Third Party Press

MKb 42 (H) (SSD Copy) Pictures

agentcq

Senior Member
I know people in the United States have been excited to see detailed pics of SSD's MKb 42 (H), so I finally got around to posting them.
 

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I know it's been discussed, but I honestly can't remember. What is the reason we can't import these weapons again?
 
I know it's been discussed, but I honestly can't remember. What is the reason we can't import these weapons again?

Evil rifle gun with pistol grip protruding below the weapon and high cap mag. At the least - needs to be imported with a thumbhole stock and magazine cap. at (i think) no more than 5 rounds. Basically, you add a thumbhole stock, make a magazine break through at the bottom of the mag. well and take them off and refit them when they arrive + add the correct amount of U.S. made parts. That what PTR, Inc. did to get Fed approval when importing the BD44s into the U.S. from SSD. They imported them in a manner in which (after they arrived) they then changed additions/deletions so they would look like a MP44 and then added the correct amount (9-10?) U.S. made parts so they would be .922r compliant.

The original exporter of SSD products brought in a BD44 as is - somehow managed to receive it himself through customs with no Fed. review first - shot it - then sent it to the Feds. to get the OK - who then told him "no way" they could be imported as is and they kept it. He sued the Feds. and lost (Steve Mullinex) about a year or 2 before PTR, Inc. brought them in similar to the above manner. Mullinex might have had a chance to win if he didn't throw in so much right winged rhetoric into his brief arguments. I'd talked to him about it when his case was pending and suggested he wait for I.O., Incs. (the 2nd importers) rifles to arrive to make a better argument such as: (Hey look, they got them, so why not me, blah blah... ) But he wasn't patient and proceeded anyway.

I don't know if anyone who actually has one in the U.S. imported (that's willing to talk about it) who did not at least add the U.S. parts count to be .922 r compliant.

Doug
 
I hate SSD, they make such beautiful looking Guns that don't work (reliably) :googlie

Rant over.

HDH.
 
I know it's been discussed, but I honestly can't remember. What is the reason we can't import these weapons again?

Because they can't find a Co. in the U.S. to partner with, that's why. After the fiasco with the PTR44 no one will deal with them.

HDH.
 
What do I expect? I expect Quaility. I expect to be able to take it out to the range and shoot it without fear of it self-destructing. I expect my moneys worth. If you aren't going to shoot it, just buy a toy. If you are going to spend 1000's of dollars, I expect it to work as well as and be at least as durable as a $200 Ruger .22. I don't think that's asking too much. My Rolex is a hand made luxury item too. Guess what....it works. And for that amount of money, I think it reasonable to expect that out of it. What blows my mind is that someone would spend that kind of money and be OK with it NOT working as well as or better than an original. I don't spend my money on firearms simply to brag about owning them or to stare at them and then hide them away. I spend my money to USE them. That is, after all, why they have triggers and fire projectiles.
 
These replicas were never intended as real combat weapons, they're a hand made, short run, collector's replicas, what did you expect?.

Agree 95%. But people (like me) expected much more. My personal reasonings: German engineering is reputably reliable. Not to say everything made in Germany is superior or perfekt, but their overall reliability rep. is very positive. SSD's run of these weapons was allegedly based on original design prints of a "real combat weapon" - as such, being a "replica" shouldn't matter at all. The Germans killed plenty of allied troops with these weapons. Replica M14s have been made that are still ... replicas, and they work great too !!! The weapon should be functioning flawlessly even at 1/2 of the $4300 I paid for mine, period. Are all the functioning problems due to improperly heat treated metal that doesn't stand the test of time ? Nope, some arose on the gunsmith level and that's simply unacceptable. It's not just one run. It's the negative reliability reports from both the U.S. and Canada consisting of 100s of serial #s.

These were not advertised as just beautiful and pricey Shoei non-guns, they shoot live ammo, but they might as well be for how overall reliable they shoot. I would hope SSD's intent was not to make them pretty first, then worry about how they shot later. If SSD's standards are: develop a weapon, shoot it 10 times, good for the EUR market, done ... then they would be an embarrassement to the firearm community. That's not expected from the Krauts: Walther, Mauser, H&K, Sig, etc. stand above many weapons manufacturers. I researched SSD's products as thoroughly as I could before committing to buying one, but little was available online to show any performance reviews. I only found postive forum posts, a couple of German news articles (reading similar in the "wow" factor as the Shotgun News ad does on the PTR44), and 1 youtube video - showing the rifle shooting flawlessly.

