Semi Auto Madsen LMGs

OK, attempting to start a thread for owners of Madsen LMGs in semi auto. I am unaware of how many makers exist. Mine is a Midwest Metal Creations. Unfortunately, since it's purchase, I have been unable to fire the thing and I am in the middle of trying to A. locate an original surplus stock, or B. convert an existing stock to work with the rifle.

I love the working mechanisms of this rifle (LMG) design. It is very clever and if you spend a little time looking on YouTube, you will find a young man by the name of Ian has covered both the full auto and the semi auto design.

BUT, I know that the quantity of semi auto owners must be small. The kits have dried up and I don't see many guys to confer with on-line about this weapon. I did contact Dennis at MMC but he seemed rather uninterested in helping with finding a replacement stock. Mentioned all his stocks were married to what ever kits he has. I do understand that. The funny part about it was that the stock on this rifle was obviously a remake, as it was not original military surplus. He had no information on an individual or company that had the capability to make a reproduction. I did find that odd?

Finally, the stock that came on it looked to be made out of Birch, which I thought was a poor choice for a stock that has a weird (and somewhat suspect) thin wrist at a terrible fulcrum point.

Anybody know of a stock maker that might tackle this with some enthusiasm? I may have them make up a batch so others would be able to fix an old or broken stock should they need one.

Madsen Light Machine Gun - YouTube

What a beautiful thing.

Good Luck with finding a group of folks that own semi auto Madsens. Lots of folks have made their own semi from a parts kit. As far as builders go Dennis (MMC) has done a lot of them. Sorry if yours is not running well. Another builder was Gordie, I believe his design was out before Dennis started doing them. Myself in all of my dealings with Dennis they have been good. Heard of a lot of builders that started other folks builds and returned parts and lots of interesting stories. Good luck on your stock hunt.

Later 42rocker

Getting past the history section when dis-assembled the mechanical operation of the system is really quite extraordinary when you see just how far the action cycles @1 1/4" all the parts look like they were built to last really ingenious how the extraction and feed works all controlled by the channels in the receiver just awesome.
Madsen LMG Disassembly Functioning - YouTube

He always has some great Weapons to share. A great website. Also have build one or more of these in semi someday. The tripod used for the Madsen was the first use of a recoil setup in tripods. The Germans copied it in the lafettes.

Later 42rocker

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Originally Posted by 42rocker

Good Luck with finding a group of folks that own semi auto Madsens. Lots of folks have made their own semi from a parts kit. As far as builders go Dennis (MMC) has done a lot of them. Sorry if yours is not running well. Another builder was Gordie, I believe his design was out before Dennis started doing them. Myself in all of my dealings with Dennis they have been good. Heard of a lot of builders that started other folks builds and returned parts and lots of interesting stories. Good luck on your stock hunt.

Later 42rocker

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Thanks 42! I am sure Dennis is for the most part a friendly and helpful guy, but I was greatly disappointed when he seemed to have no interest in even helping me locate someone who might have the skills to turn out a reproduction stock. I mean, I think HE built the kit with a repro stock as I believe I found the very rifle for sale in a post from a year or so before I received it. His response to my inquiry was short and in the negative. Acted as if he had NO contact with anyone that could provide that service?? I found that perplexing. The search continues.

BTW, I have NOT even been able to fire this rifle, because you just can't do much without a stock on this beast. It really doesn't afford a great gripping area without it. I suspect it would be quite painful to fire with nothing attached to the tangs. So it sits for now as a useless possession.

Ok, I would contact Dave as Sarco. Don't look at the on line inv, call and talk or email Dave. I got several Madsens from them. Next try Robert Bowan thru gunbroker, I believe he and his staff sold some parts for the Madsen. Next Numrich. Then Omega had some parts also. PM me as I might think of some more ideas on this that I don't want to post. Good Luck

Later 42rocker

Thanks 42. I will work through that list. I think I may have contacted one of them, as I am aware of most, but had a habit of just looking on their web sites and with no material advertised, said “ oh well”.

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I wanted to say something about the magazines for these LMGs. More than once I have seen people refer to them as aluminum. I had even made that mistake before receiving one. I did a magnettest and was surprised to find that all segments to the magazine seem to be steel. The part that fooled me was the light silver body under the green paint. It looks very much like the dull silver of aluminum. Does anyone know what the finish is on the mag bodybefore they painted them?

Have been unsuccessful in locating an original stock so far and finally ended patching the one that was broken by UPS.

