.357 Gen 1 Mrod based pistol

[mackeral5]

Great build Mike! I have a Gen1 .22 Mrod I picked up a few months ago I haven't even shot. I've toyed with the idea of making it into a short carbine in the 35" range but would need a short tube also. Gives me things to ponder on. Again though very cool build!

Thanks Dillon.  I was a bit late to the Mrod party, but that is typically how I roll with most of my hobbies, I'm not much of an early adopter.  A short .22 sounds interesting. 

John, those stocks look cool.  However I am considering going in the opposite direction towards a minimalistic fixed buffer tube style stock. 

In the junk bin I had a leftover Mossberg 500 forearm.  After heating it up it will tightly snap on the tube.  Notched it for the gauge, I think I like it.

BTW, Dillon this is what 35" looks like.  12.5" barrel with a Ronin hanging off, stock fully extended.



 

[FuzzyGrub]

Mike,

I have used those shotgun forearms on a couple of projects and like them.  I was thinking that it would look good on these carbines.  Thx for proving it.   

[Bob Pratl]

John, those stocks look cool.  However I am considering going in the opposite direction towards a minimalistic fixed buffer tube style stock. 
In the junk bin I had a leftover Mossberg 500 forearm.  After heating it up it will tightly snap on the tube.  Notched it for the gauge, I think I like it.

Mike, very nice idea, it looks like it belong there.

[Backyard Shootr]

I used a 500 forearm when I built my PP700. 

[mackeral5]

I used a 500 forearm when I built my PP700. 

That looks good.  they make for a nice snap fit in some applications.  No need for additional screws, hardware, etc. 

Bob, John---Thanks...  just one more reason to hang onto all of that "junk."  I picked up that particular piece some time back to use on one of my 500's, but didn't care for the way it fit.  While looking for a sling swivel I stumbled across it and the lightbulb went off. 

[FuzzyGrub]

I used them on double tube Prods, but they needed a "filler" pipe for the small tube.  Also, mounting screws to prevent rotation, etc.  I have one on the shelf, that has been sanded on to fit the larger Mrod tube.  I never thought of expanding it to fit or sliding over receiever, like you did. 

[FuzzyGrub]

[mackeral5]

I remember seeing that one, looks great. 

I heated the forearm and a spare tube to somewhere around 170-180 degrees, then used a vice to press it onto the tube.  I kept it hot for a half hour or so then let it cool down.  Now you can slide it off and on by tapping it with a soft faced hammer/mallet.  This particular forearm was solid nylon, not impregnated with fiberglass etc, so heating it worked well. 

[mackeral5]

A pic of the largest configuration.  16" barrel.  Setup this way with the simplified balanced valve it does 10 shots in the 825-875-825fps range.  A bit loud with the Ronin though, adding the 6" extension or putting on the Emperor quiets it down significantly.  When the short tube arrives this configuration will allow for fitting of a 350cc bottle vs the 220cc pictured.



I really like the feel of the gun in this configuration.  it carries and shoulders well.  Cheek weld is perfect, the shotgun forearm is nice and "grippy".  When I build my next Brod, it will be very similar to this, but it will be built on a Gen 2 tube/breech. 

[FuzzyGrub]

Very nice!   

I could see my gen 2 parts coming together very close to that.   

If I could ask, where is the balance/fulcrum point?   


The larger bottle should give at least 50% more shots, even though a small loss of tube cc's. 

[mackeral5]

Very nice!   

I could see my gen 2 parts coming together very close to that.   

If I could ask, where is the balance/fulcrum point?   


The larger bottle should give at least 50% more shots, even though a small loss of tube cc's.

It balances right at the gauge. 

[FuzzyGrub]

Perfect! 

[JuryRigger]

A really nice build; you have one heck of a gun there. 
Jesse

[mackeral5]

A really nice build; you have one heck of a gun there. 
Jesse

Thank you Jesse.  It has been fun playing with the modularity of the Gen 1 Mrod platform.

I put together another configuration today.  Swapped barrel over to an 18" GM .25 barrel with the choke removed and bolt to a .22 Gen 1 bolt that is sleeved up to .25.  Thanks to sealing the valve to breech and the Gen 1 bolt design this is easily accomplished without removing the breech.  Literally a 5 minute process to go from .357 to .25.  Overall length is 39" with a Tatsu and the stock fully extended.



I didn't touch the SSG and ran a couple shots of JSB MkII's across the chronograph---they were running a little hot at 1060fps!!!!! 50gr slugs went in the 850's.  Dialed it down to a MkII tune that starts at 875 and peeks at 910 then back down to the 870's.  It seems to do around 25 or so shots  tuned like this. 

[FuzzyGrub]

I got the 25/30 mag from Darko.  After opening it up, it will be very thin to the outside diameter, for 357. 

I measured 0.040" to the edge on a 0.310" hole.  Assuming 0.367" hole, only leaves 0.010".   Probably need to go to a larger diameter.  Probably too much rework for the sales potential. 

[mackeral5]

I got the 25/30 mag from Darko.  After opening it up, it will be very thin to the outside diameter, for 357. 

I measured 0.040" to the edge on a 0.310" hole.  Assuming 0.367" hole, only leaves 0.010".   Probably need to go to a larger diameter.  Probably too much rework for the sales potential. 

Thanks for taking a look inside....   It sounds like an OEM style mag is the only option for .357.  We just have to find someone willing and capable of helping.

[YEMX]

Methinks for .357, we'll be stuck with single loading. 

[FuzzyGrub]

Methinks for .357, we'll be stuck with single loading.

Hope not.  Looking at an oem 25 mag, it looks to have the same issue.

Maybe the barrel slot can be longer, and you would push it further on.  That can get the holes further away from the edge, but might be into the spring cavity. 

[mackeral5]

Methinks for .357, we'll be stuck with single loading.

Hope not.  Looking at an oem 25 mag, it looks to have the same issue.

Maybe the barrel slot can be longer, and you would push it further on.  That can get the holes further away from the edge, but might be into the spring cavity.

Bob made a 5 shot .357 pellet mag out of an OEM .25 mag, IIRC. 

[YEMX]

Even at 5 shots, a mag would be the cherry on top!!