Finally got in the Reising Game!

[lonniejt]

Well, I finally bought a Reising Model 55. I have watched Christie Mags, BarrelXChange Drums, and other stuff for these sell over the years, and now, I find myself looking for this same stuff. I thought that I had bought a Model 55 on Strumgewehr and come to find out the guy was just brokering the gun for an acquaintance and I was 3rd or 4th in Line. He finally "fessed up" to his deed and actually the real Owner sold it on his own. I have always found that things work out this way for a reason...

I had saved this two year old ad from Firearms News and it was where Douglas L. Oefinger had an old Reising Model 55 for sale, but it did not have the wire hardware stock with it. I had known the DLO Story for years and I have had some friends with Belt Feds that had problems and took their guns for a visit and got them fixed with the Old Master. Mr. Oefinger did not disappoint; not the energy of a Kent Lomont, but just as crusty a character as any of the old school guys.

He had bought the gun back in 1984 or 1985 from a H & R Warehouse sale, and, I still wonder if this gun was bought when Ohio Ordinance bought thousands of the Model 50's that were discovered in the back of a Warehouse that were Transferables that were returned by the Marine Corp back during or just post WWII??? Some of you probably know this story better than I. I did not get any pictures of this Model 55, but Mr. Oefinger said it was basically Brand New and probably just "test fired". I am excited to see what I end up with, but when one of these guys say's it is Brand New, you can safely bet it is in pretty darn good shape for it's age. It is on a Form 4, so it may be a while before I get my "mitts" on the gun, but I am a Dealer and I have been pretty lucky with Estate Form 4's. I just received an AOW Handy Gun yesterday that I bought back in March of this year.

Yes, I will post some pics of this "find" when she "hits dock" here in North Alabama. I hope you have enjoyed this "yarn" and I am looking forward to this acquisition. Now, for the reason of this post - Do you have any "stuff" (that is reasonable) that you think that I need for this fine gun? I have mentioned that I will need magazines and at least a Troy Edhlund Drum for it. I am on this list at Keystone for Christie Magazines, if they ever make any more. "Watcha Got?" for my Reising??? Please post here or PM me. Thanks, Lonnie Joe of CFE LLC

 

[Garrett]

Excellent! It’s a fun gun.

As you noted, you’ll want to be looking for parts & mags. See if Wolf still has a spring kit for it. Try to find a spare action bar and maybe a bolt. Get some spare firing pins as well.

 

[19Steve67]

Morning Lonnie Joe:
I appreciate your story and I will be
following along for future updates.

Steve

 

[unclebear]

I think you should buy a wood stock right off the bat .
Research cutting the firing pin length to make it an inertia style pin .
Mine was a jam-o-matic until this tweak .
Good luck finding a 50 round drum . Held one in my hands at the Creek and handed it back to Troy . Oh well...
You should have an original 12 round magazine . I like to show people how we armed the Marines at the begining of the war.
A Federal Laboratory case is a really nice item for your Reising .
Good luck with it , it is a nice piece of history .

 

[lonniejt]

Unclebear - I bet you have some great stories to share! I know Troy and I am waiting for some slow fire Uzi bolts to hit dock now. I have seen some modifications done to Thompson Drums for Mac 10’s and if I can get a spare magazine, I might try to talk Troy or Dan Block to fix one where it will fit the Reising. I did buy a new firing pin from Keystone Arms and a fixed stock might just be on my hunting list now. A Federal Labs Case? If this SMG came in one, I would be on the Hunt! Might have to go by Harbor Freight and see what they have in the Apache line of cases.

 

[Strangeranger]

Indianapolis Ordnance makes repro Reising bolts.

 

[GreaseGunner]

I’m still waiting for my M55 I bought off Sturm to be delivered. I’d told the seller I wanted it shipped USPS Express and he insisted that he only shipped Registered….well it’s now been 9 days of it being in the mail and I’m getting a little hot.

Anyhow-you had tried to buy the second one that hit Sturm from the same seller? I had contacted the poster within minutes of him listing the first one as I got on at just the right time. Sorry your deal didn’t work out on that one.

The M55 you have coming-I’m curious as to the serial number as I have two M55’s, an early and late pattern. My early gun is blued looks to be unfired. The late one, well it’s seen some use but looks good for it’s age.

