18 replies to this topic

[PATHFINDER]

I ran across a series of photos of a stainless steel 1927A1 and drum. The gun is serial number No. 7354.
The text that accompanied the photos states over and over this in not a nickle silver plating job and that the entire weapon is made from SS.
By looking at the photos I am undecided that it is SS.
I will forward the rest of the pics to any one who wants them and you draw your own conclusions. Or if you have any info as to these guns really existing, please post it here .

Chris

[Sgt]

It's kind of like the commorative thompsons. Even with the pretty gold letters and the glossy stock, it would make some consider refinishing it back to military.

[cavediver]

Loohs like a satin nickel finish. I could buy machining the gun out of stainless but the drum would take alot more work.

[Norm]

ODDBALL27A1 has a WH just like this with a matching drum.

Maybe he could shed some light on the subject.

[SecondAmend]

Why it's just perfect for our yacht, Muffy!

[PATHFINDER]

Here is close up of the drum

[full auto 45]

That's not a "L" drum either. It is a "XL" or 39 round drum. Unless they didn't stamp the cover. It almost looks like it is polished steel.

[Waffen Und Bier]

What about the M1A2, the stainless variant of the M1A1 made for the Navy?

[full auto 45]

Wasn't that also called the RU486? if I recall only one or two of the M1A2's were made. That way they wouldn't rust in salt water, right?

[brian]

man, that thing would have weigh near 20lbs just for the gun, IF it is in deed SS. i'm kinda leaning toward the polished steel side as well.

[PATHFINDER]

QUOTE (colt21a @ Jul 1 2004, 11:47 PM)

a few urban legends have been started with that stuff...........along with a mp-40 dual mag feed gun

Let me sort through my travel pictures Ron, I have a picture of the MP-40/II double magazine weapon that is in the Imperial War Museum (London). The Britts also wrote a technical report on it during the war, which is available through the IWM archives service.

This idea was dropped for several reasons: Who cares if you parody the capacity of the PPsH 72 round drum if you do not match its cyclic rate? Also huge numbers of PPsH were being captured and used at the time. (This advantage was negated by modifying them to take MP-40 magazines!!) The development of the MKb-42 and the concept of the assault rifle were being perused by the Waffen Ampt. And finally, once one mag was done you had to draw the bolt to the rear and reengage the sear and THEN slide the double mag carrier over the next magazine. It did not feed alternately from both mags at the same time as has often been wrongly stated.

In the end the only advantage it gave was you could change your empty mag while keeping the weapon ready to fire with the loaded mag in position with the bolt. And it made the relatively light MP-40 as heavy as a Thompson!!

[ODDBALL27A1]

QUOTE (Norm @ Jul 1 2004, 03:30 PM)

ODDBALL27A1 has a WH just like this with a matching drum. Maybe he could shed some light on the subject.

REPLY FROM ODDBALL27A1...
The pictures shown are of a gun I own. A fellow from up North has recently offered to buy the gun and will become its new owner soon. I'll let him know about this new interest in the beast. There were a considerable number of pages here in the Forum devoted to a discussion about this gun some time ago. What I wrote then still applies. Nobody has come up with a definitive answer. It's very hard to believe anyone would spend the time and effort to remove the blue and polish this thing. I could believe it of the 39-rd drum, but not the gun. There is not the SLIGHTEST TRACE of any finish whatsoever anywhere on either, even around rivet heads, etc. on the drum. Back then I had several photos of it posted on a friend's business website, including the one's shown here.
ODDBALL27A1 aka Jack

[Norm]

Link to old post on this gun! Sorry- no pictures

[brian]

check it with a magnet. the better grades of SS are NON-magnetic.
but i don't know what grade of SS is used in gun biulding....

all carbon steel IS "sticky"

[96lt1ss]

Well the gun #7354 Chris was talking about is in fact the sam gun I bought from ODDBALL27A1.

Right now it is in PK's possesion for repair and evaluation; soon we will know what it is made of or plated with, I don't believe it will turn out to be polished though.

It's different but it really is pretty cool, I wish it was a little more of a brushed look than high polish. Until I can find out more about how it came to be nothing will be changed.

[PATHFINDER]

Thanks for the update. I am waiting with baited breath for the final outcome of PK's evaluation!

[Grey Crow]

Hopefully if the gun is made of stainless, the bolt is of steel, galling can occur when two pieces of stainless move against one another. There is a special grease made to aid in reducing the problem though.

[Ron Mills]

Years ago at a gun show in Nebraska, I saw what I thought was a nickel-plated M1A1. Maybe it was one the stainless ones. The dealer that had it was R & R Guns, out of Palmyra, Nebraska. He thought it was nickel, and was wondering why anyone would finish or refinish a nice M1A1 like that. Interesting about the non-magnetic property of SS. Thanks for pointing that out.

[96lt1ss]

Well PK has looked at it and said definitely plating not stainless, he is going to send a piece to the plater for evaluation.