EDIT: Now finished - see post 13th June 2008 for more images
Original first post is below the line...........
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Feels like I've been working on this for years but I'm pretty close now. 
STEN Mk5 'lookey-likey' with side feeding mag and M14 hop-up and motor gubbins.
NB: There'as an older thread here which includes an earlier prototype that didn't make it as far as this one.
I had a TM M14 which was surplus but wanted a STEN. I have used all the 'realistic-gun' parts from the M14, including the trigger, most of the woodwork, most of the barrel, most of the magwell, etc - basically, there's nothing left to assemble a second RIF from so as I understand it's simply a change of appearance. I have used the AGM MP40 mags which seem to cope with 45 BBs (I don't recall the official capacity). If you imagine the front end of the barrel/woodwork being lopped off and then all metalwork above the barrel being cut away then what's left of the M14 is what has been used.
What follows is still work in progress though pretty much all that needs to be done is cosmetic (the only substantive item being fitting of the handgrip which I guess I'll bolt through the body). Cosmetic stuff includes sights (cosmetic inasmuch as it's airsoft and a STEN! 
), blanking off and filling of gaps, final shortening of the barrel, drilling of vent holes in the barrel shroud and cutting out of a slot for the 'faux' cocking handle....oh, plus a paint job.
I don't have a workshop and so there's no substantive technical metalwork involved - but lots of araldite! as well as the gun and the mags, I reckon I will spend about £25 on glue, paint and other bits and pieces. A lot of the mods were made using stuff found around the house or in the garage.
In functional terms, it works, though I've yet to try it over any distance and indoors testing was limited to a few mags. The tooth which locks the mag in position is a miniscule fraction too far back and so after a burst of about 15 BBs the mag can shift a little so that the 'mouth' catch (technical term?) closes off though a little pat on the base of the mag opens it up again. Mind you - with only 45 BBs in the mag a burst of about 15 is as much as I'd want to do.
I've described it as a lookey-likey because in terms of aesthetic structure it isn't 100% there - the mag well is actually too far to the rear such that it overlaps the box which sits beneath the barrel shroud; also, but less important, the box is actually wider than the barrel shroud when in the real-steel it is narrower. Fortunately, these discrepancies are only visible at some angles and in use are pretty much obscured by the left hand and forearm. An advantage of the discrepancies is that as well as wrapping around the barrel shroud, the mag well is secured to the box work by a bracket, which makes for a much more robust assembly. I've also retained the M14 safety lock (though modified so as to be all but invisible) and retained single shot and full auto functionality by keeping the M14 selector switch.
The STEN breaks down into a multitude of parts and I'll put up some more photos as finishing progresses.
A shot of the rotated BB feed nozzle (technical term?) on the earlier prototype:
And a comparison of a partially dismantled TM M14 versus a blank-firing STEN mk V:
Steve (woodlander)
PS: Apologies for the less than perfect images - the decent digital camera has disappeared.... 
That's looking pretty good! Well done! 
Thanks chaps! More to follow idc.
Attention MODS: Have I boobed? Should I have put this thread in WW2 Airsoft Weapons? Please feel free to relocate. 
Mod: No worries, moved for reasons of a larger audience if nothing else! CW
How did you modify the BB feed and is it reliable? I've got a number of projects which require me to change the BB feed to either side or top feeding so any info would be great
How did you modify the BB feed and is it reliable? I've got a number of projects which require me to change the BB feed to either side or top feeding so any info would be great
Hi Pete,
As to rotating the feed tube, my really rough sketches will either help or hinder. Basically, I cut off the feed tube (not flush but leaving a stub), and then drilled a new entry point. The old entry point was sealed with a patch of black insulation tape which butted up to the interior edges of the bb chamber, which was then supported by some wads of insulation tape and some bostik (not epoxy as bostik can be removed to start again). The removed section of feed tube was then shaped (a concave curve) to butt against the new feed hole, temporarily held in position on its interior surfaces with masking tape, then a decent amount of araldite epoxy was buttered around the join and then around most of the outside of the bb chamber taking care not to get it on the hop up. More araldite was added in layers.
