Would you buy a rewelded receiver

[Thumpy]

Hey fellas I was wondering would you/have you  bought any mgs that had there receivers rewelded ? I’m looking at one currently and my heart says no big deal it’s steel it can be fixed and then my brain says just save your money and buy one that didn’t/doesn’t need repairs... I’m new to mgs so my knowledge on this kinda stuff isn’t where it should be. Thanks for all the advice and help in advanced 

 

[1gewehr]

It depends on a lot of factors.

If it is a 9mm tube SMG, and the tube is straight and the welds look good, then no problem.  If the price was right, I wouldn't let the welded tube stop me.

If it is a rifle caliber and the welds are in front of the locking lugs (BREN, FAL, Japanese T99, etc), then I would have to examine a LOT more closely!

If it is an M16 lower and it looks good and the dimensions are good, the I'd snag it.  The lower on an M16 has very little stress.

It pretty much boils down to how much stress will the weld have to deal with, and was the work well done.

 

[Thumpy]

9 minutes ago, 1gewehr said:

It depends on a lot of factors.

If it is a 9mm tube SMG, and the tube is straight and the welds look good, then no problem.  If the price was right, I wouldn't let the welded tube stop me.

If it is a rifle caliber and the welds are in front of the locking lugs (BREN, FAL, Japanese T99, etc), then I would have to examine a LOT more closely!

If it is an M16 lower and it looks good and the dimensions are good, the I'd snag it.  The lower on an M16 has very little stress.

It pretty much boils down to how much stress will the weld have to deal with, and was the work well done.

 

It’s a Thompson and it’s the nose part of the receiver 

[villafuego]

Is it actually a reweld, or a rewat ?

Many rewat Thompsons show evidence of previous welding where the bbl/receiver meet.

[mike todd]

WOW THUMPY< DO YOU LAY AWAKE AT NIGHT TRYING TO FIND THESE THINGS?  there is no straight answer when it comes to rewelded ANYTHING much less a firearm. THE KEY TO ANY WELDED REPAIR IS THE QUALITY OF THE REPAIR FIRST. then other factors come into play , like the finishing machine work.  lets start here, IF the proper welding procedures were followed and the filler was correct joining properly aligned pieces that remained straight during the process, its possible to end up with the same strength that it had when new.  if the weld is not correct then the location of the damage is MOST IMPORTANT and can effect a failure.. a close friend in our "group" put a 3 cut Mk2 .303bren together using a $150.00 sears buzz box. he did 3/8-1/2" welds I would almost call "TACS" to do it. in the middle of the first mag the front half including the barrel went about 3 feet in front of the mount. he did it again and that gun fired more that 20 of those 880 round black steel cans of FN tracer. it would still be going if he was alive. all was done via our buds SOT and legal. I personally have welded well over 100 various weapons including the worst challenge a RUSSIAN DSHK in 1968 that is still running perfect. most the others were sold long ago, but I have never heard of any failures. I still have a milled Russian AK , Chinese Milled AK , Mk1 Bren and maybe more and none have ever faltered  or show any sign.  Contrary to other opinions, I would never pay ANYTHING for a welded  alum receiver like a M-16 . Both an Ar-10 and an M-16 that I owned cracked in the rack ON THE WALL that were put there un damaged. obviously the filler was not the same as the base metal and that was the fault , but I have heard of several guns in the market place that broke from use, even though the receiver is isolated from the main operating parts the vibration is present.   about 1999 ATF SIEZED more than 60 post samples from multiple ARIZONA MFG'rs put together by a WIZARD from POLAND because they believed them to be original uncut examples, they were that perfect. they were shipped back to the tech branch and for more than a year and a half tried to prove fraud and conspiracy . all were returned with an apology, BUT as a result they changed the rules about outside people performing work for SOT's if not a full bonified employee of record.  besides the above, in my opinion possibly the hardest thing about a cut and welded transferable NFA  weapon is establishing a TRUE VALUE. B-4 the ban cut was about 25% an original and hard to move. that is NOT the case now with some rare models selling for the same as an original. 2 years ago a cut and repaired Russian RPD sold for more than $100,000. at auction. a cut and rewelded FG-42 sold for more than $125,000. THUMPY in YOUR case, I would suggest you have an outside expert examine any cut and repaired gun b-4 you commit until you get a little more water under your stern.

