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Should I build a beltfed G3?

  • Are you insane?

    Votes: 4 12.9%
  • Go for it!!!

    Votes: 27 87.1%

Beltfed G3 project

5K views 22 replies 10 participants last post by  eyegun 
#1 ·
I have been looking at the hk21 kits for a while at ORF, it looks like a really good project with a max cool factor. Howeve the $5,000.00 price tag is a little rich for me.
the alternative is to go for one of the $1,900.00 belt feed parts kits and convert a G3 kit into a belt fed. While not as impressive as the hk21 I think it would be a fun build
and a great range toy. I just got a like new G3 kit from ORF and a JLD receiver is about $200.00 so for about $2,500.00 you got a killer belt gun.
Am I nuts or does it sound worth while?
 
#6 ·
panaceabeachbum said:
I have been looking to build one of these for quite a while but was broke when IO had the fmp parts sets for $1700, where did you find some at $1900 , would really like one if you could share.
I say go for it I have spent time behind a 21 semi, its no 42sa but still a cool gun
ORF has both kits, the basic belt feed conversion and 2 varieties of the hk 21, one has a ORF bbl shroud and is about $1k cheaper than the full hk parts set. It looks like a pretty simple build as it is mostly just welding.
 
#11 ·
I'm the one that voted "insane". :D I would recommend NOT building one....

The HK21/11 series is based on a G3. Think of a G3 with reinforcement plates on the sides. OK. The roller-lock system is prone to wear by peening the inside of the receiver. This causes some slop and can cause issues. IIRC it was to do with lock-up and the inside of the "rails" peening out and causing cycle issues.

The quick-swap barrels are prohibitively expensive. Was as much as PKM barrels but more difficult to find. If Cal's didn't have it, you couldn't buy it.

On a positive note, the resale value WILL be maintained! These seem to be popular. Most likely due to the HK quick-change trigger pack that allows you to easily switch to class-3 if/when you get a registered sear.

I did a great deal of research on these a few years ago and arrived at the conclusion that while a clever design/package, it just wasn't up to par with its bigger cousins.


Do yourself a favor - spend some quality time with the search tool on HKPRO and (gasp) hk54.com (Todd's board). If you can still dig up those old threads, you'll read what I read about the reliability issues.

Arguably, it may be a non-issue if you keep the number of rounds you feed it down to a manageable rate.

I don't know - I'm on the fence. I do think it was mikesmachines or something like that that was making the HK23 (.223 version) around the time the Shrike was going to start shipping :)rofl:) but I stopped looking shortly thereafter.

Personally I think I'd tackle an RPD before a -21.
 
#12 ·
Red Jacket Firearms said:
Who you kidding ? The only real question is weather you leave it stock length or whack it down to to 16 :) BTW , Got my ppsh-41 running :) , I'll get a pic after it comes out the oven
After it comes out of the oven? are you making a gun or an apple pie?
Or is this something new? like a shake and bake ppsh kit?
 
#13 ·
HC, I already have a vector RPD. I can see how the fa version would pound itself apart, but in sa I think the receiver will hold up. one of the appealing points is that it is a small light beltfed. the others, the 34, 42, rpd and 1919 are all big and cumbersome to lug to the range.
another selling point for me is that it can use mg42 belts or m60 links, I have a loader for the 42 belts and you can get 308 in m60 links from sg.
and lastly it is a WELD build, my kind of project!!
 
#14 ·
pirate56 said:
After it comes out of the oven? are you making a gun or an apple pie?
Or is this something new? like a shake and bake ppsh kit?
With cinnamin sprinkles on top LOL . After me and Stephie ran a few mag's through it , I broke it down , blasted, k-phos'd and sprayed it with KG's ceramic coat. I preheated the hell out of it for the final coat and dusted it on , a real smooth, dull- semi gloss finish . I'll let it bake over night , it can keep the AK's cooking in there company ;)
 
#15 ·
Well, OK, you ARE insane, so then go for it! :p

I still think these are cost-prohibitive. US parts count is relatively easy on these but also pricey. But it is an HK... think BMW vs. Yugo vs. ??? what does most of Europe drive?

Wasn't it ORF that re-welded some of the Special Weapons kit built -21s into a more beefy build? That was around the time I was shopping for one and couldn't afford the $3500 or so to get one. Todd at SW about blew a gasket, called ATF, and basically tried to cause all sorts of mischief to shut it down. But I think the ORF kit rebuilds or improvements or whatever they called them were better after the fact.

I honestly don't know the round threshold to start expecting issues... may be 5k-10k. There may have been some mid-life improvements, but then again HK stopped selling them altogether. Seems FN has the market on current belt fed stuff these days. HK is kinda giving away all their market share and imploding from their own marketing strategy. Hope the XM8 gets back on the table... the G36 can't sustain them forever.

Some fish food:

http://www.hkpro.com/hk21e.htm

http://www.hkpro.com/HK23E.HTM
 
#20 ·
Here's the .223 version:

http://www.michaelsmachines.com/

It isn't a true -23, it is mostly US-built parts (like the barrel) and Special Weapons is one of the parts builders. That may or may not be an issue for some people.
 
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