Joseph Scott

I visited him 8/10 and checked progress. H has all the tops done, the bottoms cut out and ready to bend, the end pieces and bottom braces cut out, dies made and ready to press form. The door and hinges are next. His wife has been severely ill and restricting his shop time. Will report next month.

Straight grain American walnut per original specs.

Stock know-how. I have just about finished videoing how I fit my stocks. This effort is to preserve my know-how whenever I have to sell my business and fixtures. Now, if I can learn how to edit on a Mac computer?? Video will not be for sale separately, only as part of a package deal. I do have several stocks ready to sell. I want to give credit to John Darling who designed, built and sold me his stock fixture when he gave up the business. Thanks for all the comments.

Not sure what that was. I am not very knowledgeable about the LMG's, however the ones I am familiar with do not have a separate hammer block, everything fit inside the lower. Did you mean the trigger sear hooks or the hammer(trigger) block housing? They did a lot of development work and it could have come from a later version. Just don't know.

This may not interest some but I will expound on the hammer block design and machining. it looks simple but is actually a complex piece of machine work. From a forging, first cut must establish a base line which I suspect is the back of the lug against the recoil key, then the flat top side is cut and then both sides cut with dual cutters spaced apart. With these flats made, the work can then be held in various jigs. Various holes then drilled all the way through using hardened drill guides for precise locations. Then the top would be milled out using several size cutters. Inside the bottom are side protrusions which hold and guide the trigger bar. Milling must be done to leave metal for them and then a flat bottom saw was run under them to undercut. At some time, a saw cut was made to allow the trigger bar to go in. Then a drill and milling cut made for base of hammer spring. The ends were milled square and to length and drilled for magazine pin. A mill cut for the safety was made inside, the grooves for the sliding fit to receiver was milled with a thick saw. There was a broaching step for a square hole towards front. The little slots for the bolt catch were made. (I just don't see how that might have been done). Also the bottom lug was threaded for 1/4-28 screw. I am sure I missed lots of steps but it is a very ingenious piece of engineering and machining. It may have taken as much work as the receiver and large number of mills, drills, cutters and jigs. A jig designer is probably more important than the machinist running the machines. I wonder if they might have been subcontracted as I can't see a small company doing thousands but I don't know how much machinery they had. Long winded but I hope informative.

I realized that it would be helpful to future owners to pencil the date of your main spring on the inside of the butt plate. I have sold over a hundred and the thought never occurred to mark the date somewhere on the guns. I pencil marked a plate "new main spring, 8/29/13".

Thanks for comments. When I say prefitted/presanded, mine really are. Lots of people have carved the outsides, but extremely few, have gotten the recoil tube setup correct.

This subject was also covered in "The Garand Stand" monthly publication several years ago.

The receiver was cut too far back to make a look-a-like. Usually you cut off flush with the slots. Tried to post picture but didn't get it to show. My video is copy-righted and I don't care to give it away. Hope to update it some day.

A person bought a rifle to resell sight unseen. Seller said it needed the bolt stop and bolt stop plate. I tried to explain about the slots for stop plate and he said he did not see slots. So he sent pictures. The last 1 inch of receiver has been sawed off for some unknown reason. The gun has one of my stocks, so I think seller knew something about the rifles and didn't tell buyer about missing end. Buyer will try to return gun for a refund,

The reason for this forum is to share information, I try not to be long winded. Wish I knew how to inform persons not aware of the wealth of information available. Most seem only to know about parts pages in the big dealers catalogs. If you belong to other forums, or websites, spread the word. Could someone make a U tube video of the basic field stripping of rifle with link back to this forum and website?

1/16" under length is fine, should not be the problem. Does your bolt catch work manually? Sounds like bolt is not cycling back far enough. If the gun is clean, that leaves the chamber as likely problem. I use a small 12 mm diameter "flexhone" available from machinists supply houses. You can use water or honing oil. Run, with lubricant, fairly slow in variable drill, slowly force down to shoulder, keep moving backward and forwards. Depending on what you see on a polished, fired case, I suggest about 2 min for first try. Clean & dry bore and test fire with polished rounds, repeat honing and testing until it cycles ok. I have had to do as many as seven runs to the range. I did find one barrel that had good tapered walls but had a small groove in the neck portion of chamber, look at full length of cases. After several jobs, as the flexhone wears, the ends of the little wires will come through the emery balls. Don't use it to that point, as it will scratch the chamber worse than before.