[Thumpy]

17 hours ago, mike todd said:

WOW THUMPY< DO YOU LAY AWAKE AT NIGHT TRYING TO FIND THESE THINGS?  there is no straight answer when it comes to rewelded ANYTHING much less a firearm. THE KEY TO ANY WELDED REPAIR IS THE QUALITY OF THE REPAIR FIRST. then other factors come into play , like the finishing machine work.  lets start here, IF the proper welding procedures were followed and the filler was correct joining properly aligned pieces that remained straight during the process, its possible to end up with the same strength that it had when new.  if the weld is not correct then the location of the damage is MOST IMPORTANT and can effect a failure.. a close friend in our "group" put a 3 cut Mk2 .303bren together using a $150.00 sears buzz box. he did 3/8-1/2" welds I would almost call "TACS" to do it. in the middle of the first mag the front half including the barrel went about 3 feet in front of the mount. he did it again and that gun fired more that 20 of those 880 round black steel cans of FN tracer. it would still be going if he was alive. all was done via our buds SOT and legal. I personally have welded well over 100 various weapons including the worst challenge a RUSSIAN DSHK in 1968 that is still running perfect. most the others were sold long ago, but I have never heard of any failures. I still have a milled Russian AK , Chinese Milled AK , Mk1 Bren and maybe more and none have ever faltered  or show any sign.  Contrary to other opinions, I would never pay ANYTHING for a welded  alum receiver like a M-16 . Both an Ar-10 and an M-16 that I owned cracked in the rack ON THE WALL that were put there un damaged. obviously the filler was not the same as the base metal and that was the fault , but I have heard of several guns in the market place that broke from use, even though the receiver is isolated from the main operating parts the vibration is present.   about 1999 ATF SIEZED more than 60 post samples from multiple ARIZONA MFG'rs put together by a WIZARD from POLAND because they believed them to be original uncut examples, they were that perfect. they were shipped back to the tech branch and for more than a year and a half tried to prove fraud and conspiracy . all were returned with an apology, BUT as a result they changed the rules about outside people performing work for SOT's if not a full bonified employee of record.  besides the above, in my opinion possibly the hardest thing about a cut and welded transferable NFA  weapon is establishing a TRUE VALUE. B-4 the ban cut was about 25% an original and hard to move. that is NOT the case now with some rare models selling for the same as an original. 2 years ago a cut and repaired Russian RPD sold for more than $100,000. at auction. a cut and rewelded FG-42 sold for more than $125,000. THUMPY in YOUR case, I would suggest you have an outside expert examine any cut and repaired gun b-4 you commit until you get a little more water under your stern.

Haha mike some times it seems like that lol I’ve been thinking about them a lot lately I remember the prices I saw on them in middle school and high school and the prices they are now and Ik deep down I need to hurry up and buy them because if I don’t in 5-10 years I’ll be kicking my self saying you could of saved thousands buying them early lol.

And thank you Mike for your time and knowledge you sir are a box treasure it seems like with all the info/experience you are able to give me every time I ask something I’m truly grateful for all the help/advice you’ve given me in the last few months.... 

[mike todd]

THUMPY, NO WORRIES ! glad to do so. I wish EVERYONE could have or better yet STILL could have the chance I did. those 5/6 basement guys gained not one dime for planting the seed then taking me under the wing until they passed on. since then, I have dedicated my life trying to share / help others the same way. I don't always get it exactly right, the head not working so well at times.  a few have not taken it so well because it hurt a transaction or I missed a detail or 2 . fact is, if I didn't do it myself  and know that's how it went , I keep quiet even if I think I'm close and am forced to let some things go.  CHEERS FOR YOUR EFFORTS AND DRIVE, keep it up. its always better to ask b-4 you leap if you can. in some cases one cant wait the deal is too good so its best to learn as much as you can. be care full and try to stay focused on your main interests, don't let a low price create a situation you know nothing about and you should be good to go. all those fantastic treasures sold at auction the past 2 years has used up most of the fluid cash so many things are not selling for the numbers they brought. I'm losing sleep over several lots at the last Rock Island auction, I let go. Brass Browning belt loaders in the chest -$450 , Colt stainless 1911's $450 and many others.

[BPinFL]

Hi Thumpy:

Mike has some good info there, but First of all, Its Not a Reweld because it was never welded in the first place! It's a cut and welded receiver.

Regarding the thompson, how many pieces was the receiver in before welding? how do the welds look? how was it refinished?

I have a M1A1 cut/ welded by DLO that runs great, and a Bren MkII cut/welded by him that has fired many thousand rounds with no issues.

Welding steel is not magic. Aluminum, alloys and cast iron is another matter.

I would go for it if the price is right.  BP

 

[mike todd]

GOT IT  "NOT A REWELD"  scuz me for using a generally accepted form of communication. the response was wrong also! in the future I will use the ONLY "proper" term,  REMANUFACTURED ! simply because SOMEONE might think the only thing done was a simple welding job !