barnbwt
member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2011
- Messages
- 7,340
It certainly doesn't inspire confidence, that's for sure. Wouldn't a soft metal express failure as setback/peening of lugs rather than cracking, though? This seems more like the metal was far too brittle/hard. Either that, or there is a carburized external layer that cracked over a shifting core of soft nougat. Were these Mausers through or case-hardened?
Could probably be repaired for a mild power cartridge (after all, the receiver ring that holds an RPD barrel in place against breech pressures is frequently sliced so the barrel can be removed, and is frequently rewelded without issue since the shrinking weld snugs everything back up), though the real question is why since you wouldn't be saving much money for all the trouble involved (assuming it works). If worried about future generations' stupid plans for the thing, just cut down & reweld the bolt rails so nothing but a 1911 mag will fit, like the old Delisle conversions (and fit it with an integral suppressor, too, that way no one will even want to mess with the gun ever again
)TCB
