Build Your Own M2HB Browning Replica-Update 03/07/07

[Goranwc51]

Tom, who made the plans, did a splendid job creating these plans and taking the build photos and all the other stuff you get. Building a really sweet replica from these plans should be a breeze for anyone with basic engineering skills. Getting someone or a company to laser cut the metal bits for you should really speed up construction.

And at that price:............go for it!

Goran N

[Frank Bruegger]

Gentlemen,

Great info here. I have been considering one of these builds but was thinking more of the 30 cal. My question is, which would be easier to build at home and look decent, the 30 or 50 cal? I like the 30 cal only because to me it looks more proportioned to the jeep, just my opinion. Great work and great pictures, thanks for sharing

[TopKick]

I have seen 30 cal replicas built out of everything from real parts to home made steel parts, to plastic, builder's foamboard, and pvc pipe, to wood. It all depends on how much money and time you wish to invest. I am really considering a cheap build just to do it and see how folks react. When done right, once it's painted it's hard to tell without touching.

[Goranwc51]

Frank: Here are plans to build the cal .30 (at the same low price):

http://www.john-tom.com/ForSale/ForSale ... wning30Cal

£££Browning30Cal001_th.JPG (25.88 KiB) Viewed 5878 times

Good luck,

Goran N

[Frank Bruegger]

Thanks for the info guys. I had seen the plans Goran suggested and purchased them. I had the plans printed and am establishing my materials list. What about color? any suggestions on what shade/make of black??

[TopKick]

For absolute realism have it parkerized.

[Larda]

Here is some picture of my M2 build.
I made some plans of my own from the original manufacturing drawings i got from mmike (thanks for the help) and sent out to a local company that does laser-cutting.
Everything is made of 5mm steel because i am from (metric) Sweden, but i think its close enough to the original thickness (~3/16" ~4.76mm).
Almost all parts are made with tabs and cut outs that makes the assembly really easy, just put the tabs in the corresponding slot and weld in place, almost like a IKEA furniture.








I did a test with laser engraving the markings, but i will probably "erase" it and engrave the markings my self after the body is bead blasted



All parts.


I noticed that i made a mistake and made the sides for the top and bottom 5mm higher then they should be so i have to modify them.
The drawback is that i will lose the convenient tabs, but that's not a big deal.









Then i made a mockup with two temporary handles out of a broom handle and a unknown heat shield that i found at a local surplus shop.
I will use different screws later, but i haven't got them yet.

[mmike]

Looking good! Quite a engineering feat you've accomplished there. If you have the resources to produce such accurate detail the pawl brackets will still be a challenge. That will be a detail most critics will notice even if all the other dimensions are correct. It was the toughest detail for me and the one I most dreaded. No matter how good I thought I was, those pawl brackets were my hardest test. Plain ones will stick out like a sore thumb. I never was able to duplicate a pawl bracket by hand that met my standards. Drilling the hole through the length proved difficult too! My advice is either to make the pawl brackets first or order real ones. Then, the rest of the plates and covers can be done without the worry of small details that are hard to accomplish. You've done remarkable work there and somehow found a way to simplify the process. Keep up the good work and plod on while your energy holds out! Mine collapsed a little while back but I certainly enjoy seeing the products of determined replica builders. Keep up the good work!

[Warren Duchesne]

I have a few de milled original barrels for sale . They have been torch cut in 3 places . $75 a set plus shipping . Warren Duchesne

[Goranwc51]

Stiligt Larda!

You have done a great job so far and I'm sure the end result will look stunning. I'd go with parkerizing as opposed to painting it. Here's a website that goes through the different steps:

http://www.projectguns.com/parkerizing.html

Where in Sweden are you situated? I live on Lidingö.

Good luck, looking forward to seeing the gun "in the flesh"

Göran Norén

[mbatvburg]

An IKEA M2HB.......

Awesome! I could see a limited run from your manufacturer being a hot selling item. Would be heavy to ship but flat!
Well done!

[Larda]

Thanks for the kind words.

mmike: You are right that the pawl brackets are a challenging part to make, but i will try make them myself before i buy the "real deal".

Warren Duchesne: Its tempting , but i will try to machine a barrel first.
Another problem, is that i think the barrels will require a license to be legal here in Sweden, even if they are de-milled.

Goranwc51: Yes, i do agree with you that parkerizing is the way to go, just need to get the right chemicals.
I live in Jämtland, so if you happens to pass by you are welcome.

[Goranwc51]

Thanks Larda,

Thinking about coming your way perhaps in August as I'll be trying to attend Bengtsfors Militär och Amfibie träff and meeting my friend Göran Theander.

The finishing of my 1945 Dodge WC51 at a Dutch restorer in southern Holland has been delayed, and my Dodge will probably not be back in Lidingö until June or so. I had plans to take it back to Normandy (was there with it in 1994, 2004 and 2009) but that will be have to be postponed a year or so.

Göran N

[Larda]

If you are going to Bengtsfors then you have around 740km to come an visit,but from Lidingö you only have around 470km .
Here is my "Pansarvärnspjästerrängbil 9031" (Pvpjtgb 9031) from 1963.
The roll cage is not original and was built by the previous owner, but i do have the original cage and all the original seats.
http://hv4all.com/terrang/CIMG8432.jpg

[Goranwc51]

The 9031 is a very cool vehicle, albeit a bit unpractical without a windscreen in its original form.

Pvpjtgb 9031 were produced between 1963-64, the vehicle is based on the Volvo 903 (Valpen/Puppy). 367 pieces vehicles were produced for the Swedish Army. The armament consisted of 90 mm anti-tank piece in 1110, this was manufactured by Bofors in 1600 copies, the piece was mounted on the vehicle or drawn on the launcher.

A number of accidents involving the vehicle resulted in injury. This led to a modification where a roll bar was introduced, then the vehicle was called 9031A.

A large number of the 367 9031's manufactured found their way out onto the civilian market. Almost all of them had very few miles on the odometer and were in very good mechanical condition.

Volvo Terrängbil 9031.jpg (186.87 KiB) Viewed 5729 times

Where in Jämtland do you live? Contact me on goran_noren snabel-A yahoo punkt com

Cheers,

Göran N