Third Party Press

Semi auto MP44 build

Does anyone know of a company doing reweld services for MP44's? I have a saw cut kit that's already been converted to semi auto, it just needs the receiver welded back together. I've tried searching around and asked a few gun builders but nobody is interested in doing them. Thanks
 
Do you have any welding experience? I was able to do it myself legally with a little practice as long as the receiver pieces are good and you make a good jig. It also helps if you have any extra receiver pieces to practice on. I was even able to match the original finish with some trial and error.
 

Attachments

  • mp44fxo45.jpg
    mp44fxo45.jpg
    295.5 KB · Views: 244
Do you have any welding experience? I was able to do it myself legally with a little practice as long as the receiver pieces are good and you make a good jig. It also helps if you have any extra receiver pieces to practice on. I was even able to match the original finish with some trial and error.

Not sure on your skill level but to me in that picture looks like a great job for a self described amateur! Honestly if you hadn’t said anything I would have never thought it was a reweld!
 
..Honestly if you hadn’t said anything I would have never thought it was a reweld!

You did a nice job. Even zoomed it is a really good match! Usually I can detect the areas that were welded. That's quite a nice example you have.
 
Thanks. I was absolutely a beginner welder at the time of this build. It was (torch!) cut three times but I had some overlapping pieces. Luckily the front trunnion was good. The welds are a tad more obvious in direct sunlight especially with the light phosphate look. But it works! I found it hard to find any welder to put together an MP44 even if its totally legal. Theres this place though:

http://www.wartrophiesllc.com/builds-and-services.html

Ive talked to Craig before and he seems like a stand-up guy.
Do any other members have semi MP44 builds?
 
Last edited:
I've done quite a bit of welding before, but I've never welded a receiver. What worries me about trying it is that I don't have a jig to weld it on. The saw cuts are very clean, so it's not completely torched and unusable; but even though all the receiver pieces match, there is about a 1/4" of play between the pieces. I've tried contacting war trophies a few times over the past two years. He told me that he can build the kit, but he was backed up with work so he took down my information and said that he would email me when he could take the kit in. I've never received any messages back from him so I don't know if he's that busy, or maybe he just doesn't build them anymore.
 
Super impressive reweld! Wow! A transferable StG-44 is my holy grail (if I could ever afford it) but a rewelded semi-auto would be up there too! Very nice!
 
Super impressive reweld! Wow! A transferable StG-44 is my holy grail (if I could ever afford it) but a rewelded semi-auto would be up there too! Very nice!

They are not super affordable these days, but I’ve turned down 3 this year ranging from 20k flat to one at 27.5k so they are out there. Considering the upside potential it’s a worthy investment at those prices still. In the grand scheme 20k is not that much, especially if you don’t spend a lot on travel/booze/smokes/cars/etc.. lots of people I know will say that’s an impossible price, yet they have 10 AR variants all over 1k each + night vision + acogs and nightforces etc.. if you’re like me, do your research, talk to experts on the Mp44 (there are a few here) you might find a transferrable Mp44 for 14k; I did right here on this forum, it’s definitely possible! Watch out though, everyone is gouging on prices right now.
 
if I remember right, for the rear receiver, I used 2 copper pipes down the upper and lower channels. I forgot the diameters but they were a perfect fit right from home depot and will act as a backer making less cleanup on the hard to reach interior. You dont need much heat to weld through the sheet metal. The rear portion of the receiver only guides the bolt and carrier so there's no headspace danger to the user no matter how you do it. The tolerances on the MP44 are extremely loose as is but the cleaner you do it, the better the action cycles.
 
They are not super affordable these days, but I’ve turned down 3 this year ranging from 20k flat to one at 27.5k so they are out there. Considering the upside potential it’s a worthy investment at those prices still. In the grand scheme 20k is not that much, especially if you don’t spend a lot on travel/booze/smokes/cars/etc.. lots of people I know will say that’s an impossible price, yet they have 10 AR variants all over 1k each + night vision + acogs and nightforces etc.. if you’re like me, do your research, talk to experts on the Mp44 (there are a few here) you might find a transferrable Mp44 for 14k; I did right here on this forum, it’s definitely possible! Watch out though, everyone is gouging on prices right now.

Wow, that's actually not as bad as I thought and one for 14k is amazing. Tightening the purse strings a bit tighter, maybe they're a mite more obtainable than I thought...
 
Wow, that's actually not as bad as I thought and one for 14k is amazing. Tightening the purse strings a bit tighter, maybe they're a mite more obtainable than I thought...

It's all in your perspective, I don't own ANY high end guns.. But I do own a couple transferrable sturmgewehrs. Now 14k that was a dewat, which I had professionally rewatted and runs like a top now. The gentleman who did the rewat even saved the barrel so it's all matching. I got lucky on that deal, don't forget that over half the stg's in the NFRTR are rewats, nothing to be afraid of if done correctly.

I actually would prefer a dewat for my next purchase as I have some mint barrels standing by for one and wouldn't feel bad shooting it. The deals are out there, but it took me a long time and a lot of research to find them. Good luck on your search.
 
Ah, understood! I'm sure I have a lot to learn about the particulars and the reality of what's out there. I'm actually surprised that over half were dewatted at some point.
 
