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I did a thing tonight.......bought a 1918A2 NESA BAR


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I committed to buying a New England Small Arms 1918A2 BAR a few hours ago. Purchased the gun and it comes with the bipod and 6 magazines.

 

Now the question is-what parts do I keep on hand?

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by Got Uzi
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I like it, that weapon has alot of character. It looks like you have an early lower that was modified to A2 based on the addition of the screwed on magazine guides. Also an early stock based on the angled stock sling swivel. I believe the front sight cover is later type as opposed to the early type with square holes. It seems lately that the early guns like Marlins and Winchester's have been more common on the for sale market, I have not seen many NESA guns. Congrats on your acquisition. I am new at this platform myself and I'm always looking to learn more; not yet certain what the common failure parts are. I have heard that gas regulators and tubes seem to be one area that can get you stuck. I did learn that the gas tubes new made by Ohio Ordnance for the semi 1918 A3 is fully compatible with original guns. Their regulators are not however, the gas port holes are larger to provide extra gas to cock the hammer back in the closed bolt system. there are several websites that have good supplies of original parts for sale, like BMG and Apex. Hopefully your gun is in good shape when you get it. Before I committed to the Winchester I purchased I met with the seller in person and inspected the gun, I never took the weapon apart for a detailed inspection. When I ended up getting the transfer approved unfortunately I learned the barrel was loose and not safe to shoot (it felt solid on my first inspection, but is retained by the gas tube; After I got the gun home, when the gas tube is removed I was able to easily unthread barrell by hand), thankfully the seller had a competent gunsmith make the repairs at his expense. Head spacing on these is not very adjustable, problems need to be corrected with a combination of barrel and bolt parts. on the other hand I hear this weapon system is more forgiving with headspace problems than many other guns. if you don't have it, the book "a rock and a hard place" is very informative about the history of the platform in addition to maintenance etc. Edited by nate129
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I have the book in hand and been reading before I committed to the purchase. Whats cool is the NESA guns have ties to Auto Ordance.

Congrats on the NESA BAR purchase. I just bought this one myself recently from Ken Keilholz. Great guns and they are hoot to shoot!

post-262001-0-44599100-1611715542_thumb.jpg

post-262001-0-02080700-1611715562_thumb.jpg

Edited by maxfaxdude
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Id buy a ww2 gas tube and ditch the carry handle and call it a day. I looked forever for an NESA gun, but everything I found were premays. Add in the typical spares that wear, springs, bolt, firing pin etc. Edited by David
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John ,

Congratulations. Looks like a really nice BAR. I imagine its a dealer sample.

In addition to stockpiling ammo, I recommend you have a bunch of form 3s on hand for when you trade it for something in the near future.

Jim C

Jim,

 

My NESA is actually a fully transferable C&R!

 

I'm sure there is an interesting story behind the IRS number.

 

I may do a FOIA on it.

 

John

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I have the book in hand and been reading before I committed to the purchase. Whats cool is the NESA guns have ties to Auto Ordance.

I did not know about the Auto Ordinance ties. I just re-read the NESA section in Rock in a Hard Place and noticed Maguire Industries Bridgeport CT was a sub contractor for barrel assemblies to NESA (NE-7). Also listed for bolt links for Elliot Addressing Machine (NE-3). Are there other connections?

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Max,

I'd like to get my guess in first.

I'll guess that your BAR was a presentation gun given to some person that contributed significantly to the war effort.

Your gun was finished except for the serial number, which was intentionally omitted to prevent someone from being accused from stealing a US government BAR.

Later, prior to 1968, it was registered and assigned a IRS number.

Inland Div of GM did this with hundreds of M1/M2 carbines.

That's my guess, any one else want to make a guess???????

Jim C

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I committed to buying a New England Small Arms 1918A2 BAR a few hours ago. Purchased the gun and it comes with the bipod and 6 magazines.

 

Now the question is-what parts do I keep on hand?

 

They are fun. My NESA is a bit earlier than yours, probably by a few months - 501XXX. Best I have been able to calculate for mine is April 1943. It came with a AOC replacement barrel dated 1944, have to find a photo of it to get the month for that barrel.

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I have the book in hand and been reading before I committed to the purchase. Whats cool is the NESA guns have ties to Auto Ordance.

Congrats on the NESA BAR purchase. I just bought this one myself recently from Ken Keilholz. Great guns and they are hoot to shoot!

 

Not much of a story at all. It's been completely surface ground and remarked with the IRS ser. number and the rest of the markings. Done about as well as possible. Nice!!

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I have the book in hand and been reading before I committed to the purchase. Whats cool is the NESA guns have ties to Auto Ordance.

I did not know about the Auto Ordinance ties. I just re-read the NESA section in Rock in a Hard Place and noticed Maguire Industries Bridgeport CT was a sub contractor for barrel assemblies to NESA (NE-7). Also listed for bolt links for Elliot Addressing Machine (NE-3). Are there other connections?

 

AOC barrel markings. This was the barrel on my BAR when I received it, due to the date differences between the serial number and barrel this had to have been a replacement barrel. Unfortunately some goober reenactor in this BAR's past ruined the barrel firing hot blanks which necessitated replacing the barrel as soon as I took possession of the rifle.

 

BAR2.jpg

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Thanks for the AOC mark picture, learned something new again. I always appreciate the depth of knowledge this community has.

 

Regarding the barrel damage from hot blanks, what is the symptom? A ring at or near the chamber that causes friction on chambering? Perhaps it's made worse by using a BFA too small causing excessive pressure. I have read on the Thompson forum about damaged rings seen in Thompson barrels especially ones that fire Swanson blanks. I do shoot blanks (alantic wall) in a 1980s M1 Hurley, no damage noted yet.

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Thanks for the AOC mark picture, learned something new again. I always appreciate the depth of knowledge this community has.

 

Regarding the barrel damage from hot blanks, what is the symptom? A ring at or near the chamber that causes friction on chambering? Perhaps it's made worse by using a BFA too small causing excessive pressure. I have read on the Thompson forum about damaged rings seen in Thompson barrels especially ones that fire Swanson blanks. I do shoot blanks (alantic wall) in a 1980s M1 Hurley, no damage noted yet.

 

The photos I need are on my shop computer and will post them tomorrow. One photo shows a GI throat erosion gage going in almost to the handle. While the barrel may have been fine for blanks I would not have dared firing live ammunition through it.

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Thanks for the AOC mark picture, learned something new again. I always appreciate the depth of knowledge this community has.

 

Regarding the barrel damage from hot blanks, what is the symptom? A ring at or near the chamber that causes friction on chambering? Perhaps it's made worse by using a BFA too small causing excessive pressure. I have read on the Thompson forum about damaged rings seen in Thompson barrels especially ones that fire Swanson blanks. I do shoot blanks (alantic wall) in a 1980s M1 Hurley, no damage noted yet.

 

Photo showing the throat erosion gage.

TE.jpg

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Congrats on your buying that NESA BAR ,its a beast to shoot but you will have so much fun shooting it

Tino

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