If you've seen some of my other posts you know that I like to make/modify parts for my Sten in a sometimes questionable attempt to improve it.
One problem of the Sten is the poor magazines that it uses. They are really hard to load and can jam sometimes. I came up with a conversion that uses the Zmags. It works well but they are only slightly better than the Sten mags for loading and the mag release was a range toy affair; works fine but it's not a robust mechanism. I have a 7.62x25 kit that uses PPS-43 magazines. It works well in that caliber so I tried running 9mm in them with no luck. I even made a feed ramp extension without success. The Laidler book talks about a modification that some Americans in Georgia were using to run Sterling magazines. The British replaced the Sten with the Sterling that uses some of the very best magazines. He even gave a rough sketch of the modification but it didn't work. The basic problem is the feed angle of the cartridges. The Sten magazine presents the cartridges at an 8 degree angle and the Sterling presents them at a zero degree angle but the mag well holds the magazines at an 8 degree angle.
I've been sitting on a Sterling parts kit for years waiting for me to do nothing with it so I decided to see if I could make that work some how. I took a spare Sten mag well housing and cut off the mag well part. I then de-brazed the mag well from the Sterling. After a lot of measurements and math I cut it down and welded it to the Sten part. I then took a spare Sten bolt, machined some clearance on the feed side followed by some back and forth with layout dye and grinding to get full clearance for the magazines. Putting it all together it actually runs and runs well. I finally have a Sten that takes magazines that are easy to load with my fingers.
While I was at it I decided to use the front of the Sterling as an extension of the barrel nut. This gives a much better grip and also a better front sight. I use the standard barrel but I now have a front grip that can be fully gripped with an adult hand.
I thought that some of you might find this interesting.
One problem of the Sten is the poor magazines that it uses. They are really hard to load and can jam sometimes. I came up with a conversion that uses the Zmags. It works well but they are only slightly better than the Sten mags for loading and the mag release was a range toy affair; works fine but it's not a robust mechanism. I have a 7.62x25 kit that uses PPS-43 magazines. It works well in that caliber so I tried running 9mm in them with no luck. I even made a feed ramp extension without success. The Laidler book talks about a modification that some Americans in Georgia were using to run Sterling magazines. The British replaced the Sten with the Sterling that uses some of the very best magazines. He even gave a rough sketch of the modification but it didn't work. The basic problem is the feed angle of the cartridges. The Sten magazine presents the cartridges at an 8 degree angle and the Sterling presents them at a zero degree angle but the mag well holds the magazines at an 8 degree angle.
I've been sitting on a Sterling parts kit for years waiting for me to do nothing with it so I decided to see if I could make that work some how. I took a spare Sten mag well housing and cut off the mag well part. I then de-brazed the mag well from the Sterling. After a lot of measurements and math I cut it down and welded it to the Sten part. I then took a spare Sten bolt, machined some clearance on the feed side followed by some back and forth with layout dye and grinding to get full clearance for the magazines. Putting it all together it actually runs and runs well. I finally have a Sten that takes magazines that are easy to load with my fingers.
While I was at it I decided to use the front of the Sterling as an extension of the barrel nut. This gives a much better grip and also a better front sight. I use the standard barrel but I now have a front grip that can be fully gripped with an adult hand.
I thought that some of you might find this interesting.
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