Info needed for a Beretta Model38

I'd have thought a PPSH or M14 would be a good donor - especially as they're not becoming rare like Stens are.

Yer my PPSH is the other one I thought about, but didn't think the Stens were getting rare their still being made by ASG and a few places have them in stock. I just picked one up for my cousin off another forum for £112.50 inc postage and 3 mags . The m14 could be an option but could mean more work on the mag well parts etc.

I'd have said an MP40 would be the best option as a donor. The layout is similar between the two, especially the later model M38s.

I think the ASGs are re-branded AGM guns.

Yes the MP40 is another good choice as like the Sten it could, could, mean using a modified mag well as using the MP 40 mags would be the easiest option. But this is were the problem starts I need some measurements to work out if it's do-able before buying the stock but could do with the stock to check . Don't really want to spend £60-70 on a stock that I can't use. Plus the metal parts I need magwell plate with catch, butt plate and maybe trigger guard are proving to be as allusive as a honest politician. If I get no joy, I may just hang on until War and Peace and gets some photos and ask about bits on places there.

Sonic, yup the ASG Stens are just rebranded AGM one's but come with BSA trades on them.
Cheers guys.

why a Bretta 38? that is one ugly looking weapon ,
looking at it wouldnt an M14 or PPSH be better than sten or MP40 as then gearbox is desgined to go in the old rifle style stock?

At least with the Sten, you can rotate the magwell and hop and then chop it to fit. Either a Sten or an MP40 would give a passable donor for it, judging by pictures I've seen. Have you tried asking on a reenactor forum, to see if anyone has a de-ac that they can measure for you?

What are you going to do about the dual triggers? Or are you just going to leave that bit out?

At least with the Sten, you can rotate the magwell and hop and then chop it to fit. Either a Sten or an MP40 would give a passable donor for it, judging by pictures I've seen. Have you tried asking on a reenactor forum, to see if anyone has a de-ac that they can measure for you?

I'm fairly sure that you wouldnt be able to simply rotate the hop unit round, as then all the rounds would go to the left as the effect is applied to the left of the bb rather than the top.

Anyway, have you got the stock measurements at all? If so it would be easy enough to figure out the remaining dimensions you need. But by eye I would say that you'll want to use an mp40 for the gearbox if nothing else, that way you dont have to risk milling down into the handgrip portion of the stock, which is likely not wide enough to accomodate a motor and cage as is.

Hope that helps a bit!

EDIT:
which version of the beretta do you have a stock sourced for? m1938A, m1938/42, m1938/49 ? If you know which Ill draw up a sheet with dimensions on for you (I'm an engineering student so this is my sort of thing) !

Good point about the hop - I'd not thought of that.
The AGM/ASG Sten hops are custom made, so you'd have to replace that if you used a Sten.
BTW: If you do decide to butcher a Sten for this, I'll take the hop unit off your hands.

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why a Bretta 38? that is one ugly looking weapon ,

Heathen It's something different plus I do like a bit of wood in my hands Oh er miss's !

At least with the Sten, you can rotate the magwell and hop and then chop it to fit. Either a Sten or an MP40 would give a passable donor for it, judging by pictures I've seen. Have you tried asking on a reenactor forum, to see if anyone has a de-ac that they can measure for you?

This was part of my reasoning, plus the Sten has the straight through cylinder layout that could be utilised, measurement dependant. Good idea on the re-enactor front. I'll give that a go later. Ta

What are you going to do about the dual triggers? Or are you just going to leave that bit out?

My first thought is to fit the 2 triggers but use the front trigger as selector. Again depends on donor weapon used. But if it's possible to do the project I'll still fit 2 even if it's just for looks.

I'm fairly sure that you wouldnt be able to simply rotate the hop unit round, as then all the rounds would go to the left as the effect is applied to the left of the bb rather than the top.

Anyway, have you got the stock measurements at all? If so it would be easy enough to figure out the remaining dimensions you need. But by eye I would say that you'll want to use an mp40 for the gearbox if nothing else, that way you dont have to risk milling down into the handgrip portion of the stock, which is likely not wide enough to accomodate a motor and cage as is.

Hope that helps a bit!

EDIT:
which version of the beretta do you have a stock sourced for? m1938A, m1938/42, m1938/49 ? If you know which Ill draw up a sheet with dimensions on for you (I'm an engineering student so this is my sort of thing) !

From what I've read the original Stens used an AK hop that was cut and twisted and had the hop up mech removed, so I was going to try and fit a normal AK hop unit and leave the mag well in the vertical position and see if that worked. Only a theory at the moment, but if anyone has tried plaese let me know.
I haven't got the stock measurements at the moment but from what I see there isn't a great deal of difference between the MP40 and Sten gear box etc layout. It's the Model 38a I'm thinking about any help would be appreciated but at the moment I'm just trying to determine if the project is feasible so I wouldn't want you to go to any trouble but thanks for the offer.

Again thanks guy's for all the help
Ian

Just done a few calculated measurements

The body looks like it should be around 50mm wide around where the gearbox will go, although it is hard to be exact as very few images exist of the model 38a.

Hope this helps you decide!

EDIT: that stock looks beautiful!

Mate, thank you . I'm at work now so will have a look into this tomorrow, get some measurements etc from the Sten I have and see what gives. Is there any way to get a measurement from say the centre of the trigger guard to the centre of the Mag/magwell or even the rear of the receiver to the mag/mag well center.
I do like that stock and just hope I can do this project. Some poor sods going to be getting a lot of questions thrown at them at the war and peace show if there's any there.
Thanks again pal this is a big help.
Ian

Yeah, ill get those measure ments to you later on today mate

If you need any other specific ones I'll have a look and see what I can do, Glad I could be of help! (plus i needed time away from my VG 1-5 project before I ruin it!)

Cheers fella, I owe you a Beer. Good luck with your project.
ian

I'm part way through building one of these using a real steel stock and an M14 donor gun, it's been 'parked' for a while and put away with my other part done projects I'll try and dig it out and take some pictures and measurements

CHeers fella, if you get bored with it on your shelf feel free to drop me a line .
Does your stock have the mag well plate.
Ian

Had a look at the measurements on the Sten gun last night and it's good and bad-ish news. Using the measurements provided by Deinhardt, the depth of the Sten should fit. But, the diameter of the stock is 40mm and the length is a bit to long at 315mm. So if I did it with out to much butchery to the Sten it would not be quite the right dimensions. What to do, what to do? The plan continues. I'm going to order a cheap AK hop unit from KHmountain to see if it fits in the rotated hop block in the mag well. At least if only that works, I'll have a working MP.3008