Enfield No.4 VSR: Complete

Some heads up on this No.4 in the aim of full disclosure!

Firstly, this is a custom build for Sniper Mechanic, using one of his base rifles. As a result the trigger group and internals are different to the standard. As he is a sniper chiefly, the way I have mounted the scope is different to the way I would do for a British WWII/Cold War Airsofter with the focus on stability rather than authenticity. I have also performed a minor heresy in producing shall we say… a non-standard accessory for it (more of that later).

Although in due course I hope to produce a No.32 scope mount that is both authentic and very stable it will require more work (though for the record the one I have made previously is fine, just not as stable as I would like for a high-powered sniper rifle). Watch this space for more news on that.

The Rifle

Right side.

Left side

The buttplate, a rubber cast copy as originals are becoming very difficult to source.

The foresight and muzzle. Dimensioned to take accessories. Note the original front band.

Top view of the receiver: from here you can see the hop-up adjustment screw in the top handguard. You can also see some of the modifications I have made to the receiver to fit the scope. As this is an older designed receiver I have used some Polymorph to add material to the structure.

The VSR magazine well. This is the newer MkII version.

Scoped

This replica uses my No.32 scope option. Although I tried using modern pattern scopes, alas they just don’t look right on Enfields. The No.32 scope is a very distinctive shape, which really changes the silhouette when mounted.

Side view showing the more modern scope mounts. As you can see, with these mounts it is necessary to fold the rear sight back to fit them.

Rear view.

 

Spike Bayonet

Although I have shared pictures before, I thought it would be nice to share a picture of it mounted on the rifle.

 

Suppressor

And finally, the heresy. Dan (Sniper Mechanic) wanted a way to mount a suppressor. I at first thought about making a screw mount adaptor, but this custom suppressor suits the rifle rather well, attaches to the bayonet lugs and keeps the tube out the way of this sights.

Front view.

Keeping the suppressor off-centre from the barrel means it is quite nicely in line with the rest of the rifle.

To remove it, it has the same system as the bayonet catch.

Pushing the button in allows it to be twisted and pulled off.

 

If you like this build you can see other complete projects here. If you have an idea of your own, drop us a line on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com to discuss. ‘Like’ our Facebook page or follow the blog to get regular updates on projects and interesting videos and articles.

 

Don’t forget you can buy our smaller items via Etsy. Our larger items can be found here.

 

Airsoft G3: External upgrades and safe bayonet

Most of this work I did a little while ago, a friend asked me to fit their wooden original furniture to their airsoft G3. This work was a lot of small, fine adjustments so I didn’t really photograph the process. You can however enjoy the end result!

On the other side. If you look closely you can see that the thread for the front sling mount has been replaced with a steel nut as it had stripped out (threads in aluminium don’t last that well).

A closer view at the buttstock end. Although the receiver shape is about right, it needed thinning out in a few places to fit the stock.

I added a real steel magazine catch, the AEG one was aluminium and quite fragile in my opinion. This steel one needed a collar machining so that the parts would move smoothly in the AEG trigger group.

A closer look at the fore-end. Fitting the hand guard was mainly shaving away material at the top to fit around the barrel support.

The buttstock is already hollow, to reduce weight I would imagine. This has the added bonus of allowing you to fit a LiPo battery inside. The cable runs from the gun, through the hole which the support column uses on the real thing (you may also be able to drill through this if you want to keep it).

Now, the bayonet; a rifle really isn’t complete without one. This is cast from an original in hard rubber.

The gas plug needs drilling out to take the stem that locks the bayonet in place on this AEG.

Unusually, the G3 bayonet sits above the barrel, just ahead of the foresight. On a rifle of this format I can see this providing better leverage for twisting out of a body. Not that this concerns us with airsoft/re-enacting of course…

This photo has been taken with the rifle at a slight angle to show the natural flex of the bayonet blade.

 

If you like this build you can see other complete projects here. If you have an idea of your own, drop us a line on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com to discuss. ‘Like’ our Facebook page or follow the blog to get regular updates on projects and interesting videos and articles.

 

Don’t forget you can buy our smaller items via Etsy. including this G3 bayonet. Our larger items can be found here.

 

Vz. 24: Complete

The Vz.24, VSR base. Like the K98k builds, this was destined to be a pretty gun.

This build has used a lot of original parts, which really adds to the air of authenticity.

The straight bolt handle and cut back top guard is reminiscent of the very early Vz series.

The rear sight is 3D printed, as needs must to fit the VSR base.

It is adjustable for elevation, underneath the sight leaf is the TDC hop adjustment.

The Mauser back cap and locking block are almost identical to the K98k model.

The opposite side, where you can see the alternative sling arrangement. Rather unusually for the era, this rifle has several sling mounting options that allow the rifle to be shoulder or back slung fairly comfortably.

The middle band is original, a rather pleasing feature. The lower swivel was surprisingly tricky to find.

The wrist swivel. An unusual location, but fine so long as you’re not left handed.

