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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 4:54:24 PM EDT
So my friend msg’ed me telling me that he needed some help and expertise on fixing a firearm for him and also advising him on what scope to get for a 50 bmg rifle he got. He sent me a pic of the 50 bmg and it looked like those old vulcan/hesse rifles that self destruct and surgically implant a bolt into your chest when fired. I asked him what the brand of the rifle was. He said he didn’t know. I just told him to look on the gun and it should say the brand name or manufacturer. He said he couldn’t find anything.
Anyway he brought it over and i started looking all over it and couldn’t find a brand name. He bought it off a state surplus auction site. Here is where it gets weird. I found the serial number. It looks like an after the fact serial number hammered in by somebody who didn’t care. The first three letters of the serial number are “ATF”. I told him i think he bought a homemade 50 cal that was confiscated by the aft but somehow wound up on a state auction site. I would assume if the atf got it, it would have been destroyed. I told him to be careful when he fires it for the first time. I do have pics of the rifle but forgot to get a pic of the serial number. I don’t know how to post pics but can send it to someone to post. Any thoughts on if the atf does serial numbers but then releases the rifle back into the wild? |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:00:16 PM EDT
[#1]
No pics?
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:02:49 PM EDT
[#2]
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:04:12 PM EDT
[#3]
Im gunna mark my cetme with a ATF serial number just to confuse the fuck out of someone down the road
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:05:40 PM EDT
[#4]
Maybe it was built specifically for the ATF for some reason?
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:05:43 PM EDT
[#5]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By chase45: Im gunna mark my cetme with a ATF serial number just to confuse the fuck out of someone down the road |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:06:11 PM EDT
[#6]
No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg.
Nope. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:06:28 PM EDT
[#7]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mojo_Jojo: "NSA" or "CIA" would work too... Damn you right CIA would be about right for a space age lookin CETME L |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:07:04 PM EDT
[#8]
Any thoughts on if the atf does serial numbers but then releases the rifle back into the wild? More likely it was seized by state or local LE. For any number of reasons unrelated to the rifle itself. Then, as some agencies do, it was auctioned off. Some one with a sense of humor may have stamped the ATF serial number on it. If it is a home built it doesn't require a serial number, but some put serial numbers on their home builts anyway. Not a bad idea if it gets stolen. |
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:07:54 PM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. I 110% agree. I told him to tie a string and hide behind his truck to fire it. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:09:47 PM EDT
[#10]
Is the suffix for the serial number “SUX 1”?
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:10:05 PM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Even mine? 
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:10:08 PM EDT
[#12]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By pedaler: No pics? I can email you the pic if you promise to post it. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:10:17 PM EDT
[#13]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mojo_Jojo: "NSA" or "CIA" would work too... Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Mojo_Jojo: Originally Posted By chase45: Im gunna mark my cetme with a ATF serial number just to confuse the fuck out of someone down the road I had a known manufacturer bolt action receiver that had the serial number "showgun" and it was engraved after blueing. Kinda wish I'd kept that. Was gonna be a sweet .338 Lapua in a McMillan LOD stock with Wilson 416SS ECM poly rifled bbl. Got tired of it sitting in the shop looking at me and asking when I was gonna build her. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:10:44 PM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Wubaru: I 110% agree. I told him to tie a string and hide behind his truck to fire it. Yall be sure to post a video. |
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:11:18 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Wubaru]
[#15]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg Holy snikes that looks like the same bolt handle/action that my friend has. Is that a kit that you built? His has the same horizontal oval slots like yours but his has a super high weaver mount welded onto the receiver. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:11:25 PM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. I have, but I watched other people shoot it first. I am unaware of any catastrophic disassemblies with home built .50s. Not picking on Mark Serbu, but I have seen the results of one of his .50s coming apart. To be fair, that was an ammunition problem, not a construction problem. Some times bad things happen when there is a dysfunction conjunction. |
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TX, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:13:09 PM EDT
[#17]
Hello fellow firearms enthusiast.
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:13:25 PM EDT
[#18]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Wubaru: Holy snikes that looks like the same bolt handle/action that my friend has. Is that a kit that you built? Maddi griffin. Was from blueprints. It is proper heat treat on it. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:13:53 PM EDT
[#19]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Wubaru: I 110% agree. I told him to tie a string and hide behind his truck to fire it. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Wubaru: Originally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. I 110% agree. I told him to tie a string and hide behind his truck to fire it. Doesn't really matter if it holds together once or 10 times. Without knowing the material, heat treat, and some other stuff that isnt hard to measure if you're in the trade, you could just as well be setting up stress fractures or metal fatigue. Tell him to watch the Kentucky Ballistics video of a .50 coming apart and nearly killing him. I wont comment on Scott's wisdom in his course of actions that day. Glad he came through it. |
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:14:02 PM EDT
[#20]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By MiskeetShooter1: Hello fellow firearms enthusiast. Hello fellow Glowie 
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:15:05 PM EDT
[#21]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Maddi griffin. Was from blueprints. It is proper heat treat on it. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Originally Posted By Wubaru: Holy snikes that looks like the same bolt handle/action that my friend has. Is that a kit that you built? Maddi griffin. Was from blueprints. It is proper heat treat on it. Thanks! I will pass that info onto him. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:16:00 PM EDT
[#22]
Just to be sure, you should stamp a few dozen more serial numbers on it in various places.
