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Posted: 3/11/2004 4:59:10 AM EDT
| Does anyone have goods link for information on how build you own 50? Thanks |
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Here's one: www.fiftycaliber.com/ I don't consider this design to be really safe. I don't think he uses enough screws to hold the receiver halves together, especially in the event of a case head failure leaking high pressure gases between the halves. Also there is nothing to positively prevent the hammer from falling when the breech is open and possibly hitting the primer of a partially-chambered round directly. The design also seems inconvenient to operate, and the buttstock looks dinky as hell. Here's another: community-2.webtv.net/giillie/1580050BMG/ Again, I don't think this is entirely safe. The locking pin hole weakens the receiver right exactly at its most highly stressed point. And I don't believe the firing mechanism includes any device to positively prevent firing with the breech closed but unlocked. That would be bad news. Why these guys can build rifles but not make a decent looking pistol grip beats me, too. Here's an outfit selling very high-tech looking rifle plans: www.hyperdel.com/ But closer questioning a few months back revealed that they'd never actually finished their own prototype! I'm a professional machinist, and frankly these plans look fairly intimidating to me. I guess I could peck away one part at a time and build the thing, but it sure wouldn't happen overnight. The designer seems to be a gifted CAD artist, but made little attempt to keep things simple. And he must have bowling balls between his legs to offer plans for something so complex and potentially dangerous, without testing them himself first. Anything could happen on that first shot, at least with the semi-auto. Cam angles, bolt carrier mass, spring weights, gas port sizes, etc. -- how could you hit everything right the first time by pure calculation alone? Here's a guy building a rifle from the Bill Holmes plans: action_enterprise.tripod.com/FiftyPro.htm The Bill Holmes book and video are available from Paladin Press. I haven't seen them but it looks relatively promising, glancing at this guy's photos. At least the cocking cam should prevent the rifle from firing before the bolt is safely locked, assuming the firing pin does not break. I remember seeing pictures of a .50 BMG built on a British SMLE .303 action. An adapter was made to screw into the SMLE action, which in turn accepted an M2 machine gun barrel. An extended firing pin was made to reach forward through the adapter to the primer of the cartridge. The SMLE action was not under any strain during firing, the adapter taking the full load. You had to unscrew the barrel to load each shot, which pretty much limited you to iron sights. It was crude, but at least as safe as the first two designs above as long as you remembered to keep the SMLE bolt open while loading. SMLE actions being common and cheap, it's something to bear in mind for the future. I have been working on my own .50 design for a couple years, and have a fairly slick operating firing prototype that I consider safe in most respects. However, it still has some minor bugs and weighs like 68 pounds, so I'm keeping it under wraps for now. |
That was me and my Fuzzbean Fifty. Like I said above, I got the thing firing but am not entirely satisfied with it. Also, the basic idea is so slick, and some of the problem solving so ingenious (If I do say so myself!) that I got to wondering if maybe I should apply for a patent or something. But I'm flat broke and living overseas right now, so everything's on hold. I don't know much about business or marketing patents. I guess realistically, when I get time, I'd like to simplify and lighten the thing and write a plan book through Paladin Press or Loompanics. At least nobody else could patent it then. |
I think Hesse was selling kits, or unfinished production rifles, a year or two back. The name Hesse seems to speak for itself, however. I suppose if you built one and it blew up due to their mistakes, you'd need a heck of a lawyer and a whole line of experts testifying on your behalf to prove it wasn't your own fault. Some other guy was selling plans and some pre-finished parts a few years back, but apparently pre-finished one part too many and wound up in trouble with the ATF guys. I can't recall his name. I don't know of any other kits, and doubt there would be anything approaching an AR-15 for ease of building. |
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