This rifle was started while I was still using my MkI steel VSR magwells. As a result, it still has this model. Future versions will use my MkII magwell.

The buttplate, which interestingly is interchangeable with the G98.

 

If you like this build you can see the rest of the project here. If you have an idea of your own, drop us a line on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com to discuss. ‘Like’ our Facebook page or follow the blog to get regular updates on projects and interesting videos and articles.

 

Don’t forget you can buy our smaller items via Etsy. Our larger items can be found here.

Vz.24: Introduction

The Vz.24 rifle was produced from 1924 and was part of the generation of universal short rifles that followed the Great War, where long rifles proved unnecessary at best and an inconvenience or danger at worst. The hassle of issuing different arms to different unit types was more hassle than it was worth: the short rifle format as used by the British and US proved its worth up to any expected combat range in the way warfare turned out to be fought, with the extra length of the long rifle no longer needed for fighting in line. 

Czech soldiers on exercise in 1939.

The Czechs had been using a domestically produced version of the G98 previously with a few of their own preferred tweaks, but presumably wanted something handier and lighter.

The Vz.24 was originally produced in 7.92 Mauser (8mm Mauser to most people), but were also produced in calibers to suit users other than just the Czech military (it was originally manufactured for) which were many: China, Spain, nearly a dozen Latin American countries, Iran, Romania and even Germany.

Ecuadorian Officers in the 1920s with their pristine Vz.24s. Ecuador was one of many Latin American countries to adopt this rifle.

After Germany’s invasion of Czechoslovakia, Brno’s production was turned to German use. A version of the Vz.24 was produced for the occupiers (renamed the G24(t)) with some small modifications, until the production line was turned over to K98k production.

SS training with a Vz24. These rifles were mainly second line use but the SS, being outside of the normal military procurement system, seem to have ended up with them. 

The G24(t), the Germanised version of the Vz.24, features some nods to the K98k; including the disassembly tool in the butt and the alternate sling arrangement, with the deletion of the wrist-mounted swivel.
 

I have a VSR-based Vz.24 in the works at the moment for a customer. It’s using an original stock and as many original parts as possible.

 

You will be able to see the build process here as it is published.

If you are interested in this project or have an idea of your own, drop us a line on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com to discuss. ‘Like’ our Facebook page or follow the blog to get regular updates on projects and interesting videos and articles.

 

Don’t forget you can buy our smaller items via Etsy. Our larger items can be found here.

Vz. 24: Build 1

The printed parts for this arrived first. The design is based on the K98k I produced previously. 

The main difference is in the back of the sight, different in shape and in the profile of the notch. The sight base is less the scope mount on the K98k.

The bolt back cap is the same as the other Mausers. Shown here is a bent bolt handle, though I’ll be fitting this rifle with a straight one as per the early Vz24s.

At the front end, I’m using a short section of tube as a place holder for the full length barrel I’ll be putting in later. The top guard has to be custom made to accommodate the VSR and will be quite thin when finished to try and keep the shape as close as possible.

The rear sight base screws into place and should be reasonably solid, given its being surrounded by wood.

The wood around it had to be lowered slightly to give access to the sight. I’ll shape the wood around it.

The foresight, 3D printed and then cast in resin from a silicone mould. The barrel crown holds the front of the inner barrel.

With the addition of the faux cleaning rod this build is coming together very nicely!

The next step is to make modifications to the receiver to make it look right, plus a few details like the wrist sling mount and buttplate.

If you are interested in this project you can see the introduction here. If you have an idea of your own, drop us a line on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com to discuss. ‘Like’ our Facebook page or follow the blog to get regular updates on projects and interesting videos and articles.

 

Don’t forget you can buy our smaller items via Etsy. Our larger items can be found here.

 

Sten MkI/MkI* : Complete

Some images of the completed Sten MkI and MkI*. Firstly a picture of AN original for comparison. I should point out that you can find differences between nearly every surviving example so this isn’t definitive:

The main issue with this replica is that the safety catch is at the top of the operating handle slot (as this is based on the AGM Sten MkII). The only way to adequately redo this is to make a whole new receiver unit. Maybe a project for the future…

A close up of the receiver. The new operating handle and bolt also feature the Sten safety switch kit. You can also just make out the Sten MkI stampings on the magazine housing.

The foresight on this is very comfortable to acquire, at least in the confines of the workshop where I have tested it so far! This will be going out in the field at the weekend.

The stock is very comfortable compared to the MkII T-stock. That said clutching a thistle is an improvement over the T-stock… But in all seriousness this is a great alternative and is fast becoming a personal favourite.

One final feature worth noting is the battery compartment. Accessible from the rear, it can just about fit the standard stick battery in it, though a stick lipo would be a far easier fit.

And in the Sten MkI* configuration, once it had been optimised by the Singer company for serial production:

This kit will be for sale on our Etsy page HERE in due course. If you like the look of this gun and would like a build of your own that we don’t currently offer please do get in touch! Email us on enquiries.vintageairsoft@gmail.com or get in touch via our Facebook page.