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WI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:17:47 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Wubaru]
[#23]
I googled maddi griffin and that is the
 rifle that he has. Arfcom autists are amazing!Atf raided Maadi Grifin |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:18:51 PM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Originally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg I would trust yours. I watched your build thread. I built one kinda like the SWAT actions Klaus Horstkamp used to build. 17-4ph at 45-47 Rc and over built by about 4x. I trusted that one. Ultramagbyron had a sweet falling block .50 half built by an old school gunsmith friend of his. I tried to buy it from him but he wouldn't sell. Caught up to him on akfiles and he had sold it....fargin bastage.
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FL, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:19:13 PM EDT
[#25]
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:21:44 PM EDT
[#26]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg It's so small!  |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:22:58 PM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Wubaru: I googled maddi griffin and that is the rifle that he has. Arfcom autists are amazing!Atf raided Maadi Grifin No worries on that if done to spec. It’s over built by 4x. Very safe design. LAR copied it for their 50. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:23:13 PM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By grendelbane: I have, but I watched other people shoot it first. I am unaware of any catastrophic disassemblies with home built .50s. Not picking on Mark Serbu, but I have seen the results of one of his .50s coming apart. To be fair, that was an ammunition problem, not a construction problem. Some times bad things happen when there is a dysfunction conjunction. The tiny threads on that rear cap and the very short engagement are enough to make a freshly graduated MechE say....uh, nope. Agree Scott was playing with dynamite and I always recommend stopping with ANY firearm when anomalies start to crop up. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:29:50 PM EDT
[#29]
Agree Scott was playing with dynamite and I always recommend stopping with ANY firearm when anomalies start to crop up. Exactly! As far as Serbu's rifle goes, there are several out there, and yet they seem to do well when used with the proper ammunition. |
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WA, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:31:10 PM EDT
[#30]
I was t the range and a guy brought a 50, first one I've seen, there was steel foil where the muzzle brake was machined,
I told him, he shrugged and continued to set up, I got out of there. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:34:51 PM EDT
[#31]
A homemade .50bmg is an industrial grade nope.
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:35:50 PM EDT
[#32]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By grendelbane: Exactly! As far as Serbu's rifle goes, there are several out there, and yet they seem to do well when used with the proper ammunition. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By grendelbane: Agree Scott was playing with dynamite and I always recommend stopping with ANY firearm when anomalies start to crop up. Exactly! As far as Serbu's rifle goes, there are several out there, and yet they seem to do well when used with the proper ammunition. True, but you dont know how close to the edge you are. I haven't done the math on those threads. I do know they are one hell of a lot weaker than the barrel threads on a standard M2 bbl. I like a lot of safety factor. A friend had me work on his Savage target .22-250. Seeing the plasma cutting on the bolt face and enough brass flow to turn it into a belted case.....I have a lot of respect for those savage receivers. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:39:42 PM EDT
[#33]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By shaggy: A homemade .50bmg is an industrial grade nope. |
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GA, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:40:19 PM EDT
[Last Edit: KoolOperator]
[#34]
It's probably a Madi kit built gun. After FTATF ran the guy into the ground they retroactively decided his 80% receivers were complete guns, and using his customer list they stole off his computer, contacted the customers and demanded a serial number be added, provided by them, with the ATF prefix.
They are a fine and sound design. It's a giant two lug bolt and usually FAL based fire control group. I've put many rounds through them. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:42:40 PM EDT
[#35]
.50BMG Bullpup hard pass,
Borrowed a friends Barrett M99 and it felt like getting punched in the face, with every trigger pull. Agree I wouldnt shoot some franken .50 |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:43:39 PM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Seriously. No way in hell. |
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KY, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:45:38 PM EDT
[#37]
True, but you dont know how close to the edge you are. I haven't done the math on those threads. I do know they are one hell of a lot weaker than the barrel threads on a standard M2 bbl. Apparently Mark Serbu has done the math. I have seen the yt videos where he discusses this. I didn't audit his math, but it is not like some one just going, "By gosh that should be good enough". |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:45:55 PM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg Kinda chuckling at that sight on that rifle. More importantly, tell me about the dog. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:45:57 PM EDT
[Last Edit: DarkLordVader]
[#39]
Some clown at a local range brought in a .50bmg and setup. Before he does anything he asks me if I wanted to shoot it. I was like sure, go ahead and send a few down and I will try it.