With the bolt back, try moving barrel down to insure no drag, it should return fast. It is more common for chambers to have minute pitting which you can't see but drags on brass. Polish a unfired round with Skotch Brite by chucking bullet in 3/8" drill until all scratches are gone. Fire and inspect case with a magnifier looking for very small smeared spots. If you don't see any, try small amount of oil on case. If it cycles well, problem is chamber. Other possible areas to inspect are the recoil tube and the follower. I have seen tubes with a worn spot about 3/4" down which slowed cycle. Also inspect follower that the vent holes from the spring side are open. Small hole from bottom and a cross hole to vent air during cycle. If main spring has grease, clean and replace with some type of oil. The usual problem with springs are originals took a set and eject cases too hard. I have never had a problem with my new springs. Also inspect bolt lugs and be sure the back edges are not burred. Occasionally I find bolt lugs or collar internal lugs that are hammered. Dress with jeweler's file.

I have thought about that subject and had a local friend lined up to learn the craft. However he moved away. As I make items in small lots as needed, it would be impractical to teach someone in a reasonable time period. I want to video various machining work so that knowhow can be passed on. I want this so my equipment and parts can be sold as a going business instead of just used machinery. Generally, I am in good health except one eye and hope to be around for many years. This work is a labor of love and keeps me busy and healthy. It needs someone with knowledge of manual milling, manual lathes and small turret lathes. No cnc currently involved. I also have sources of information that I do not share that allows me to understand the design and function of the rifle. Equipment consists of about 15 various machines, three large, heavy ones and the rest smaller. Much tooling. Not sure when I might want to sell out, will keep going as long as possible. Joe

I think the regulation is that modifications must be by welding or machining something away such that installing original parts can't make it run. Not experienced with the Johnson LMG's but know of other cases where minor changes to replaceable parts caught someone on charges.

I am having eye problems again and not working lathe due to bad depth perception. Undergoing treatment and hope it will clear up as it did last year. Have a barrel half done and can't finish it, will try to make several when I can.

When using a 41 or Dror lower, you must permanently modify them against full auto function. ATF rules require modifications such that replacing parts can't activate it. Brian has the most experience with this.

tsnguy has ordered a stock from me for his gun, not for a pattern.

I went to see him this week and he is shooting to finish them within a month. I will have to add the front and back mounting steel parts. So far he has made about 16 various dies for the work, they will be extremely like the originals. The delays have been disappointing but typical for small orders for a shop. I would have approached the job different by having pieces water-jet cut and then hand bend them over a form. I tried but I could not form the hinges. His work is much more precise (and costly) but will be worth it. Have patience.

I have replied to messages. I have three new stocks ready to sell, more stocks and forearms ready soon.

For our newer members, the search feature in the upper right allows you to search for many topics which may have been discussed before. Try it. Also found a website on the Dutch navy (www.dutchfleet.net) which has a small english part. A search for Dutch East Indies found more history.

I am of the opinion that the coloring is after market. I looked at original glossy factory photographs and did not see any enhancement of the lettering. Also the blueprints for the rear sights do not call out for any coloring. It may have been done later for sporterized rifles. Most military sights are set for "battle range" and seldom changed. Also I suspect that the Dutch were concerned about cost and likely did not request enhancement. The coloring was popular with hunters, who do change sights, back when and there was a yellow shade as well as white.

Mismatched collar and barrel numbers definitely indicate rebarreling by someone. I know of persons in Houston that in the sixties used to buy parts and assemble guns for sale. Check headspace as per any .30-06. Remove the link from mainspring and close bolt lightly by hand on gages. I have found several rebarreled jobs with short chambers (bolt would not close on 1.940 min gage). Found several that persons had faced off collar trying to reduce headspace. This really screws things up as the extractor doesn't have enough room and sights, etc, are off. Every factory matched set checked good on headspace. They did fine work back then.

To my knowledge, there was no known definite change-over date or number. Wartime production was hectic and anything was possible. For instance, Mauser produced solid walnut stocks late in the war when the blanks dried enough to use. Others have researched company history and are working on a new book. Maybe they might have more information.

The original stamped numbers were not drawing numbers, drawings called out the factory part number such as R87X, or R1X, which was the receiver assembly. X designated an assembly of parts. It is my belief that the small numbers on parts were a means to keep track of how many items were made for the Dutch order as they were paying for production.