Here’s my early M55 that I’ll be picking up in August

 

[lonniejt]

Hi GreaseGunner! The guy that we both contacted on Strumgewehr is a "re-seller" as I call them. He represents the actual Seller and in my case, the actual Seller sold the second one to somebody else and finally the "re-seller" fessed up to me and we both moved on. I probably ended up with the best deal with DLO, but he is something else. I am sure my Forms have been resubmitted at least once. I will share the whole story later.

DLO was emphatic that I not shoot the gun when I get it because he maintains that it has never been fired. Again, he bought it in 1984 or 1985 and it came from an H&R Warehouse. This will be my first Reising. I am told that I will love the ROF, since I love Grease Guns. I will share more as information becomes available.

I, like you, prefer shipping Priority Express, since in most locales, it is one day delivery. You know immediately if the gun is lost or not, and, this is a metric that the USPS monitors. While Registered is supposedly the safest, and everybody that touches the box has to sign for it on it's journey, I can tell you that I had a machine gun shipped to me Registered Mail and it took 3 plus weeks to reach me and nobody had signed for the package from the origin to me. It was a Malox Moment, and I was within two or three days of calling the ATF and letting them know a Machine Gun was lost in the US Mail...via Registered Mail! You should be able to track your gun on a daily basis, unlike it was like mine, and never entered into the USPS Database.

 

[GreaseGunner]

This is what I got when I inquired as to where my package was. I’m beyond livid….the person who shipped it is going to send it express out of his pocket OR the seller is going to cough up my money as I’m done playing games. I’m beyond pissed.

 

[19Steve67]

Unfortunately, NO ONE is held accountable throughout
are US Postal System.

 

[lonniejt]

That message above looks a "little fishy" to me. Either you were provided bogus tracking and/or the Seller never really shipped the item, which is the same. Hate to say it but the Seller seems to be stalling for some reason. Have you dealt with this person or firm before? Steve is right too; there is no accountability...sounds like a common theme this day and time.

I do hope everything works out!!!

 

[GreaseGunner]

I agree that response was not very forth coming. What I find even funnier is I called and raised hell again yesterday with their customer support and they told me that my case had been closed. I laid out the situation as to what was going on, and the guy reopened the case and escalated it. I look at my tracking this morning….holy crap…moved from Boston to Cincinnati overnight and it never had a departure scan on it when it left Boston. No reason at all this should be so difficult.

I’ve dealt with this person before on other items, but they were all pieces parts, not a whole gun. I can tell you that I won’t be buying from him again. I don’t care if he’s done things a certain way for decades, we have better ways of doing things now.

 

[GreaseGunner]

It seems raising Hell and asking questions has proved to be a good thing as it has moved much faster now….maybe, just maybe I’ll have it in my hands by Friday….not holding my breath tho.

 

[GreaseGunner]

Have the M55 in hand and I’m pissed….didn’t disclose in the ad that the stock had initials carved in it, but if you zoom in REALLY CLOSE you can see it, but it’s not easy to make out. Also the stock is cracked in the back and it wasn’t disclosed as such. The gun won’t won’t run in full auto either….to add insult to injury, the 12 round magazine that was sent with it, wouldn’t even feed!!

Overall I’m extremely dissatisfied with this gun as to what I thought it was going to be. I’ve sent an email to the seller, but not holding my breath for any good response.

 

[Tommyboy]

Is this the M55 that was sold by a dealer up in Vermont?

 

[GreaseGunner]

Yes it is. He’s offering to take it back or fix it. I’m torn on what i want to do as I’m sick when I see this gun but i wanted a late pattern M55 to go with my early one.

 

[Tommyboy]

That stinks. At least it sounds like he’s willing to make things right.

 

[GreaseGunner]

After all the headaches getting the gun in hand due to shipping issues, this is just the icing on the cake. Still not sure what to do with it.

 

[Starvingboy]

Welcome to the Reising game…

 

[GreaseGunner]

The saga with the M55 is over-it’s going back and I’m getting a full refund. With all the issues that weren’t disclosed upon purchase, it wasn’t right to have paid what was paid.

I’ll say this-buyer beware when dealing on stuff anymore. Even guys who have been in the game a long time seem to be getting shady.