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USA
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Posted: 1/27/2024 10:46:59 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
Barely any discussion here. Is there somewhere that all the mortar guys hang out? Feeling an urge to try this hobby out.
Also, is it pretty much demilled surplus or is someone making new mortars? I am interested in machining my own (appropriate taxes paid...) but curious if there is an existing supplier that could save me some trouble. |
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SC, USA
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Posted: 1/28/2024 12:06:26 PM EDT
[#1]
This thread is pretty dead now but it’s the best one I’ve ever found from a technical standpoint. Lots of good reading there.
http://nfatalk.org/forum/index.php?threads/new-m2-mortar-cups-coming.13684/ I built mine from surplus parts, bipod, etc. Only place to buy a cup and tube, at present, is Ordnance.com/Vega Ballistics. They sell on GB, Marshall Morgan’s company. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/28/2024 12:19:06 PM EDT
[#2]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Dantheman89: This thread is pretty dead now but it’s the best one I’ve ever found from a technical standpoint. Lots of good reading there. http://nfatalk.org/forum/index.php?threads/new-m2-mortar-cups-coming.13684/ I built mine from surplus parts, bipod, etc. Only place to buy a cup and tube, at present, is Ordnance.com/Vega Ballistics. They sell on GB, Marshall Morgan’s company. Thank you for the link! Mind if I ask what you're using for a sighting device (if anything)? I think I can build a pretty good bipod, and baseplate... but optics are a different animal. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 1/28/2024 6:06:44 PM EDT
[Last Edit: walkinginadangerzone]
[#3]
The old M4 sights pop up for sale from time to time. That would be the easiest option to get a sight on a mortar. There's also another type of sight used on other ordnance pieces on gun broker right now that might work for a mortar.
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SC, USA
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Posted: 1/29/2024 7:38:27 AM EDT
[#4]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Thank you for the link! Mind if I ask what you're using for a sighting device (if anything)? I think I can build a pretty good bipod, and baseplate... but optics are a different animal. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Dantheman89: This thread is pretty dead now but it’s the best one I’ve ever found from a technical standpoint. Lots of good reading there. http://nfatalk.org/forum/index.php?threads/new-m2-mortar-cups-coming.13684/ I built mine from surplus parts, bipod, etc. Only place to buy a cup and tube, at present, is Ordnance.com/Vega Ballistics. They sell on GB, Marshall Morgan’s company. Thank you for the link! Mind if I ask what you're using for a sighting device (if anything)? I think I can build a pretty good bipod, and baseplate... but optics are a different animal. An original M4 sight. They’re not uncommon, they pop up every now and then. Sarco makes, or did make, an excellent repro base plate. For the money you’d be hard pressed to make one cheaper. |
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USA
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Posted: 1/29/2024 9:39:51 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#5]
Seems like the mortar game is very dependent on finding spare parts. I wonder if there's a market for people who want a simple, new manufacture Form 4 product.
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Posted: 1/29/2024 10:00:47 PM EDT
[Last Edit: MHIDPA]
[#6]
One of the guys here, maybe Wingnut, has a wealth of 60mm documentation. Also @Ben had been working on a 60mm project at one time. Not sure what kind of machines you have access to, the hardest part of making one yourself would be the tube, but a hydraulic shop should be able to get your bore taken care of. Or you can still get a 81mm tube/cup/baseplate from Bowman.
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USA
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Posted: 1/30/2024 12:33:29 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MHIDPA: One of the guys here, maybe Wingnut, has a wealth of 60mm documentation. Also @Ben had been working on a 60mm project at one time. Not sure what kind of machines you have access to, the hardest part of making one yourself would be the tube, but a hydraulic shop should be able to get your bore taken care of. Or you can still get a 81mm tube/cup/baseplate from Bowman. Yep, I would need to send the tube out for sizing to correct ID. My machines are 3-axis mill and manual lathe, plus a good network of current and former job shops to handle what I can't. |
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SC, USA
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Posted: 1/30/2024 2:44:08 PM EDT
[#8]
I forget the guys name but loaned my 60mm bipod assembly to be copied when I had it completely disassembled for restoration. Not sure how closely he cloned it but I’ll look back through my emails to see if I can remember who it was. The real m2/5 bipod is a lot more sophisticated and technical than what meets the eye. I’m sure it could be simplified for just shooting line of sight with dummy rounds.
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USA
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Posted: 1/30/2024 3:20:20 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Dantheman89: I forget the guys name but loaned my 60mm bipod assembly to be copied when I had it completely disassembled for restoration. Not sure how closely he cloned it but I’ll look back through my emails to see if I can remember who it was. The real m2/5 bipod is a lot more sophisticated and technical than what meets the eye. I’m sure it could be simplified for just shooting line of sight with dummy rounds. I'd love to see those drawings! Right now I am drafting up my own design based roughly on the current issue for M224A1. Those shielded screw assemblies do have more moving parts than meets the eye. |
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Posted: 1/30/2024 11:34:31 PM EDT
[#10]
Sounds like you have an idea where you are going with it. If it were me I'd get some ACME all thread and acme nuts from McMaster for the T&E on the bipod. Currently I need to make a bushing/retainer for my traverse screw and a dovetail adapter for my sight.