To stress a point, I found that the araldite MUST go around the bb chamber: the chamber is softish plastic which will flex and so may break its seal with the araldite BUT the lump of hard araldite embracing the chamber will prevent the new section of feed tube from moving out of its position. You can see some of this in this image:
The gun has yet to be used outdoors but during indoors testing it has proved reliable; I put about 200 bbs through it last night and at this stage the only issue I have is the mag catch (the one that holds the BBs in the mag, not the one that holds the mag in the mag well) which closes up after a burst of about 15 rounds. This seems to be due to the mag slipping a fraction (about 1 mm) out of the mag well such that it’s not perfectly positioned over the mouth of the bb feed tube. This serves to underline that the alteration isn’t just about repositioning the feed tube but it’s equally important to get the positioning of the mag well and its catch pretty much perfectly right (but I’m sure you knew that 8 ). Field use will be the real test of reliability.
As far as the mag well and its catch are concerned, before I took a hacksaw or craft knife to any part of the gun I did loads of prototyping using plastic, card and paper.
Hope the foregoing helps.
Thanks that's really useful 
BTW I like the sten
With the shape of the rear end, it would take very little work (extend receiver tube and drill a few holes), to mod the design into an MP28/Lanchester lookalikey as well ......
Good work !!
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Nice work, and very ingenious
Thanks for feedback.
The STEN is now finished. Put about 600 BBs through it yesterday with typically a 4-5cm grouping over 20 metres (occasional light breeze). Primary purpose of the shoot was to set the sights which are now fixed at 20 metres.
Obviously, the real test will be in the field - hopefully I'll be able to make it to the forthcoming GMA WW2 taster day at Tudders to give it a try out.
I've used AGM MP40 mags filled with 40 BBs, taking care not to push the loading rod too far home (which if done seems to tend to bind the spring, causing a jam inside the mag).
The following images compare with a RIF blank-firer to show the major shortcomings: the lower boxwork is more bulky and the mag is a few cms to the rear such that it overlaps the boxwork. However, the shortcomings in appearance do make for a stronger construction and allow for retention of the hop-up and pretty much disappear fom sight when in use.
The following image shows the STEN dismantled prior to painting:
The project required a TM-M14 wood effect (which I've had since it first came out and had yet to use in the field), a couple of AGM MP40 mags (I probably need more) and about £30-£35 on adhesives, fillers, paints, masking tape, insulation tape and tubing (plus lots of odds and sods from around the house): for the modifications, essential tools were a craft knife, junior hacksaw, a dremel-type power tool and a hand-drill.
More photos of parts available if desired.
Hope you like.
Steve (woodlander)
Good work!
You've got nothing to ein, zwei, drei, vier
WOW Very impressive - congratulations
looks great nice one!!
That is utterly spectacular, how much did it cost you ?
Thanks for the various feedback - much appreciated
...... how much did it cost you ?
£20 Mags
£35 -£30 Adhesives, fillers, paints, varnish, masking tape, insulation tape and tubing *
£55 - £50
+ TM M14 (which I had to hand)
+ Bits from around the house & garage **
* Primary purchases (which I can remember) were a length of solvent weld piping, tube of pvc pipe weld, three packs of araldite fast setting epoxy, can of plasticote spray paint, masking tape for holding various bits together, black electrical insulation tape,
** For example, a small folding camping windshield from which sheet metal was salvaged for the mag well and barrel collar, the plastic bin from a defunt paper shredder for the panels and blanking pieces, some blocks of balsa for the rear hand grip, nozzle from a foot pump for the thicker barrel section which protrudes from the barrel shroud, very thin modellers ply to reinforce the mag well (which is a laminate of plastic, ply and metal) odd bits of ally tubing and strip left over from other hobbies, etc, etc
EDIT:
Mag well and barrel collar:
Blanking plates (plastic cut to shape, heated in hot water and bent, then glued with epoxy before grinding smooth with dremel-type tool)
Impressive stuff! Well done!
Looks the dogs dangly bits mate well done!
Free speech is expensive these days!
Thanks guys.
Will be taking this to next weekends training day at Tudders (Saturday only).
did you used to work for blue peter? if not you could shame the current presenters with skills like that, jaw dropping mate, very well done, even if I am late in posting so,lol
Thanks psycho - have to admit I was a Blue Peter fan in the days of Valerie Singleton, Peter Purvis and John Noakes
PS: Apologies to anyone who'd have liked to see the Sten this last weekend but ill health meant I couldn't make it to the Tudders recruitment day 