The SMG FG42 In Detail

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  • Jiman

    Member
    Dec 12, 2012
    54
    I'm not sure how I stumbled on this thread, but after reading every post, in spite of all the problems you've had, I'm really interested in this rifle. There's nothing like great customer service!!!

    Thanks for taking the time in writing your exceptionally detailed posts over the years. I can't imagine how much time it takes to take all of your pics and combine them with your write-ups in a way that's so easily readable and easy to follow. I don't know what you do in your professional life, but you are a gifted gun writer for sure.

    Might have to figure out how to put together the funds for this rifle and put my name on SMG's list.

    Look forward to reading more as you update your experiences.
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,216
    In a House
    Today I put another 63 rounds of Portuguese surplus through the rifle bringing my total up to 742 rounds. The odd number is the result of my finishing up the last of my 1965 dated stock. I am happy to report that the muzzle brake is still attached and I had no problems at all. That makes about 300 rounds now jam free other than a couple that were the result of weak magazine springs. The two magazines that are numbered to the rifle work perfectly. Any weak springs that I am encountering are from other magazines that I have picked up along the way. I really think that the sticking bolt was a large part of the various stoppage issues I was having. I believe that so much energy was being used up just unlocking the bolt that there was minimal left to properly cycle the action. Couple the reworked bolt with the remaining parts wearing in and I think ( I hope I don't jinx myself) I'm in the clear reliability wise. 258 rounds to go.
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,216
    In a House
    Today, I took the FG42 out for some fun. Using 1969 Portuguese FNM surplus, I put 138 rounds through it (my largest number in one trip so far) bringing the total up to about 880. I only had one malfunction and it was a stovepipe on ejection. One out of 138 is just fine with me and I call that perfectly acceptable. I took the muzzle brake off for about half a magazine or so and amazed my buddy with some huge fireballs. It's also still amazing just how much more the muzzle rises without the brake attached. At the end of the day's shooting, I took the hot, greasy, sooty muzzle brake off again, ran it down my face in a few places leaving black shiny stripes and screamed like the crazed lunatic I am. It was fun and we had a good laugh!
    Cleaning it this evening, I took a look up into the locking recesses in the trunnion and noted just how grimy and funky it gets up in there. The problem is, it's a long way up into the recesses and it's hard to get to. It doesn't matter how far up in it is..... ya' gotta' get that funk out now and then,; not very often but just every now and then...... but how? Now, you can spend a bunch of time driving yourself nuts trying to get a tooth brush or some such thing up in there. That'll work I guess but I'm sure it'll also frustrate the hex out of you in the process. That ain't for me. Or you can use MY method!! You see, I'm as lazy as I can reasonably get away with so I always try to find the easy way of cleaning if I can. Well, the easiest way I've found is using good ol' Gumout Carb Cleaner!



    It works on kitchen grease too but that's another story. Let me show you what I do.

    First, REMOVE THE TRIGGER HOUSING. You DO NOT want carb cleaner getting on anything other then blued or chromed steel. It'll eat plastic pistol grips, remove paint from your bipod legs and take the finish off your pretty walnut hand guard if you get it on them......so don't!!


    Next, stand the barreled receiver up on end, muzzle down:



    Please don't pay any attention to my messy work bench. Make sure the muzzle is resting on something you don't mind mucking up because you're going to have Carb Cleaner running down the barrel.


    Then, attach the little straw thingee to the nozzle on the cleaner, stick it down in the trunnion area and spray:



    Spray it generously but don't go wacko; you don't want it splashing out of the breech area and onto you hand guard. As you spray it, most of the funk in those recesses will wash out and run down the barrel. Then use your finger and a bore wipe to scrub around down in there paying careful attention to get into the recesses as best as you can. You'll probably have to do this a couple a three times working through both the magazine well and the ejection port. You don't have to get it factory fresh but do your best to get most of it.


    Here's an example of the kind of gunk you can expect to get out:



    I threw the gas plug in there for scale. You can't see it because the picture isn't 3D but there's some crusty stuff (carbon I figure)mixed in with that grease and those brass shavings. Because I use grease, stuff really accumulates in those recesses but you can't let it build up indefinitely or you're most likely going to run into reliability problems over time. I think this is only the second time I've really deep cleaned this area so far so you don't have to do it very often. The first patch was even more filthy but I threw it away before I got the bright idea to take pictures.


    After you are done, take a look down in there and admire your handiwork:





    Pretty down in there ain't it??

    So, just like momma taught you when you were a kid, KEEP YOUR RECESSES CLEAN!! That's it for this post. I'm only 120 rounds away from 1000! Yay!!
     

    Combloc

    Stop Negassing me!!!!!
    Nov 10, 2010
    7,216
    In a House
    Thank you. Since the bolt was reworked everything seems to have smoothed out. The only broken bits I've had are the bipod leg and the muzzle brake. I guess you could include the sear too since it was replaced. So, knock on wood, it's running like a sewing machine. I will hit the 1000 round mark very soon and I'll give my full impression at that time but, generally, I'm satisfied.
     

    Racer Doug14

    Thread killer
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Feb 22, 2013
    8,003
    Millers Maryland
    Good to hear. I was telling my nephew about your rifle. He was amazed that they made new ones. He loves the FG in COD WWII. Was there an option on caliber? I know the company making the STG44 repro gave a choice to caliber.
     

    PowPow

    Where's the beef?
    Nov 22, 2012
    4,712
    Howard County
    I remembered your thread about this rifle. I just ran across Tim doing a video with his SMG FG42, showing the TFB James dude what "old" guns are like.

     

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