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Posted: 4/15/2024 9:43:33 PM EDT
Does anyone have one of these? Are they good to go or do they have issues? I have all the parts for a BM59 Ital. I actually milled a receiver and built a BM59E. I want to build the shorter barrel version now. Is the gen 2 JRA receiver good?

https://www.jamesriverarmory.com/index.php?dispatch=categories.view&category_id=40
Link Posted: 4/15/2024 10:53:54 PM EDT
[#1]
If you have experience milling a receiver, you could get a rack grade Garand from CMP for less than that, and once you’ve finished converting its receiver you have lots of spare parts left over.
Link Posted: 4/15/2024 10:56:38 PM EDT
[#2]
Link Posted: 4/16/2024 8:50:16 AM EDT
[#3]
I have a Gen-1 receiver I built on an Italian kit.  They sold bare receivers back then (8-10 years ago?)  It has given me no trouble and worked well from the start and assembled fine.

I think the difference is that Gen-2 is forged billet and Gen-1 is cast.  Generally people prize forgings vs cast as they should have superior strength,

You could convert a Garand receiver however they are hardened steel and require a machinist with carbide tooling willing to cut it - Schuufs had a service for this - It is not a typical DIY Smith project unless you are familiar with machining.

Garand prices from CMP are not as inexpensive as they used to be, last time I was at a CMP store, many Rack Grades were heavily pitted receivers, but still serviceable - not sure if they are better but they are a GI forged part that otherwise met dimensional specs.



Link Posted: 4/22/2024 8:04:04 PM EDT
[#4]
Following this thread for any information.  I have a BM59 kit I would like to build but do not want to alter a Garand receiver.
Link Posted: 4/22/2024 8:58:35 PM EDT
[#5]
JRA's website says they will take your barrel and bolt and headspace them to their Gen2 receiver for $849  

They seem to be able to make M14s so I'd think they could do a BM59.  My Gen-1 JRA receiver is fine - I had pics on an old thread on this website years ago.
https://www.ar15.com/forums/General/-ARCHIVED-THREAD-ITALIAN-BM59-kits-hitting-surplus-market-/5-1860218/?page=12
Link Posted: 4/23/2024 9:01:06 PM EDT
[#6]
I have a Grade A Gen 1 and it’s been a great rifle.  I prefer it to my SA M1A. A Gen 2 receiver will be at least as good.



Link Posted: 5/20/2024 8:07:37 AM EDT
[Last Edit: cherenkov] [#7]
Thanks to this thread, I sent in some parts for JRA to mount to a Gen2 Receiver. (they will take your bolt, barrel and mount it to a Gen 2 receiver)

It took a little over a week for them to come back to my FFL with a new receiver.  It looks a lot better finished than the Gen-1 - very nicely done.

Some minor fitting getting it together, my Mag/Release catch needed a little filing to hit the mag follower - it was binding against the metal feed lips just in front of the pad.  The front mag catch block needed some file work fo fit perfect.  It would fit, but was stubborn, so I did some file work and its perfect now.
I did some lapping and polishing of the carrier to the action - it is butter smooth.

I finally took it to the range yesterday and ran a bunch of ZQI 7.62 through it.  Zero problems, functioned 100%.

I went to look for BM59 mags and I wish I had picked more up a few years ago - they went up! (like everything!!!)  Glad I got 8 back when they were like $30 each, should have gotten more (as always).


Link Posted: 5/21/2024 7:50:36 PM EDT
[#8]
Forged is the way  …. As the longtime Camp Perry M1 pros will tell you, “Cast don’t last.”
Link Posted: 6/7/2024 9:02:48 PM EDT
[#9]
Discussion ForumsJump to Quoted PostQuote History
Originally Posted By Nick_Adams:
Forged is the way  …. As the longtime Camp Perry M1 pros will tell you, “Cast don’t last.”
View Quote


Do those Camp Perry pros have a specific round count when cast receivers fail?
I for one am very interested in any data you'd have to share.
Link Posted: 6/8/2024 7:57:07 AM EDT
[#10]
Undoubtedly Forged is better than cast, but likely cast if properly done is suitable for the gun.

When I was a young lad in the 80s working in a gun shop, The Camp Perry guys of that era literally laughed at my Heavy barrel AR15 and said it wasn't worthy to shoot woodchucks with.  Back then nobody shot competitively with an AR, the A2 was just emerging and SGW and a few others were rolling out some heavy barrels.  When you break through the paradigm, you get flak, rumors, and some truth speckled in.

 I would hear conversation after conversation from these guys that shot competitively, but they have their biases - some based in fact and some on rumor.  We all do it to some degree.
Link Posted: 6/27/2024 12:41:53 PM EDT
[#11]
I've never heard of a serious HP competitor wearing out a cast M1A receiver.  And I know guys who shot out several barrels on their rifles.  As for the AR circa the mid '80s -- it simply wasn't competitive with the M14 type rifles until the 80gr SMK was available a good ten years later.  Once the higher BC bullets were available and the rules were relaxed to permit float tubes, the M14s all but disappeared in a very few years.
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