I really really like this idea!
Is it a two piece design? How are the two pieces held in?

Ok, my curiosity got the best of me and I just ordered one of those 50 round Lanchester mags. All I really wanted was one of the ring type sten loaders but then I decided I just had to have one of those mags! I just mailed off the order to A.M.I. so I should get it in about a week and a half. I'll post a picture of it in my 9mm AR.

Kaliburz,
I was wondering if it would be possible to add the sten mag shortening pictures to that site you have since I've noticed over time some of the other pictures have disappeared from the original posts. The disappearance may have something to do with the photo site but it would be a shame to loose this info.

I'm still trying to locate a two piece magwell conversion (at a good price) but most of the conversions were the original Colt units that used roll pins to hold them in place and they've all been missing the ejector(???). Does anybody know if these "Roll Pin" types can be modified to use set screws?

One last thing, I got some sten mags from tapco a long time ago and I just tried (for practice)to modify them and I don't know if it's my imagination but they seem to be easier to cut and drill than the uzi mags I have!!!!

Well, I went to the next step -- I've been looking over the topic in the "Build it yourself" forum on "Kitchen sink Parkerizing" and I just did my first mag. It's one of the short ones.

It has a nice black satin finish and I'll test to see how durable it is compared to Brownell's Aluma hyde on the other short mag I have.

I cleaned the heck out of the mag body then sprayed it with brake cleaner. I only did the mag body, The follower seems to be plated(!!!) and I left the end cap as it was. I used the new copper pennies per the kitchen sink parkerizing project -- they are made of zinc and just copper plated. I also tried the black stuff in the alkaline batteries but I must have done something wrong because it just didn't work at all. Using the pennies seem to work better for me. I would like to find a shop that has both powdered zinc and the manganese dioxide powder so I don't have to mess with old batteries and pennies. the second mag that I tried the manganese on is the one I did over with the brownell's Aluma Hyde. The acid did a nice job of etching the mag body so I figured the Aluma Hyde would really hold on. I guess I'll find out! One of the people who had also done some of the parking and was a major poster in that kitchen sink topic recommended sandblasting the item to be parked but I was in a hurry and just wanted to try this -- still, it's really nice but I can imagine it could be even better.
Hey, by the way it's good to see you back here again! Any news on the upper?

You stuff's lookin good, AR-fan! I'm still waiting on the upper, and am hoping for either the end of this week, or beginning of next week. I think I have my blocks set so they'll work fine (hopefully), just need to test it all out. Waiting is killing me! I may try the kitchen sink parking method for the mags. What about the chemicals that Brownells sells? Could you do the same thing, just with those chemicals? Thanks.

-Gloftoe

Dang!!! That thing is long.

There is another place to get stuff for plating. The Eastwood company... they're mainly for car stuff, but they had econo kits to plate (bolts and trim). So, who knows... maybe it would work. Been a while since I got a catalog and don't know the web addy....

J_E_D,

I've thought of a way to make one, but there really isn't any room in between the mag and mag well. If one was made, the flange to hold it together would have to be on top (and be thin). One could extend the block lower, so part of it sticks out. Then one could add "re-informent" straps on the side after install (screw the front and back together for support).

Or, when this stuff goes into production (I'm hoping someone picks it up), you could get another lower and make it a 9. Your call.....

I'm trying to duplicate my block. In the works...

Originally Posted By Kaliburz: J_E_D, Or, when this stuff goes into production (I'm hoping someone picks it up), you could get another lower and make it a 9. Your call.....

I suppose I could get another lower. It's just that the lower I have now is registered on Form 4 and is probably worth at least 4 pre-bans. It's pre-the-ban-that-probably-will-never-sunset.

I'm taking stuff to put on consignment today to start financing exactly this project. I'll probably buy whichever one piece block looks like it can be most easily hacked apart and reassembled with the .457" front section. As long as I can find one that isn't all aluminum I should be ok.

Any tips? ASA one piece? RRA one piece?

I though about setting up a post ban semi gun. I don't have any semi-auto rifles any more.

After firing a post-86 dealer sample Colt 9mm M16 I REALLY want a full auto 9mm setup.
Especially a flat top with an EOTech 5xx.

If none of you guys thinks that a one piece block is possible then I'm not going to screw with it.

Thanks to all of you guys for doing this stuff! Whoever takes this to production should at least give you guys some credit somewhere!

Well, there are some Uzi blocks that work by just dropping into the top, right? Without pins or set screws? I cant' seem to find one right now, but I thought I had seen some before. If so, how do they work?

Seems to me that the problem with a top drop-in block, with no pins or screws to hold it, would be the block moving upwards when slamming a mag home. The block would move up, and the bolt would bind on either in the rear on the ejector, or the front on the feed ramp.

Am I mistaken about some blocks that just drop in from the top, with no screws or pins to hold it?

-Gloftoe

I guess for a two piece block, you could make it kind of a press-fit thing. Taper the front and back blocks, so they have to press in? Nothing too drastic, just so that they couldn't fall out. Then drop them in from the top, a slight press, and there you go.

Think this could work, Kaliburz or Ar-Fan?

-Gloftoe

rainbowsix,
The setscrews are in the magblock parts and screw out (at an angle) from the mag block half to make contact with the inside of the rifles magwell. No holes are required. They can be annoying if you only have one lower and like to change from 9mm to 5.56mm to 22 rimfire etc.
The magwell conversion blocks I bought had the set screws frozen in the threads and the allen sockets on the tops of the set screws where rounded out (there are two screws in the front piece and one in the rear piece). I have no patience and I had just bought a RRA lower just for 9mm so I figured that this was a dedicated lower so I fastened the front and rear blocks in with screws, one for the front and one for the rear block. In a pinch (like I want to use my 22 conversion unit) I just un-screw the parts and away I go with the new setup.

By the way, the original Colt 9mm's had the blocks held in place with roll pins as this was meant to be strictly a 9mm and of course the lower was roll stamped "9MM NATO".