He say no, I want you to shoot it first, I have never fired it before.  I declined the offer to be his crash test dummy. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:53:58 PM EDT
[#40]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Yep. Not even a question. If I did find something like that I'd take it to a gunsmith, a REAL one, and have him look it over before I even thought of buying it. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:54:33 PM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Fat_McNasty: Even mine? https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/14562/IMG_1768_JPG-1216756.jpg Damn dude; even yours! You are undoubtedly a great rifle builder, we’ve seen many examples of fine quality work you’ve done. I just find it un-nerving to park my face on top of 60,000 psi. I want to have a fighting chance of avoiding shrapnel… Don’t like bullpups of any flavor. Good looking rifle though. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 5:59:15 PM EDT
[#42]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Yeah, some things are okay to skimp on. Things calibered in .50 bmg aren’t included. The dude on Kentucky Ballistics is a good source of information on this subject. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 6:00:29 PM EDT
[#43]
Yea I'm not shooting that.
Only way this gets better is if it came with some .50 BMG shells that came in a gallon sized ziplock bag marked "HOT DEFENSE LOADS" in sharpee. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 6:01:35 PM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By southerncross: Yep. Not even a question. If I did find something like that I'd take it to a gunsmith, a REAL one, and have him look it over before I even thought of buying it. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By southerncross: Originally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Yep. Not even a question. If I did find something like that I'd take it to a gunsmith, a REAL one, and have him look it over before I even thought of buying it. I'd take it to a stress analyst and materials test lab 1st, a gun Smith won't know shit about a ho.e build |
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MI, USA
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Posted: 4/24/2024 6:01:49 PM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By DKUltra: .50BMG Bullpup hard pass, Borrowed a friends Barrett M99 and it felt like getting punched in the face, with every trigger pull. Agree I wouldnt shoot some franken .50 Don’t know why the DT/DTA video of a deliberate destruction test with a seriously over pressure .50BMG round in their HTi is gone. Used to be able to find it online. While it would suck to be on the gun when something like that happens, what impressed me, was that the design expelled the force away from the shooter. You see the same thing with the design of ARs when someone kabooms a 5.56 with a 300BLK (and there’s a video of that type of kaboom in a Tavor. Shooter throws the Tavor to the ground in disgust, but was unharmed). That’s what I don’t like about that particular Serbu (and the old Vulcan/Hess/whatever) .50BMGs. When they fail, stuff comes back at the shooter at lethal velocities. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 6:07:48 PM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Seadra_tha_Guineapig: I'd take it to a stress analyst and materials test lab 1st, a gun Smith won't know shit about a ho.e build Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Seadra_tha_Guineapig: Originally Posted By southerncross: Originally Posted By Ridgerunner9876: No fucking way I'd shoot someone else's homemade .50bmg. Nope. Yep. Not even a question. If I did find something like that I'd take it to a gunsmith, a REAL one, and have him look it over before I even thought of buying it. I'd take it to a stress analyst and materials test lab 1st, a gun Smith won't know shit about a ho.e build A real gunsmith would. There aren't many. As the story comes out, if it is one of Stewart's guns, it would probably be OK. Still not for me. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 7:05:00 PM EDT
[Last Edit: Ridgerunner9876]
[#47]
Here. I made you a song, OP. @wubaru
https://suno.com/song/9c120006-08be-4557-bb80-8361a0d660d7  Oh, yeah. @ronin72 Like this |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 7:07:05 PM EDT
[#48]
pics?
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Posted: 4/24/2024 7:36:23 PM EDT
[#49]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By Seadra_tha_Guineapig: I'd take it to a stress analyst and materials test lab 1st, a gun Smith won't know shit about a ho.e build I'm talking about an actual machinist type gunsmith that understands pressure, necessary wall/thread to load ratios, etc. My gunsmith has an engineering degree also. |
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Posted: 4/24/2024 7:59:26 PM EDT
[#50]
Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By southerncross: I'm talking about an actual machinist type gunsmith that understands pressure, necessary wall/thread to load ratios, etc. My gunsmith has an engineering degree also. Quote HistoryOriginally Posted By southerncross: Originally Posted By Seadra_tha_Guineapig: I'd take it to a stress analyst and materials test lab 1st, a gun Smith won't know shit about a ho.e build I'm talking about an actual machinist type gunsmith that understands pressure, necessary wall/thread to load ratios, etc. My gunsmith has an engineering degree also. It's a Maadi-Griffin, down to the ATF dictated serial number. According to ATF, it's not a homebuilt. |
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