AKsmiths, builders, and Galil gurus...Please advise

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - AKsmiths, builders, and Galil gurus...Please advise

Posted: 12/6/2002 3:24:01 PM EDT

1. Knowing the current history of hesse, the receivers sound as if they aren't too bad. It doesn't seem that there are too many notable occurrences of KB's (Krinkfreak being the notable exception, which I have questions about,and even Campybob knows of someone who has had a Garand KB). If I end up buying a hesse receiver will any of the following improve the construction of them?
A. re-heattreating
B. having it cryo'ed
C. having it magnafluxed
If so, about what would the cost be and how much, if any, improvement would there be?

2. Are IMI receivers forged or cast? hesse?

3. As I plan to have it professionally assembled, would I be better off buying a new or almost new parts kit? or an older used one (assuming the builder would strip and refinish the parts anyway)?

4. I haven't seen any .308 receivers or parts kits for sale. Has anybody?

5. Who/What/Where is Recon Ordnance? The one with the 50rd mags for sale. Is there a website? How much would it cost to get them refinished?

6. Is there such a thing as a polymer ARM handguard?

I guess that is all I have for now (you see what 5 days of thinking can do to a person?). Any help is appreciated, as always. TIA

Posted: 12/6/2002 4:01:56 PM EDT

[#1]

If I end up buying a hesse receiver will any of the following improve the construction of them?
A. re-heattreating

no...unecessary, imo.

B. having it cryo'ed

your coice. a cryo'd bbl. and receiver WILL help your accuracy and shot grouping. it also helps stress relieve that steel and will add to the cycle life of the receiver.

C. having it magnafluxed
If so, about what would the cost be and how much, if any, improvement would there be?

2. Are IMI receivers forged or cast? hesse?

imi's are forged or billet machined. i haven't a clue about the hesse.

3. As I plan to have it professionally assembled, would I be better off buying a new or almost new parts kit? or an older used one (assuming the builder would strip and refinish the parts anyway)?

always, always buy the best that you can get and afford. a galil is a long term investment. i also recommend buying a new bbl., if you can locate one...and they are out there.

4. I haven't seen any .308 receivers or parts kits for sale. Has anybody?

the .308 was mainly an export sale item. few were used by the izzy military. .223 was the adopted calibre and production was much higher on the .223 version.

5. Who/What/Where is Recon Ordnance? The one with the 50rd mags for sale. Is there a website? How much would it cost to get them refinished?

dunno about recon, but a refinish should run about $10/mag if you had...oh, say 10 mags done in a batch.

6. Is there such a thing as a polymer ARM handguard?

yes. some arms were fitted in polymer..mainly .223's. the american market saw the .308 arm's fitted mainly with wood. the polymer arm's i have seen were probably a mixture of factory and user change out's.

Posted: 12/6/2002 7:40:13 PM EDT

[#2]

Quoted:
1. <snip>If I end up buying a hesse receiver will any of the following improve the construction of them?
A. re-heattreating
B. having it cryo'ed
C. having it magnafluxed
If so, about what would the cost be and how much, if any, improvement would there be?

The galil design calls for a milled receiver that is actually quite beefy where it needs to be. I am not a metallurgist, but I have built enough military style semiautos to think that what you are proposing here is on the overkill side. Cryo treating may or may not improve your accuracy. If your barrel was hammer forged or button rifled, it may relieve some internal stresses and may result in improved accuracy. If it was cut rifled, then any imprivement will be less noticeable.

Quoted:
2. Are IMI receivers forged or cast? hesse?

I cannot comment on the IMI. The Hesse Galil receivers are machined from a billet. I do not know if the billet was forged or not.

Quoted:
3. As I plan to have it professionally assembled, would I be better off buying a new or almost new parts kit? or an older used one (assuming the builder would strip and refinish the parts anyway)?

I would always buy the best I could afford. However, if you go the el cheapo route, at least get a new barrel.

Quoted:
4. I haven't seen any .308 receivers or parts kits for sale. Has anybody?

The only 308 galil used by the Israeli military was the sniper version called the Galatz:

http://world.guns.ru/sniper/galil2.jpg

They were very rare when they were in production. There were some sporter versions exported to other countries, including the USA, but theya re pretty rare, too. The sporter 308s are not authentic battle rifles.

Quoted:
5. Who/What/Where is Recon Ordnance? The one with the 50rd mags for sale. Is there a website? How much would it cost to get them refinished?

Mark Powell of FWRA (look for him on the FAL Files) was selling 4 50-rounders for $80, shipped and was having them drop shipped from Recon Ord. I do not know if this deal is still in effect. If you lived close to me, I would refinish your mags in manganese phosphate (parkerize) for $5 per mag.

Quoted:
6. Is there such a thing as a polymer ARM handguard?

Yes, it is called a Galil AR handguard and does not work with the bipod from the ARM. I have never seen or heard of an ARM plastic handguard that accepted the bipod. Of course, that doesn't mean they don't exist, it just means I've never heard of one. ;)

Posted: 12/7/2002 3:19:21 AM EDT

[#3]

i'll see mark later on this morning at the local gunshow. i'll ask him about the mag deal.

arm marked rifles exist that lack the bipod and are equipped with the polymer handguard. these were probably 'parts cleanup' rifles our owner change outs.

Posted: 12/7/2002 3:44:57 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
5. Who/What/Where is Recon Ordnance? The one with the 50rd mags for sale. Is there a website? How much would it cost to get them refinished?

I own one 50 round magazine, and its mainly for collector purposes. They are extremely long, heavy when loaded, and not near the 100% reliability of the 35 round mags.

Computer guy has some Galil 35rounders at a good price:
www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=7&f=24&t=147898&w=searchPop

Posted: 12/7/2002 7:58:40 PM EDT

[#5]

Also, do any of the professional builders mark/stamp the rifles they build? So later on it can be identified who built them.

Posted: 12/8/2002 2:45:35 AM EDT

[#6]

I think Derek Huffman and Mark Graham do. I don't know about others.

Posted: 12/8/2002 12:46:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Derek at AZEXARMS is doing the GALIL Builds and re-finishing them in the two tone GALIL Colors. Here is the link www.azexarms.com/galil.html

edit to make hotlink active

Posted: 12/8/2002 2:10:03 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Derek at AZEXARMS is doing the GALIL Builds and re-finishing them in the two tone GALIL Colors. Here is the link www.azexarms.com/galil.html

I thought AZEX was more or less going out of business. Has that changed?

Posted: 12/8/2002 5:22:58 PM EDT

[#9]

...nope, got rid of his problem, and iirc he is working with Mark, or had a small place in the back of a gunshop or something.

Anyway, he is still around!