E.U. Spec. deactivated MK2 Sten

[Flying10uk]

I thought that U.K. members would be interested in a few pictures of a MK2 STEN which has been deactivated to the new spec. There are, somewhat surprisingly, more moving parts than was often the case with the old U.K. spec although some of the parts which were being welded before may not have been strictly necessary. In addition to being able to remove the barrel nut the mag housing is able to rotate which was often welded previously although it may not needed to have been. What can't be seen from the pictures is that the fire control button also moves although it has a blob of weld on it, within the trigger guard, so that it can't be removed from the gun.

I have shown a partial deactivation certificate with the specific details to this gun covered for fraud prevention reasons.

This thread is not really intended as a study of the gun it's self, more as an indication of how the new E.U. deactivation spec actually works in practice. It should be noted that different firms doing the deact work may do it in slightly different ways and do more than the minimum amount required. The level of spec may also change over time?

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[mrclark303]

Thanks for posting, very interesting, its the first new cert I have seen. Is the barrel rodded too?

[peregrinvs]

Thanks. Doesn't seem to be significantly worse than the UK 2010 spec for SMGs. WorldWide Arms have a guide to the new EU spec here:

NEW IMPORTANT DEACTIVATION NEWS


Bad news for HMGs, LMGs, etc though.

[Flying10uk]

Yes the barrel is rodded with allegedly a hardened steel rod. I haven't checked to see if it is actually hardened steel and I don't suppose anyone else ever will. The main difference is the pinned magazine port which means a standard mag won't fully insert. It's only a 4 or 5mm hardened dowel pin thats been pushed through a hole that's been drilled in the mag housing and then welded in. Quite what the purpose is of pinning the mag port in such a way I've no idea apart from destroying a perfectly good magazine.

[tankhunter]

[QUOTE=Flying10uk;373087]Yes the barrel is rodded with allegedly a hardened steel rod. I haven't checked to see if it is actually hardened steel and I don't suppose anyone else ever will. The main difference is the pinned magazine port which means a standard mag won't fully insert. It's only a 4 or 5mm hardened dowel pin thats been pushed through a hole that's been drilled in the mag housing and then welded in. Quite what the purpose is of pinning the mag port in such a way I've no idea apart from destroying a perfectly good magazine.[/QUOTE]

This is done to prevent a magazine with rounds in it. Being able to 'Feed' in the Normal way that was intended. I have just heard that If you submit a new EU spec Deact to the LONDON Proofhouse. The proof master require the Mag lips to be removed, & also the follower & spring as well !!!!!!!!!! He has stated that this was one of the original specs earlier on. In the inistial Deact specs set up. Prior to the EU Directive on Deacts!.......

This is also One of the MANY reasons. Why dealers submit their Deacts for certification to BIRMINGHAM Proof House. rather than London. As B,Ham have ALWAYS been known for their more 'Sympathetic' approach towards collectors...If you check back through the older previous spec requirements. You will see, that at one time. When the Magazine was 'Deactivated' in the above statement. the Mag was ALSO engraved with the Deact Mark of either Proofhouse......

[Brit plumber]

I remember back in 96, Brens coming from dealers with a Deac mag which got thrown and another good mag to replace. A pointless excercise.

[Flying10uk]

I did get offered a deac mag for a Bren last year and I thought that the trader was taking the mick until he pointed out the deac stamp on it. He went on to say that that was the reason that it had no internals but I don't know it anything else had been done to it. I partly wished that I had bought it as a novelty now.

[tankhunter]

I did get offered a deac mag for a Bren last year and I thought that the trader was taking the mick until he pointed out the deac stamp on it. He went on to say that that was the reason that it had no internals but I don't know it anything else had been done to it. I partly wished that I had bought it as a novelty now.

The spec required that the feed lips to be removed. If this was done, then in a LOT of cases. The follower & spring, would simply 'Pop Out' the top!
I have seen this countered however, by ONLY one lip being removed!.....

Hence seeing the mags with no internals, which was also a requirement. Upon initial submission for Deact Proofing.

[peregrinvs]

I have a couple of Proof House stamped deactivated magazines: one is a Bren mag that came with my Lithgow deact and has both the internals and feed lips removed. The other is a Sten mag that has only had the feed lips partially ground away so that a round can't be retained, but it still has the internals.

As regards preventing live magazines being fitted to the new EU deacts, I believe the method described above was an agreed UK work-around for the original requirement to weld magazines in place. I can't find it now, but I've seen a Netherlands EU deact AK-47 on the web that had both the magazine and receiver catch welded in place, so it was essentially solid other than a folding butt.

[browningautorifle]

Ours are so much simpler, they're welded so solid that even the mag is welded in place. A true paperweight. Still we have the early ones circulating though. I recently had in hand an old spec PPSh with complete papers that had the firing pin buzzed off and the barrel drilled and rodded. The rod was cross pinned and touched with weld. That was it...drum included was new.