Poll: What would you pay for a belt fed?
- Thread starter Gaujo
- Start date
A&S Conversions
UZI Talk Life Member
That is a huge question. This is for the Mac style family of registered receiver machineguns? Is this unit based on a current design? How available would parts be? What caliber? How available are belts or links?
We at A&S Conversions are still working on the Tenko adapter. Here is a video of my brother shooting his Shrike on an early Tenko 10-16:
https://youtu.be/zU5XkqnewFw
Here is me shooting a similar Tenko 10-16 with a 9mm belt fed upper:
https://youtu.be/k_6PoOZDTzI
The current design has the same function but required modification to locate internal structures to please the ATF. I am heading out to do a final test before submission. If everything goes well I will post a separate update.
Is there a market for a belt Fed? Certainly, but how many units could a creator expect to have to defer their R&D cost? There is also the issue of remaining in business. Once those initial bunch of units are sold, how many units per year could be expected to be sold? Look at the tungsten bolts and Lage rifle caliber uppers. One the initial production is completed how long will it take to build a list of potential buyers to make another run? Could such a limited market produce enough profit to have a manufacturer develop, build, and retain parts availability?
While such a poll is fun to dream about a belt fed upper coming to market, I would imagine such a product would be in the $6,000 to $7,000 price range at a minimum. Could the MCR be adapted to the Lage upper system? I would think so. But I for one would be very weary of the owner of FightLite.
Scott
We at A&S Conversions are still working on the Tenko adapter. Here is a video of my brother shooting his Shrike on an early Tenko 10-16:
https://youtu.be/zU5XkqnewFw
Here is me shooting a similar Tenko 10-16 with a 9mm belt fed upper:
https://youtu.be/k_6PoOZDTzI
The current design has the same function but required modification to locate internal structures to please the ATF. I am heading out to do a final test before submission. If everything goes well I will post a separate update.
Is there a market for a belt Fed? Certainly, but how many units could a creator expect to have to defer their R&D cost? There is also the issue of remaining in business. Once those initial bunch of units are sold, how many units per year could be expected to be sold? Look at the tungsten bolts and Lage rifle caliber uppers. One the initial production is completed how long will it take to build a list of potential buyers to make another run? Could such a limited market produce enough profit to have a manufacturer develop, build, and retain parts availability?
While such a poll is fun to dream about a belt fed upper coming to market, I would imagine such a product would be in the $6,000 to $7,000 price range at a minimum. Could the MCR be adapted to the Lage upper system? I would think so. But I for one would be very weary of the owner of FightLite.
Scott
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Not that interested for me. I had a fa 1919 fun gun to shoot but a pain loading belts & hauling everything. MG shoots with plenty of targets was fun but just going to shoot for a couple of hours not so much.
It would be a positive for the Mac family but I wouldn't go over 3k.
It would be a positive for the Mac family but I wouldn't go over 3k.
SecondAmend
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2007
- Messages
- 1,752
Several years ago there was a poll in this forum by the company that makes or at least made 9mm belt fed uppers for the AR-15/M16 pattern firearms to determine interest in a 9mm belt fed upper for the Ingram pattern firearms. IIRC, the price was to have been at about the same as for the AR-15/M16 version; and there was low interest, and the project was not undertaken.
MHO, YMMV, etc.
MHO, YMMV, etc.
From my own experience, and from talking with a couple of friends, we noticed that about half of the folks who got on the Lage waiting list for the Lage 5.56 uppers did not purchase. I was number 70-something on the list and my upper S/N is in the 30's.
ScubaLoser
Member
- Joined
- Sep 12, 2022
- Messages
- 15
Don’t have my MAC yet but I don’t see much value with a belt fed conversion over a Lage upper. More moving parts with more areas to fail or cause jams, a PIA to reload the belt fed links, more time consuming to reload a new string of ammo onto an upper, etc. Certainly would be a cool novelty, but that market seems very slim.
A&S Conversions
UZI Talk Life Member
Have you ever had real access to firing a belt fed? A 30 round dump is "fun" ( usually less than two seconds). A Beta-C or Surefire mag of 100 rounds gives me a little more excitement (around 11 seconds). A 200 round SAW box or pouch is amazing (around 22 seconds) is really impressive. Here is my wife shooting 500 round belt in one pull:
https://youtu.be/RFcxuOzsoXA
What you can't see is 60 to 70 one gallon jugs filled with water being completely devastated. Certainly each collector makes their own mind. I have heard the same sentiment from the semi auto crowd saying what a waste of money full auto is. That video was basically a $200 minute. I thought it was awesome. That expense doesn't count the amount spent on the custom water cooled spade grip host or the DIAS.
Scott
Concorde
Moderator, UZI Talk Life Member,
I really enjoy my belt-fed Freedom Ordnance FM-9, set up on a full-auto AR15 with a tripod mount and spade grip trigger. It would be fun to have something similar for the M11 lower too.
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That's where I am too with a belt fed Mac.
That said I have a UK59 that I'm working on right now. The felt feeder does add some complexity and extra wear points/parts to replace also adds unnecessary width. That said, I am very excited to that 20lb hunk of Czech iron running!
For the Mac, I would not be a buyer with belt fed. Belt fed is cool but for something like the Mac it is impractical. If the upper is a beast like a MG42 with a Mac on the bottom there are very few times I can use it. If it is smaller it is still in the way for things like subgun comps. Outside of LMG and HMG use belf fed is a novelty and every bit as fun as Scott says it is.
A&S Conversions
UZI Talk Life Member
George Delury is the owner of Valkyrie Armaments, the company that made the belt fed conversion. He did some custom work for me with three upper conversions (one standard upper receiver, a MGI upper w/ three 14.5" HBAR fluted barrels using piston conversions, and the water cooled upper in the video) , three lower conversions ( tw standard lowers, one of which is dedicated to the spade grips and a MGI, and a belt feed mechanism.
If we can get the Tenko adapter through, I really want to modify an adapter for use with my Valkyrie belt fed system with some of these different configurations. I just don't have the time or funds for this project until we can get our product to market.
Scott
ETA Machineguns are toys. With this 5.56X45 belt fed conversion, it can be shouldered and fired like the Lage style upper but with run a lot longer. It also burns through ammo much quicker. It is not something I use every time going to the range, but every once in a while it is a treat that is a pile of fun.
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Gaujo
UZI Talk Supporter
:lol:lol
I never heard that one before
I never heard that one before
The thing I want more than anything else not on the market right now would be an am180 upper followed by a 22lr beltfed.
Past that I'd love a fm-9 style upper for the guns. For anything else I'd have to see the size of it and how crazy it looks.
Past that I'd love a fm-9 style upper for the guns. For anything else I'd have to see the size of it and how crazy it looks.
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