In the end, I fell for my long standing desire to own an MP44 and this one was available at 1/3 the price of an original and no NFA crap involved. Given the above, I expected much much more.

I know I bash them (a lot), but it is what it is ...

Doug
 
PTR issues

just momentarily to play devil's advocate:

I don't think these european collector's firearms were ever designed to shoot the volume of ammo and blanks that us shooters put through them.
This is not a defense, just an alternative point of view.
A semi automatic large bore military style rifle is a difficult thing to shoot cheaply in most of europe - you're not going to put thousands of rounds through it - we american's love to shoot the hell out of our firearms as if they were all ak47's -

these replicas were never intended as real combat weapons, they're a hand made, short run, collector's replicas, what did you expect?

It's like wondering why a replica car isn't handling or lasting as well as the original 60's model.
(a vague reference but ya get's my point.)

almost half of the $5k price tag is a reflection of how much it cost to get the rifle into the country - not a sign of it's extended development process or sturdiness.

The smg '42 to rick's credit, has had the hell beat out of it, in anticipation of the us market - and if you want to shoot like a madman, is certainly a wiser place to put your money.

You make good points. Reminds me of some of the aftermarket parts we are more or less forced to use on customers cars when the insurance co. Is paying the bill.
I look at and or try to fit some of them and think "while they were at it why did they not make them exactly like the originals?"
ptr parts heat treated, but too hard or too soft. Magwells sloppy fore and aft, leading to misfeeds. Sheet metal stamped fairly decent, but not as crisp, as my original mp's. Crappy pins in both the rear sight and the disconnector/sear joint. Then there is the weld on that block at the rear of the upper rec. Looks like some
inept flunky was practice welding on it.
Had one in the shop that had the hole in the rec. Where the bolt runs not concentric with the barrel hole causing the recess in the bolt face shaving brass off the case rim. Gun worked but it was not really right. No easy fix either!
All quality control problems that more attention to detail would have cost little if any $$ to have prevented.
Glad they made them though. Some are ok without problems.
Pete



we have a ptr44 in the armory, and it has shot perfectly with blanks and live every time - but it's not even into 3 figures, yet, lol.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
I understand where Pit is coming from, I did not expect this PTR44 rifle to run like a AK47/ HK91/ FAL or even an SKS. But I did expect it to get past 700 rounds without a major rebuild.:googlie (that cost me a total of 2k to fix over 2 years:facepalm:)

I can see no reason why SSD was unable to come up with something that came close to the reliability of the original Gun (MP44), It wasn't like they (SSD)
had to reinvent the wheel.

The bottom line is for the money they ask for these "pretty" replica weapons they should have done better, that's all and because of this they have lost many future customers worldwide.

In the end SSD Blew It, big time!.

HDH.
 
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Mkb fires from an open bolt, so even if there wasn't a "sporting" requirement, it would still be an MG under the current rules.
The best you could do for an MKb in the US would be -44 bolt and oprod setup, with a totally new trigger/hammer configuration that works with the Mkb lower.
IMHO, at that point though, it really isn't an Mkb anymore anyway...
 
Please continue to aim your anger comments at the maker of this replica - not me.
I like you guys too much so it upsets me, lol.
Just standing on my soap box Pit. Always enjoyed posting with you and other guys that landed here from GK43. Unfortunately, messages don't always reflect true tone. Not trying to aim any anger at you. My post was simply my whiney ongoing opinion. Hugs. :biggrin1:
 
MkB42 (H) and Stg 45

Folks when you can not afford the real thing like me do like I do and make one. I have wanted a Mkb 42 (H) for a long time and while I was stationed in Germany was always on the lookout for one or parts. Never did find a gun I could afford but I did pickup some parts. After I retired back to Tucson last year I took out my MP43/1 (early gun) kit that I had purchased years ago and started to convert it to a Mkb 42 (H). It did not take long as they are very similar in most areas. The front sight, gas tube extension/plug and gas block were added, the MP43/1 gas piston/bolt carrier was used with the bolt and the stock was modified a little. The big issue is the FCG. Since the Mkb 42 (H) fires from an open bolt that all had to be changed which is why the MP43/1 gas piston and bolt were used. I put in three denials when I put the receiver back together and there is an additional two on the pistol grip assembly to keep any full auto parts from being installed. I am at the end state on getting the newly designed hammer and sear units installed. Once they are in and working I will be content. I do need to get a new barrel made or find another MP43/1 barrel as mine was a German deactivated one. Section cut out instead of the holes drilled. The MP43/1 also had the long barrel thread protector. I have my Stg 45 (M) or geraete 06 (H) almost complete. It is not a 100% copy because of the grips not being stamped into the pistol grip but it looks very good and the action is the same. I will try to attach some photographs Harry
 