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NY, USA
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Posted: 2/1/2024 10:03:10 PM EDT
[#11]
the hardest part to find right now are the bipod. the supply has completely dried up. there's currently 2 different companies on gunbroker selling new manufactured tubes and cups. I just put together 2 demilled setups and my hard part now is finding M49 bodies/rounds for display.
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Posted: 2/2/2024 11:45:53 PM EDT
[#12]
You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone.
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USA
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Posted: 2/3/2024 12:47:33 AM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working 
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Posted: 2/13/2024 11:32:58 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ?  I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.
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TX, USA
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Posted: 2/13/2024 1:05:21 PM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Cell phone to aim it using a compass app? 
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Posted: 2/13/2024 2:36:21 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Cell phone to aim it using a compass app? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Originally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Cell phone to aim it using a compass app? There are mortar aiming apps. Not sure if any are publicly available. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 2/13/2024 3:36:10 PM EDT
[#17]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: There are mortar aiming apps. Not sure if any are publicly available. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Originally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Cell phone to aim it using a compass app? There are mortar aiming apps. Not sure if any are publicly available. Ooh, can you share the name of the apps? |
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Posted: 2/13/2024 5:00:23 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Ooh, can you share the name of the apps? Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Originally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By walkinginadangerzone: Originally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Cell phone to aim it using a compass app? There are mortar aiming apps. Not sure if any are publicly available. Ooh, can you share the name of the apps? I would if I could remember. I'll see if I can find them again . |
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USA
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Posted: 2/13/2024 10:13:50 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ben: Originally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Originally Posted By Ben: You don't need a bipod. You just need a tube clamp and a cell phone. I'll buy an APC shirt if you post a video of this working Shirt plus bumper sticker ? I'll have my mortar out of storage in April.Well, dangit, the shirt sale ended. I'll reach out to Redbirdxx. ETA: stickers ordered and emails sent to CustomInk. |
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USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 3:50:56 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#20]
Small update on my 60mm quest.
Barrels right now seem to be limited to 30" WW2-era US M2 designs and the Yugo M57/French Mle-1935 replacements. Both are shorter than the current issue M225 cannon barrel which I believe is nearly 40". Although I'd like to get as close to modern issue as I can afford, the M225 is made from Alloy 718 at Watervliet Arsenal via a flow-forming process (patent). That is not even remotely achievable. I'll have to figure out if making a similar length barrel from 4130/4140 is worth the extra weight and cost vs. buying a shorter premade one from Vega. Speaking of... I reached out to DestructiveDevices.com with 5 calls. No one seems to answer the phone there and they don't return messages. I had hoped to get some barrel dimensions on their new-manufacture M2 barrels for $1300. Not a great start. I believe this is the same company as Vega Ballistics.  The bipod design is moving along. It won't be an exact copy of the M170A1 but I do want to capture the same performance and operating characteristics. See image below. I'll post some images when the design is a little more refined.  |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 7:50:03 AM EDT
[#21]
It is another company of Marshall Morgan.
You can find M2 barrel dimensions if you look around online. I have them saved somewhere. I was also thinking of adding some length to my build as I'm not using a regular m2/m5 style bipod either. |
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USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 10:37:44 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#22]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SGT-Fish: It is another company of Marshall Morgan. You can find M2 barrel dimensions if you look around online. I have them saved somewhere. I was also thinking of adding some length to my build as I'm not using a regular m2/m5 style bipod either. They must have read my post, because they called me right after! DestructiveDevices is going to measure an M224 for me and quote the longer barrel. Sounds like they can custom-make barrels, in addition to those on their site. ETA: What bipod are you using? ETA 2: DestructiveDevices confirmed the M224 barrel they have is 12" longer than the M2 barrel (I think that puts the M224 at 40"). Unfortunately, they won't quote it due to concerns about changes in barrel pressure resulting from the increased length. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 1:18:55 PM EDT
[#23]
I'm just using a Spanish tripod and baseplate for now. I got them for relatively cheap last year and sold the dummy cup and tube it came with.
It's not the most ideal setup but I just want a shooter. Seeing the increased prices in tubes and cups(used to be 1500 for a set) I think I'm going to try making my own tube from 4130 and fabricating a cup to be welded on in multiple processes. I think I'll end up with a plenty strong, with the downside of being permanent. But that's not a huge deal to me. I basically plan on plugging the tube with a thick steel disk(bolted/welded in place) and then welding a cup on over that. |
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USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 4:47:06 PM EDT
[#24]
Are you going for milspec 60mm bore or as-furnished seamless pipe diameter?
