Building a A5 Frankenstein from scratch.

Always keeping an eye on the background for any new Texas incentive schemes

Here’s a story about it. That old girl did herself proud this weekend against a myriad of much more expensive modern guns, better than 100 men in the field. In fact, other than the 16 gauge model 12 my 15-year-old shoots, that auto 5 was the oldest gun at the event. It’s the our annual sporting clays event. At the conclusion of 10 stations, we have a double elimination shoot out and guess what fallowed me home…




My name goes around on the right side once the name placard is engraved.


Wife want’s it gone!!! But it only goes if I can’t defend it next year

Wouldn’t take much, just for my wife to sign on. I’ve spent a bunch of time in Plano and DFW (telecom industry) and I love Texas!

Very cool story and great outcome. A Auto 5 in a decent set of hands has won plenty of clay shoots over last 100 years.
Some pretty mean feats in the clay world also been accomplished with the model 12 as well

I will give you a cool story back When 14 yrs old worked as trapper with mate at gun club. He way more talented than me wanted to enter in state skeet shoot. All he had was beat up hand down Auto 5 but full choke.
Being handy with hacksaw and file I cut the choke back using my finger and felt pen mark to determine " skeet" constriction of a similar gun we found in the gun rack . All very technical we thought knowing absolutely nothing.
He bought home the trophy just like you.

That’s old world gunsmithing…. Also the same reason this whole project started… except i was unwilling to cut into a correct vintage A5 … I did it the way a grownup with money does it… your way was much more awesome!

Yes my mate and I still shoot together some 46 yrs later. He went on to win reserve selection seat for the Commonwealth Games issf skeet in 82 with same beat up piece untouched. Very gifted shooter.
Let's say we're both much wiser as adults.

Well, I’m going to start assembling my monstrosity this weekend. I’m sure I made some purchasing/compatible parts mistakes. The only way for me to find out what they were is to start putting it together.


Should I be using lock tight on the magazine tube?

I believe the magazine is held in place by a screw in the cutoff. But Loctite couldn’t hurt, I don’t think. I’d call Art’s to be certain.

Great thread!

Please, as a machinist, do NOT USE red High Strength (271 ?)Loctite. It is intended for PERMANT installation and is very difficult to remove. The Loctite chart will help. 242 blue works very good but even at that, there are others ( not sure if it’s purple or what color that is made for small fasteners. 222 maybe. Been a while since I’ve used it ( like most gun screws ). I remember green is for pre assembled parts like adjustment screws.
If properly cleaned surfaces, they all work as intended.
BoB


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Well, there it is…I’m confident I have all the parts I need. If they all are 12 gauge has yet to be seen.

That looks like fun!

Yea, it should be. I hope it shoots well. I’m not getting rich on it LMAO. If I added it all up, I bet I have $1,500 into a gun, which if it works, will be worth $500 LMAO.

Oh well, that will a problem for my kids when I die

Interesting. I was considering using blue… but not lock tight brand, it’s something McMasster Carr recommended leftover from a different project. I know that removal of the magazine tube is considered all but impossible. I haven’t seen this but a shade tree machines friend of mine watched a youtube video on removing the magazine tube. He had cut the tube and machined the tube to the threads from the inside. My friend said there was no indication of any thread locker, he said that he surmised it was probably oxidation that held the tube in place the threads are very fine

What I do not have is a torque spec for the mag tube. I think I am going to torque it to German spec and keep an eye on it. I’ll address it if it’s a problem.


From Midwest Gun Works, they seem serious.

Art’s has a video about removing the magazine tube. He takes precautions to ensure that he doesn’t warp the receiver. I don’t know if it’s something to worry about on installation. As to the torque, if the hole for the screw is pre drilled, you won’t need to worry about it. Just line up the hole with the one for the magazine cutoff.

Also, I’ve learned from Art’s videos to be careful installing the carrier latch. If you get it misaligned the roll pin can damage it. Art likes the roll pins better than the screws, but so long as I don’t encounter one rusted stuck, I’d rather use the screws.

Loctite is last resort tactics in my book when other ways are compromised. Great product in the right hands and use and fully appreciate its benefit in certain procedures. Used wrong hands and strength grade absolute nightmare for any future intervention.
Kybob and Ranger be on board here if you have ever been a second in line to find loctite used where not necessary or some idiot applied 680 on a 3/16 grub screw.

Tip. Get your machinist mate to turn up a dummy mandrel from bar stock that precision slide fits down inside length of mag tube. Web seat belt oil filter straps then can be used with extra care not to mark outside diameter and fear of collapsing your new or existing tube. Supporting the receiver properly against warp is super important as they can be bloody tight when your swinging on that tube to get undone. Be patient and think things through very carefully as every action there is reaction down the track.
I have used above tactic to wiggle out tube on rem 1100 that had cracked silver solder so as to get up in there to clean up and do job properly after a so called Gunsmith had a go.

Oh yeah I am not a Qualified Gunsmith as per the Midwest disclaimer. You can manage fine for this job and don’t be impatient or an idiot and put a monkey wrench to work on outside and start swinging…….