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One would think that a company in Germany today, in one of the most modern and technologically advanced countries in the world, could produce a reliably functioning weapon which was designed and used in the same country 70 years ago. Based on todays standards, Germany of 1944 would qualify as a third world country today. And they were getting the crap bombed out of them and they had their back to the wall economically and militarily. No excuse for the contemporary version not to work. None. My two cents.

KJ
 
I absolutely agree 1000% and have been saying as much for years now. The only correction I would make to that is to change "a company in Germany today" to "a company in Germany or the US today".

If somebody would make a RELIABLE and DURABLE STG45, I'd pony up the cash in a second. :thumbsup:
 
Folks when you can not afford the real thing like me do like I do and make one. I have wanted a Mkb 42 (H) for a long time and while I was stationed in Germany was always on the lookout for one or parts. Never did find a gun I could afford but I did pickup some parts. After I retired back to Tucson last year I took out my MP43/1 (early gun) kit that I had purchased years ago and started to convert it to a Mkb 42 (H). It did not take long as they are very similar in most areas. The front sight, gas tube extension/plug and gas block were added, the MP43/1 gas piston/bolt carrier was used with the bolt and the stock was modified a little. The big issue is the FCG. Since the Mkb 42 (H) fires from an open bolt that all had to be changed which is why the MP43/1 gas piston and bolt were used. I put in three denials when I put the receiver back together and there is an additional two on the pistol grip assembly to keep any full auto parts from being installed. I am at the end state on getting the newly designed hammer and sear units installed. Once they are in and working I will be content. I do need to get a new barrel made or find another MP43/1 barrel as mine was a German deactivated one. Section cut out instead of the holes drilled. The MP43/1 also had the long barrel thread protector. I have my Stg 45 (M) or geraete 06 (H) almost complete. It is not a 100% copy because of the grips not being stamped into the pistol grip but it looks very good and the action is the same. I will try to attach some photographs Harry



Nice work. :thumbsup:
 
Folks when you can not afford the real thing like me do like I do and make one. I have wanted a Mkb 42 (H) for a long time and while I was stationed in Germany was always on the lookout for one or parts. Never did find a gun I could afford but I did pickup some parts. After I retired back to Tucson last year I took out my MP43/1 (early gun) kit that I had purchased years ago and started to convert it to a Mkb 42 (H). It did not take long as they are very similar in most areas. The front sight, gas tube extension/plug and gas block were added, the MP43/1 gas piston/bolt carrier was used with the bolt and the stock was modified a little. The big issue is the FCG. Since the Mkb 42 (H) fires from an open bolt that all had to be changed which is why the MP43/1 gas piston and bolt were used. I put in three denials when I put the receiver back together and there is an additional two on the pistol grip assembly to keep any full auto parts from being installed. I am at the end state on getting the newly designed hammer and sear units installed. Once they are in and working I will be content. I do need to get a new barrel made or find another MP43/1 barrel as mine was a German deactivated one. Section cut out instead of the holes drilled. The MP43/1 also had the long barrel thread protector. I have my Stg 45 (M) or geraete 06 (H) almost complete. It is not a 100% copy because of the grips not being stamped into the pistol grip but it looks very good and the action is the same. I will try to attach some photographs Harry

Really terrific work, Harry - I like the look of those a lot, well done!

Thanks D Dog, no offense taken at all - I quite understand the pain associated with spending big on something that doesn't work as it should.
(M53 semi, DP28 semi, stories for another thread.)
 
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I just love this gun I mean the function and design is awesome! iam gonna buy a Dittrich replica next year i guess but as a model because i just want to hang it on my wall [so I don't need a semi-automatic machine]✌

Nice pictures btw
 

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