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/8/2024 9:33:13 PM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: Are you going for milspec 60mm bore or as-furnished seamless pipe diameter? I am planning in going for a milspec bore. I am going to attempt to ECM the bore with a power supply, a water pump, copper pipe, and some 3d printed fixtures. Backup plan is just to take it to a hydraulic shop and see if they'll open it up the .020 or whatever it is different. |
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NY, USA
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Posted: 3/13/2024 8:26:51 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SGT-Fish: I'm just using a Spanish tripod and baseplate for now. I got them for relatively cheap last year and sold the dummy cup and tube it came with. It's not the most ideal setup but I just want a shooter. Seeing the increased prices in tubes and cups(used to be 1500 for a set) I think I'm going to try making my own tube from 4130 and fabricating a cup to be welded on in multiple processes. I think I'll end up with a plenty strong, with the downside of being permanent. But that's not a huge deal to me. I basically plan on plugging the tube with a thick steel disk(bolted/welded in place) and then welding a cup on over that. and im who bought the tube and cup from you. lol it took awhile to find a proper tripod but I sourced one and now here's what the setup looks like. 
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USA
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Posted: 3/14/2024 12:46:07 AM EDT
[#27]
I'm now convinced that bipods are more complicated - and expensive - to make than meets the eye. This design I am working on is based loosely on an M170A1 (modified in many ways to ease manufacture at low/unitary scale) and has over 100 parts, including more than 20 uniquely machined P/Ns. I'm designing these parts around my own capabilities with a 3-axis VMC and a manual lathe.
...There are so many parts that I am considering combining some of these into fewer, more complex 5-axis jobs. That will increase my out of pocket cost since I can't make those on my own.  
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/14/2024 6:59:36 AM EDT
[#28]
Wow. Your doing a whole recoil system as well? I didn't think that most 60mm bipod had them.
I figured if I needed to make a bipod, I'd buy a big acme lead screw and nuts off of ebay for the windage, and a small trailer jack or similar for the elevation. The just weld up a bunch of tubing to make it all play nice together. I've seen a guy (morecannonfab on youtube) make some pretty nice black powder mortars that way. He used to offer them for a pretty good price. |
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USA
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Posted: 3/14/2024 10:21:23 AM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#29]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SGT-Fish: Wow. Your doing a whole recoil system as well? I didn't think that most 60mm bipod had them. I figured if I needed to make a bipod, I'd buy a big acme lead screw and nuts off of ebay for the windage, and a small trailer jack or similar for the elevation. The just weld up a bunch of tubing to make it all play nice together. I've seen a guy (morecannonfab on youtube) make some pretty nice black powder mortars that way. He used to offer them for a pretty good price. I think they do, including the old M2s. It's just a pair of springs to decouple recoil. Not even dampers. ETA: From TM-9-3071-1: 
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OH, USA
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Posted: 3/14/2024 12:50:04 PM EDT
[#30]
Oh interesting. Guess I never noticed.
My Spanish tripod is just a ring that the tube slides through and stays a little loose. I suppose that it doesn't need a clamping force because it is a tripod and stands on its own, so the tube must just recoil through the hole. |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 4/13/2024 9:08:16 AM EDT
[#31]
I actually just got an m224a1 bipod off a guy. Brand new. Though i already made a deal to trade it for a tube and cup so I can finish my Spanish mortar. I'd rather have something I can shoot than multiple partially complete mortars.
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USA
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Posted: 4/14/2024 5:56:47 PM EDT
[Last Edit: PlaysWithAtoms]
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SGT-Fish: I actually just got an m224a1 bipod off a guy. Brand new. Though i already made a deal to trade it for a tube and cup so I can finish my Spanish mortar. I'd rather have something I can shoot than multiple partially complete mortars. A real deal A1? Like the all-aluminum variant that's currently issued since ~2012?! If so, I would be interested in that as well @SGT-Fish. At least post a picture! |
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OH, USA
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Posted: 4/14/2024 8:22:58 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By PlaysWithAtoms: A real deal A1? Like the all-aluminum variant that's currently issued since ~2012?! If so, I would be interested in that as well @SGT-Fish. At least post a picture! Yeah I was pretty surprised to find it as well. https://postimg.cc/k6rqhY0P https://postimg.cc/Mcfz5JrY The problem is finding the rest of the parts. |
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USA
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Posted: 4/15/2024 2:17:55 AM EDT
[#34]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By SGT-Fish: Yeah I was pretty surprised to find it as well. https://postimg.cc/k6rqhY0P https://postimg.cc/Mcfz5JrY The problem is finding the rest of the parts. If you find another, please let me know! |
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