Rekraps Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 Just took my M.P.18,I to the range and thought a few hints and experiences with the gun may be of value to others. My M.P.18,I is a very late mfg gun (SN 35,217) with 21 matching serial numbers. The gun was factory modified to a side stick version (20 round single stack proprietary magazines) in 1932 and does not carry the 1920 police date stamp on the receiver. Spare parts are impossible to find, to include extractors, bolts, recoil springs and especially magazines. A few observations during my ownership: The OEM bolts use proprietary firing pins that slot in from the rear, with the recoil spring sliding inside the firing pin and over a recoil spring guide rod in the rear of the receiver. This design is terrible as the spring is prone to kinking. The bolts are SN matched to each gun, with a SN matched extractor, firing pin and charging handle. The OEM bolts are machined to accept ONLY Hugo Schmeisser 20 round single stack units. The extractors are sorta interchangeable with MP28 and MP38u40 parts. Some minor modification may be necessary. I was able to convince Jason at IO to reverse engineer the OEM bolt and modify it slightly to accept OEM 20 round stick magazines AND modified Sten magazines. The modification to the bolt included slightly widening the feed lips to accommodate both the OEM magazines (slightly narrower) and Sten magazines. The Sten magazines had to be modified to a 2mm narrower sleve in order to fit into the M.P.18,I magazine well. The modified bolt appears identical to the OEM bolt and uses OEM firing pins and recoil springs. Of course, this bolt is still subject to the OEM smaller diameter recoil spring kinking. The M.P.18,I operates flawlessly and best IF you use a fully interchangeable Lanchester bolt, firing pin and recoil spring. The dimensions of the bolt match perfectly and the recoil spring is a large diameter type that does not kink or bind. All three parts fit into the M.P.18,I perfectly and make the gun shoot great. The Lanchester bolt also accommodates both the OEM stick magazines and the Sten magazines. The OEM 20 round stick magazines are super hard to find and are very well constructed with stainless steel followers. All magazines were SN matched to guns, although this was clearly done outside of the factory as the magazines I have sport multiple SNs. I have also installed a small thickness rubber "O" gasket around the recoil spring guide rear to prevent any unintentional stress on the wood stock when firing. I was able to locate a stash of OEM magazines and firing pins if anyone needs a back-up. I have one extra firing pin and five or six of the original stick magazines. The FP will run $200 and the magazines are $500 each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted May 24 Report Share Posted May 24 (edited) Are you sure the MP18,I mag in single-stack or is it double-stack single-feed? The Lanchester/Sten, MP28 and MP38u40 mags are all "Schmeisser pattern" double-stack single-feed. MP28,II mags aren't quite as impossible to find as those for an MP18,I but almost. They probably will fit. Aftermarket MP38u40 mags might fit as well with a little surgery FWIW If a Lanchester bolt fits, an MP28,II bolt probably does as well. The 28 uses virtually the same spring as the Lanchester. BTW this probably should have been posted in the German SMG forum not the British Edited May 24 by StrangeRanger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted May 25 Author Report Share Posted May 25 17 hours ago, StrangeRanger said: Are you sure the MP18,I mag in single-stack or is it double-stack single-feed? The Lanchester/Sten, MP28 and MP38u40 mags are all "Schmeisser pattern" double-stack single-feed. MP28,II mags aren't quite as impossible to find as those for an MP18,I but almost. They probably will fit. Aftermarket MP38u40 mags might fit as well with a little surgery FWIW If a Lanchester bolt fits, an MP28,II bolt probably does as well. The 28 uses virtually the same spring as the Lanchester. BTW this probably should have been posted in the German SMG forum not the British Thanks. I was not sure where to post. I'll double check the mags, but as is most often, you may be right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 (edited) edited for clarity Edited Tuesday at 11:48 AM by johnsonlmg41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted May 25 Report Share Posted May 25 I've never had my hands on an MP18,1 so I was merely suggesting possible alternatives based on probability. I never suggested that he alter vintage mags only that he trial fit them. Aftermarket MP38u40 mags are fair game Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted May 25 Author Report Share Posted May 25 3 hours ago, johnsonlmg41 said: DON'T EVER modify MP28 mags to fit an MP18. Non kinking much better springs are available for the MP18. Modified Sten mags can work in both guns, but it's a project......but worth doing if you don't have one or need one to run. MP40 style probably won't work without a lot of extra work over a sten mag, which is cheaper and easier. No need to mess with the bolt at all, but if you feel the need that's fine. Interesting because until I had IO make a modified bolt, the STEN mags would not feed. Modifying the STEN mags is a dremel project, so I only did three, then had to reblue them. Quite frankly, the OEM 20 rounders work just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 FWIW both Baum's translation of the Schmitt Machine Pistols 18,1/28,2/Erma/38/40/34 manual and the Gazette des Armes special issue on "Les P.M. Allemandes" show the MP18,1 and MP28,II mags as interchangeable so if you want genuine 32 round mags to go with your shooter-grade FrankenStens.... Be prepared for pain but you've already bought MP18,I mags so you know what to expect Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted May 26 Author Report Share Posted May 26 4 hours ago, StrangeRanger said: FWIW both Baum's translation of the Schmitt Machine Pistols 18,1/28,2/Erma/38/40/34 manual and the Gazette des Armes special issue on "Les P.M. Allemandes" show the MP18,1 and MP28,II mags as interchangeable so if you want genuine 32 round mags to go with your shooter-grade FrankenStens.... Be prepared for pain but you've already bought MP18,I mags so you know what to expect Thanks! Now I never see MP28 mags for sale either.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 (edited) edited for clarity Edited Tuesday at 11:48 AM by johnsonlmg41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 FWIW Finnish Sten mags didn't fit in my Lanchester but did fit (just barely) in my Sten. It would be interesting to see how they fit an MP28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnsonlmg41 Posted May 26 Report Share Posted May 26 (edited) edited for clarity Edited Tuesday at 11:46 AM by johnsonlmg41 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted May 26 Author Report Share Posted May 26 Clearing up a bit of my confusing rhetoric from above, the IO bolt I had made works perfectly with both OEM 20 rounders AND modified (collar width) STEN mags. MP38u40 mags will not fit without the same mod. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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