Has anyone built one of these? Im sure someone has here, as big as arfcom is. Im wondering how hard is it to set the rivets in the gun? Also, How heavy is it when completed? Also, is it easy or hard to link ammo for these?

Quoted: linking REQUIRES a linker. i have done it by hand but the best 100.00 i ever spent was with laminatrap at 1919a4.com for his linker. Your thumbs will bleed after a a few hundred rounds with a pair of pliers trying to force rounds into tight belts.

I think you mean filling the cloth belts requires some kind of belt loader; the links are dead easy to assemble.

I too had amazing blisters after loading a 250 rd. cloth belt, but it sure did feed without any problems.  I built a "piratekevin" style belt loader (see 1919a4.com for pictures) which helps.  One of the awl tools that is sold on their board would also help, especially with new (old stock, obviously) belts.  That tool is basically a screwdriver handle with a shaft in the shape of a rifle cartridge.  You jam it in each slot of the belt to stretch it out before inserting a real cartridge.

Tagging in. I've got the bug to build one of these, too.

Linking will depend on your links or belt.  I find it easy to load up link by hand though why bother if you can do 20 at a time?  I don't have to drag around my linker.  New cloth belts are a bitch!  They are very hard to load by hand, and difficult with a loader until they break in and then they aren't so bad.  Original cloth loaders are getting up there in price these days, linkers are cheaper. Links will desintegrate, dropping into a pile or can if you are smart/lucky, or you get to pick them off the ground.  Links will also wear your trunnion though it will take a gargantuan amount of ammo run though with links before it's an issue and they make trunnion covers that prevent contact.  Cloth belts can be pulled on as they are fed and sometimes it may be necessary, at least in full auto. I prefer metal links, versatile in length and use (mine is in .308).

As for building, this came up recently on my hometown board.  Link -> Building a 1919

I think it's a matter of how pretty you want your rivets to come out.  My buddy who built his AR with nothing but a hammer would probably end up with a fugly gun.  There's a picture of one that's not so pretty in the link.

You guys can always go to www.1919a4.com for how too's.
and  a NEW 1919 Beltfed site at www.shoot1919a4.com

Quoted: You guys can always go to www.1919a4.com for how too's. and  a NEW 1919 Beltfed site at www.shoot1919a4.com

That site sucks.

Built one and have another in the parts stage.  You can not only build one, it is very addictive.  

Quoted: New cloth belts are a bitch!  They are very hard to load by hand, and difficult with a loader until they break in and then they aren't so bad.

One way around this is to soak new cloth belts in transmission fluid for a while, automatic transmission fluid works damn well...it really speeds the break-in process along.


ETA Maybe ATF was bad? I can't remember...but I do know regular tranny fluid was used in-theater.

Do you need to change anything to be able to switch from cloth to link belts?

Not mechanically-inclined enough to build my own and not enough $$ to buy one from a manufacturer.

Quoted: Do you need to change anything to be able to switch from cloth to link belts?

Nope, just open the top cover, put in the belt, pull the charging handle twice and stay on the trigger end of the gun.

Parts & kits

How ironic.  I'm sitting here loading links by hand.  It sucks.  It's not hard, just time consuming.  A linker and a crank are next on my shopping list.  I bought a kit and all the stuff planning on building it myself but i ended up sending it off to be put together.  It is so much fun to shoot.  I'm thinking of getting another to build myself now that I am more familiar with the gun.  I think the hardest part of setting the rivets is holding the rivets on the inside while you pound on the outside.  I think mine weighs 34 pounds, I weighed it once but don't remember for sure.  It's damn heavy.

Bump!

Damn this thread! I didn't need any other gun interests, now y'all have got me all stoked up to build one of these ammo eaters.

I built my own.  It isn't hard but it takes time and patience.  1919a4.com has all the info you need to do it yourself.

Ditto on 1919a4.com, thats the place for all good 1919 info.  Linking by hand is not hard, but time consuming.  If my buddies want to shoot we have a linking party and everybody gets to enjoy a half an hour of linking.  

As far as building your own, I don't have access to machine tools.  Buying a kit for 300-400 dollars, spending a couple of hundred on machined semi-parts and a side plate, riveting and parking and hours of work add up to pretty close to the price of a decent 1919.  I got mine early on from Ohio Rapid Fire, it was a test build gun.  It has ulgy rivets, side plate marking looks like hell and it had a bent rear sight.  BUT, with a little tweaking on all of the minor parts it is a blast to shoot.

Gun weighs 25-27 pounds, tripod another 20 or so pounds.  Watch for specials on 1919a4,,every now and then they do a group sale or purchase of guns.  NEVER buy anything from Hesse or Vulcan and you should do ok.

Package deal:
1919a4.com/cgi-bin/noncgi/Forum5/HTML/003977.html

btt