Has anyone here ever built a Sten?

EddieCoyle

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I'd kinda like to build a Sten. From what I understand, you can make a receiver from a steel tube.

Have any of you ever done it? If so, can you share a source for the tube and a parts kit?
 
I know that some of the templates are off in relationship to cocking tube slot and cut out for the sear. If you are ever in the Bridgewater area on Saturdays after the pandemic PM I have gun you can look at / shoot
 
I bought a transferable that had major issues and ended up sending it to John Andrewski . A Special Weapons of NC Sten MKIi. Simple tube gun ,but if the geometry is off it's not going to run well. Hopefully you have a TIG or access to one , makes welding one up much easier.
 
nope, never built one but knew a guy who did in his spare time in the machine shop of his place of employment way back in the late 70's i think it was. yes, he was a machinist. i saw it, i held it and i shot it. just saying for entertainment purposes only. it was pretty cool to say the least. hope the project materializes.
 
Following with interest. No personal experience, but I know the Israelis made Stens using tube, etc. on kibbutzes during their war for independence.
 
There was this thread from a few years ago
 
Yeah. That thread did a lot for me.

I started mine about a year ago. Maybe a bit longer. I've held off at this point b/c I need to figure out my welding. I have never welded. So I need to either learn or find someone who does it. It's not a lot of welding, but enough.

It's not hard. Some cutting of the tube. Welding in one part inside hte tube. (That's the only critical part.). Then weld on the trigger-group thingy. I think there is one more welded area. It's not a long job by any stretch. I think salvaging parts from the demilled kit may be hte hardest part.

All of it is in a box in my basement waiting for me to have teh time and desire. I could probably do all the rest of the cutting in a day or so. Then a little bit of time assuring I put it all together right. Then about 8 minutes of welding. LOL
 
Stenparts.com has tubes with laser etched templates. I just got my MK3 tube yesterday. They also have barrels available. Apexgunparts, numrich, whatacountry, have parts kits.
 
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It’s been a hot minute since I worked on mine, but:

Parts kit from APEX
80% tube w/ template and new barrel from stenparts, iirc.

I got new barrel trunnions from somewhere, not sure where.

Overall, it’s not a terribly complex build. 90% of the work can be done with a dremel and a steady hand.

One pro-tip: make all the big, easy cuts first, then use the now-smaller cutting wheel to make the more intricate cuts (like the locking tabs at the back end of the receiver). Radii you should do with a drill before cutting the connected straights.

ETA: I forgot briefly that you’re a competent machinist. These were originally built by milling the receivers, which is still an option.
 
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WWII museum in Oslo had the tools delivered to the resistance for making Sten guns on display. It wasn't much small suitcase full, no idea if barrels were built or also supplied. Apparently you don't need much to build them.
 
If you want any help let me know I modified my own bolt and have mine running an Ar FCG MK3 but it is transferable to all the MKs. I have some drawings that may help if you want to go that way. the commen set up is striker fired.
and I have drive rivets left over also. (how they secured the trunnions originally.)
 
My place for parts was Indianapolis Ordnance. They have lots good upgrades which made sense.

 
Thinking about it. What's the learning curve? Recognizing that I can only solder poorly; I'm a wood guy, not a metal guy.

Fifteen minutes on some similar thickness scrap steel, adjusting the heat setting and wire feed speed and you'll be a pro. [smile]

Mig welding is actually pretty easy. Tons of youtubes on it with excellent instruction.
 
Thinking about it. What's the learning curve? Recognizing that I can only solder poorly; I'm a wood guy, not a metal guy.
as easy as making sure what you weld is clean and pulling the trigger, best is co2/argon gas mig but people have had decent luck with flux core gasless. check out youtube for welding info.
 
I am at the stop point currently. Been trying to find a welder for the tube for a while. Any suggestions from the NES crew are most welcome.
HF Flux core. Practice is key but the easiest of welding types. As others have said YouTube but practice. If you know someone who can show you even better. Weldingweb.com is a great resource.
WWII museum in Oslo had the tools delivered to the resistance for making Sten guns on display. It wasn't much small suitcase full, no idea if barrels were built or also supplied. Apparently you don't need much to build them.
That was the idea behind the Sten. It could be easily made behind enemy lines with simple tools like in a bicycle shop.
 
Buy a Harbor frieght mig welder and learn. the only welding is spot welds really.


Yep. That was what I was thinking myself.

Funny is my 12yo son wants to LEARN welding. ??? He's so strange like that. He spends 90% of his free time in front of a PS4. But he's very artistic, does spray-paint paintings and such as well as drawing and suddenly wants to go 3D and learn welding. Told him when he is 14-15 we would take a class or two together.


As far as my links - I thought I dumped them all:


And the fun "how to" webpage:

Now I've got my juices flowing for this again. And not a ton of stuff on my plate. And my workshop/basement is 100x cleaner now than it was when I started this a year or so ago. Maybe it's time to get me to pre-weld.
 
As I'm doing my research, I'm actually thinking I might be more interested in doing a Sterling...

Anyone done any of that? The project looks no more difficult than the Sten, though the stuff required to make the receiver is more expensive.
 
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