UPS ended up denying the claim which angered me to no end. They handled it very poorly (lack of response and taking months before they ever told me anything. The preferred to string me along with "these things take time"...and I would suggest to anyone, be very careful about shipping AND insurance with UPS. It would probably be better to ship thru an FFL and let them us the US Postal Service. In the end, after I was the one who started the claim, and kept up with the claim, they finally informed me, by me calling them and demanding to know what was going on with the claim, that the claim was denied. Besides that, the claim monies supposedly would have gone to the guy that shipped and paid for the insurance. Funny, because I paid for it (you know how Gun Broker works), but that is how UPS works. So beware, if you end up with damaged goods, they will look to the person who shipped the item as the recipient of insurance payments. Just ain't right.

Looking forward to finally getting to the range to see if this hunk of metal was worth the money.

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" all the parts look like they were built to last really ingenious how the extraction and feed works all controlled by the channels in the receiver just awesome."

These were designed and built in the days before manufacturers came up with the idea of "Designed Obsolescence"...

Mate we have all seen how UPS in the states handle peoples mail packages by just throwing them over fences or at their door so they do not have to walk the extra few feet to place it, what I laugh at is the number of them that end up chasing their vans down a hill because they forgot the f*cken handbrake.
All the same if I had footage of a UPS employee throwing my packages over a fence or at my door I would petition no end till that ar*shole got the sack regardless if they had kids & a family as it shows they have no decency or respect.......!

ups -- our local office will not take ANY gun parts PERIOD.... I fought them and lost, flat out NO at my local office. If you don't tell them what is in the package (i.e. insurance reason) then you might get away with it. I ship USPS priority mail with tracking and normally there in 2 to 3 days and they will allow extra insurance and have not turned anything down yet. Normally shipping parts and parts kits, no weapons.

Working out trying to find a stock for you.

Later 42rocker

10-4 Rocker. Thanks.

When I would ship parts with USPS ( gun parts), I always referred to them as “ machined parts”....I think I would actually ship guns under same heading, but it has been a while. I am sure at some point in my life, the post office would ship guns, but that had been many years ago.

Cinders, guess I have had pretty good luck up until this fiasco. Now my attitude with UPS has soured.

Only way to send firearms with USPS is thru an ffl, which I am not. UPS is pretty much the last option for a collector to sell, transfer and ship. I stopped selling pistols thru GB a number of years back when they started dictating priority overnight and charging $50 bucks for shipping. That was because THERE OWN PEOPLE WERE PILFERING THE GUN PACKAGES! Ateazt that is what I understood the change was about. Great, make US pay for their security problems.

FINALLY took said rifle to the range and it works 100%. Now, except the devaluating piece of garbage I have for a stock, the gun is fun to shoot. Need to get cranked up with 8mm reloading.

What 8mm surplus would people recommend? Modern stuff is running a buck a round. Surplus is hovering between 45 cents and upwards of a dollar. Guess I will start with some smaller lots of surplus types and see what works well, although the stuff I was shooting was really old Greek surplus. No date on head stamp. Amazed it worked like it did. Sign of a solid gun I guess?

;)

Glad to hear the good range report. Even with a less than perfect stock. I'll keep on asking about a better stock for you.

Later 42rocker

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Originally Posted by AmEngRifles

except the devaluating piece of garbage I have for a stock

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If you keep looking, it will appear. How about this site for a replacement? Machineguns for sale - machineguncentral.com full auto NFA firearms


I know you're worried about it arriving and how to do it but maybe it can be figured out. I'd ship as machine parts too, have for some time.

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Originally Posted by 42rocker

I'll keep on asking about a better stock for you.

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Thanks Rocker!

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

How about this site for a replacement? Machineguns for sale - machineguncentral.com full auto NFA firearms

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Thanks BAR. I used to visit Sub Guns a LOT years back, but have not peaked in on them in ages. There Title 1 and parts/accessories is much smaller than it used to be. Guess it is just the hard core MG guys now. Still, I would expect more PARTS!? lol.
I appreciate it.

OK, think I have a genuine stock on it's way. From Armslist. I don't buy much from that site, but he had some left over demilled parts AND a complete stock without cracks. It is definitely surplus, but that is OK. Better than the cobbled back together one I have now. This stock coming looks more like Walnut as well, so anxious to receive it.

If I could find a stock maker to turn them out, I would probably order about a dozen nicely made walnut stocks as replacements. Anybody know a stock maker that does small runs?

I found your post on your search for a Madsen Lmg stock when I was looking for a way to convert my kit to semi auto. My friend where I got the kit from also needs some stocks made to complete some of his kits and I was going to make a few for him. I would make them with out the mono pod hole. He has 1926 and 1946 models.
Would you still be interested in some stocks if I did a run for him?
What model is yours?

Thanks Ed

Hi Ed, Thanks for contacting me! Yes, I am still interested. Sorry my response was so delayed. Been away from the site for a while.

It is very nice of you to step up and offer your services. If you have any interest, once a few are turned out, you may want to offer some here for sale? Although there still seems to be VERY FEW Madsen semi auto members on the site...?