Today, a comparison between a semiauto CETME-L rifle from MarColMar Firearms and one from HMG (albeit an example I built myself).
Semiauto pistol
KrauseWerke .45ACP Luger at RIA
The story of the .45ACP Lugers is a bit complex, and widely misunderstood. What most people believe is that two such guns were made for US military testing, one was lost, and the other is […]
Gunsmithing
The Fitz Special: Art of the Gunfighter, Circa 1926
This revolver is coming up for auction at Rock Island here. John Henry Fitzgerald was not the first person to cut down a revolver barrel, nor the first person to bob the trigger guard or […]
Prototype
Thompson SMG in 30 Carbine (Video)
When the US military released a request for what would become the M1 Carbine in 1940, the Auto-Ordnance Corporation offered up a Thompson submachine gun simply rechambered for the new .30 Carbine cartridge. This entailed […]
Had heard that MalColMar had actually changed the angle of the magwell in later guns, tilting it just slightly off the vertical & thereby improving feeding over the original? Anyone have insight?
Yes, the original suffered from notable feeding issues and could not use proper NATO magazines, that’s why it uses its own. MalColMar fixed this and allows it to use NATO mags.
What parts did MCM actually use of the kits? They used a new barrel, new trigger group housing, new furniture, refinished everything, new springs, new magazine etc. What was left original besides the muzzle device?
Not at all “a protectionist thing” (law enacted to tilt a market in favor of domestic manufacturers), given that the US industries copying foreign “assault weapons” (and compliance parts) arose after / as a result of these laws. The domestic-design MSR sector (Colt, Springfield) was much smaller then, routinely condemned as “merchants of death” by the same people who promoted 922(r), and slammed shortly thereafter by a ban on their own comparable products.
I have one of the first 40 HMG production guns made, and as Ian stated they only produced 100 rifles. Mine has run 100% reliable with the original springs, but as a precaution I did install MCM’s new spring kit. My only issue, that I found was somewhat common, is that my rear sight is cranked almost fully to the right for it to be properly zeroed at 100yds. It’s a fun gun to shoot and surprisingly accurate. She runs steel case like a champ so at least she’s a cheap date.
Yes, the original suffered from notable feeding issues and could not use proper NATO magazines, that’s why it uses its own. MalColMar fixed this and allows it to use NATO mags.