dallas Sheriff's Deputy Ted Hinton used a loaned Texas National Guard M1918 BAR in the ambush and he removed the flash hider.

Edited by cantgrowup
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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks! I collect examples of the firearms that were either used by the Clyde Barrow gang or those used against them by LEO. This 1918 configured BAR (albeit only a semi :blush: ) is now the centerpiece of my collection!

You need a Remington Model 8 if you don't already have one ...

 

post-260006-0-47698200-1585328106_thumb.jpg

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Here's my Remington Model 8 "Clyde Killer" in .35 Rem with flat-knob pistol grip (without checkering) . It is in the exact same configuration as the rifle Prentiss Oakley borrowed from Dr. Shehee. Finding this rifle in this caliber, same date-range, and stock set-up was extremely difficult and expensive (previous owner wanted to keep it ALMOST as much as I wanted it). But it was a sight cheaper than the $64,000 that the real deal garnered at auction. :happy:

 

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1324/13790650/24851870/414404192.jpg

 

I also have a plain-Jane Model 8 in .30 Rem which mirrors the other Model 8's used by the posse.

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Here's my Remington Model 8 "Clyde Killer" in .35 Rem with flat-knob pistol grip (without checkering) . It is in the exact same configuration as the rifle Prentiss Oakley borrowed from Dr. Shehee. Finding this rifle in this caliber, same date-range, and stock set-up was extremely difficult and expensive (previous owner wanted to keep it ALMOST as much as I wanted it). But it was a sight cheaper than the $64,000 that the real deal garnered at auction. :happy:

 

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1324/13790650/24851870/414404192.jpg

 

I also have a plain-Jane Model 8 in .30 Rem which mirrors the other Model 8's used by the posse.

Nice ... Jake has rebuilt two of these rifles for me inside and out .. I have one more in the safe waiting on shop time ... They are definitely shoulder thumpers.

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