Lanchester Mk1 SMG

[ProLibertate]

Hi everyone. I'm really happy to see this thread. Ive just started down a path similar to Vincent. I've got a demilled Lanchester on the way. I'm already familiar with the IO semiauto conversion (I've got one in hand for a Sten MK2). Happily, I've got a relatively complete, but dated, machine shop so making a receiver tube suitable for a 16"+ barrel as well as making the fittings for the barrel aren't out of the realm of what is possible. Sadly, a standard length barrel isn't possible for me as I'm in CA and state licenses for SBRs are nearly impossible for common folk to get. I'm hoping this will be a good fall project.

[Vincent]

Welcome to the forum. Please keep us posted on your progress.

[ProLibertate]

I'll be sure to keep you up to date.

While I'm waiting for delivery of the parts I've been looking at blueprints drawn up based on three original receiver tubes. It looks as if the ID of the receiver is the same for the entire length. In particular, there doesn't appear to be any feature in the tube that the breach face would sit against. This is good in that it makes machining easier for me. It looks like there is just a screw at the breach end to keep the barrel from rotating and the threads at the front of the receiver that retain the barrel? Yes?

One of the features of the IO SA conversion is that the FA bolt won't fit in the SA receiver tube. I'll be using a similarly reduced ID for my ~28" long (19+" plus another 8+" to fit a 16" barrel) receiver. Unsurprisingly, that means I'll be making a custom barrel with a breach face of a reduced OD to fit snuggly into the receiver. The raw tube can be ordered with the correct OD and ID already so I don't have to come up with any crazy long boring system to work inside of the tube.


Comments, hints, tips and tricks from those who have been here before me are gladly accepted.

[Joe H]

Guys,

Very interesting thread. I'm awaiting my MP28 parts kit so this Lanchester thread is very interesting. I'm in the US so I'll be building a semi auto version. It will take about 6 months to get the necessary tax stamp from the ATF so I can use the original length barrel. Plenty of time to think about how I will do it.

I see some very familiar names from the Bren Forum.

Joe

[ProLibertate]

Way back around page 3 of this thread there was mention of "the book", "(book, page 16 item 27A)", etc. while discussing the MK1 disconnector function. Can anyone tell me the name of this book? I looked all through the early postings in the thread but I couldn't find it.

I haven't made it all the way from page 3 to here yet. I'm hoping somewhere along the way Vincent has figured out how to fit a disconnector. I'm pondering that challenge right now.

[Vincent]

The disconnector is the hinged trigger bar extension. When bolt pushes the tip of the tripping lever down, the other end of the tripping lever lifts the trigger bar extension up disconnecting the trigger. It very similar to the Sten tripping lever system.

[Brit plumber]

Who is that Peter Laidler fella? His name gets everywhere.

[ProLibertate]

Maybe the author of this book would smile upon me and cut a deal for some pictures? As much as I'd like to see the book, the best price I can find right now is $499. My budget just can't absorb that in the foreseeable future. :-(

It probably won't surprise you to know that I'm trying to figure out how I want to approach turning the parts I've got into a semi-auto firearm. I've got all the CAD & machine tools I could need to fabricate the necessary parts. What I'm looking for is design inspiration before I'm forced to head off and do an endless series of my own designs. Yes, I'm happy to share, though I strongly suspect the rest of you are well ahead of me!

I'm quite familiar with the STEN trigger design and I can imagine a way to fabricate a narrower version to fit it into a modified housing, though I've yet to make a CAD model of it to see just how it all fits. However, the more inspiration the better. I've also spent some time looking at the MP28 for inspiration as well.

For what its worth, yesterday and today I got all the (damned) drive screws out of the "display" MK1* I picked up from ima-usa.com Now that it's all in pieces and I can inspect everything I'm happy to see that all the parts I *really* didn't want to fabricate are there and usable. The rest are just a small matter of design & machine work. :-)

[Flying10uk]

Maybe the author of this book would smile upon me and cut a deal for some pictures? As much as I'd like to see the book, the best price I can find right now is $499. My budget just can't absorb that in the foreseeable future. :-(

I paid around £180 for my copy on eBay, last year, when I noticed one come up for auction. It's a case of keeping your eyes open and jumping in when one becomes available.

[Peter Laidler]

As an engineer with access to all that machinery, why don't you work out a method of making your parts kit a semi-only shooter. That's part of the fun. You won't need CAD, believe me. Just old fashioned hand fitting and general knowledge is what's needed here I feel