Mine was done by a FFL 07 I worked with - but he has retired now.
USC 922r parts from Recon - resized body locking pin, and permanently altered lower it will not accept an original lower (fc) anymore, etc.,
There are more FA denial elements you can add, too.

gb1BOYul.jpg
 
be sure to close up the full auto access hole on the rear receiver tube, this way a full auto lower can not be fitted, get a semi bolt from recon ( $ 600.00) modify the lower by removing the full auto lever and swapping out the FCG from recon

if the trunnion is intact and the bolt matches the kit , then headspace is not a issue,

magazines ( original) have been climbing in cost thank god I have plenty. The average requested sale price is hovering around
$ 500 a mag, which is insane.

ammo I reload and have enough components, both east german and WW2 ammo are rising in price by the week I need more east german a member here has promised me his stash so I am going to wait. my rifle loves east german fodder?. next batch of reloads need to be hotter

go here for well made parts http://www.dkproductiongroup.com/ tor has indicated semi-auto parts are coming, i would rather buy from him than recon

I may have some scrap receiver material ( modern) you can practice on I can't help on the welding
 
... ammo I reload and have enough components, both east german and WW2 ammo are rising in price by the week I need more east german a member here has promised me his stash so I am going to wait. my rifle loves east german fodder?. next batch of reloads need to be hotter

Sprat - not sure what price point you agreed on but I saw 2400 rounds for $2200.00 still in the E. German crates for sale today.
 
And just to add what I did for semi-only... welded over auto sear slot in receiver. Removed auto trip from carrier and welded a small rail inside receiver so full auto parts cannot be used. Removed and welded over auto sear hole in lower. Oversized lower to upper pin hole so only this lower can be used. Even if you could get a lower on there it wouldnt work because the auto seat slot is gone. This was done way before the PTR 44s showed up and gave people a good idea of an acceptable semi mp44. But when it comes to this stuff I believe overkill is the best course of action.
On the right side you can see the welds a little better but I am happy with the job. Nice MP44 Pitfighter! I love these semi-builds.
 

Attachments

  • mp44fxo452.jpg
    mp44fxo452.jpg
    296.5 KB · Views: 97
Last edited:
just saying

And just to add what I did for semi-only... welded over auto sear slot in receiver. Removed auto trip from carrier and welded a small rail inside receiver so full auto parts cannot be used. Removed and welded over auto sear hole in lower. Oversized lower to upper pin hole so only this lower can be used. Even if you could get a lower on there it wouldnt work because the auto seat slot is gone. This was done way before the PTR 44s showed up and gave people a good idea of an acceptable semi mp44. But when it comes to this stuff I believe overkill is the best course of action.
On the right side you can see the welds a little better but I am happy with the job. Nice MP44 Pitfighter! I love these semi-builds.

Not meaning to come off as a smart a$$ at all but what makes you think your rifle would pass inspection by BATFE Tech Branch? My understanding is that one must submit a weapon to Tech for evaluation and pass whatever they determine to be not readily convertible. Then there is the issue of whether the receiver one starts with was properly destroyed, whatever that means. It's been said that the standards for destruction have changed over the years so if we have a parts set with receiver pieces what do we really have? Thinking that even though guys have done their best to build a compliant rifle it's probably smart to avoid public ranges and prying eyes and range Nazis.
The PTR 44's are a head scratcher but maybe not if each individual design or modification must pass with Tech on its own merits. A original FA lower with the trip lever removed will go right on a PTR with the only difference being the pivot pin hole being larger dia. Original MP's have a tube at the rec. rear for the stock pin to go through where the PTR's have a steel block welded in with the pin hole drilled and small "wings" extending up on either side to narrow the area the lower part of the carrier (minus the sear trip camming area) and bolt ride keeping a MP carrier from entering. Nothing about the bolt makes it FA, but its narrowing is a victim of the narrowed area in the rec. for the carrier.
Did the PTR's have the charging handles and wooden grip panels changed to US made as part of the R922 compliance? They do not look to have been. If not why does Recon sell them as part of their compliance parts assortment?
I wrote Tech a few years ago re the handle and grip panels. It took a while but they responded writing that the handle, carrier and piston together is only ONE part. Also the grip panels are nothing re R922 and the lower is one part including trigger housing and grip.
Considering that someone spent money on making those panels and handles that would not be needed for R922 per the letter reinforces the thought that approvals vary over time or who is making the call.
Just sharing what I (think) I know. Sure be interested in hearing info from others that have good info.
Pete
 
Last edited:
I dont take it as a smart a$$ comment. Guess I was just stating was that more has been done to this build to make it much harder to convert than the PTR44s. I can safely say that this receiver was destroyed and torched before it was built. It was made from the scraps of 3 receivers. Not only is the slot welded up, the interior of the receiver has a welded rail along the entire auto trip side so only the semi bolt and carrier can fit. To remove it would be to destroy the receiver. There are thousands of legal semi rewelds of different guns that have passed BATF standards (BRENs come to mind) but there are also many others that are done legally without being submitted to ATF tech branch using the standards set by the ATF. There has never been an official submitted mp44 semi as far as i know, but if you look at what got ATF approval with the PTR44, it at least set a standard for what they consider a semi-auto MP44 since the parts can be interchangeable. I have done much more to this build to make sure it could no never be readily convertible.
 
Last edited:

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top