Okay! My IO parts have shown up. I was curious about what I'd receive, given some of the photos I've seen online of the templates. For starters, here's a look at a couple of the things you get:
The directions seem pretty comprehensive. I'm going to read them several times to make sure I know WTF I'm supposed to do. The IO bolt, on the left, is drilled for the guide rods and does not include an extractor. You're supposed to harvest that from the original bolt (right). The IO firing pin channel is drilled for a standard AR FP, included, rather than the original's fixed FP.
Now then. I've seen a lot of online shots lately of STEN tubes with templates glued on. IO's website currently shows this as being what you get when you order:
The one they actually send out is improved. For starters, it includes drill centers for each of the slots.
In addition, they've fixed up the sizing for the ejection port. A lot of build info online suggests that builders used to prefer to size their ports against the original receiver remnant because IO's template sized the hole to fit the similar hole cut in the magwell, which were two different sizes on the originals. The template now reflects the original port:
Finally, though I wasn't too worried about it, I checked to make sure my original barrel nut, my Sarco barrel, and my IO barrel bushing would mate up properly. Yay!
In the background of some of these you can see a steel bar I've been using for my tentative efforts at producing a consistent weld bead. I'm not confident about that yet: though I can, apparently, stick metal together, I can't yet make the bead look like I want it to. I'll make sure to practice more.
The directions seem pretty comprehensive. I'm going to read them several times to make sure I know WTF I'm supposed to do. The IO bolt, on the left, is drilled for the guide rods and does not include an extractor. You're supposed to harvest that from the original bolt (right). The IO firing pin channel is drilled for a standard AR FP, included, rather than the original's fixed FP.
Now then. I've seen a lot of online shots lately of STEN tubes with templates glued on. IO's website currently shows this as being what you get when you order:
The one they actually send out is improved. For starters, it includes drill centers for each of the slots.
In addition, they've fixed up the sizing for the ejection port. A lot of build info online suggests that builders used to prefer to size their ports against the original receiver remnant because IO's template sized the hole to fit the similar hole cut in the magwell, which were two different sizes on the originals. The template now reflects the original port:
Finally, though I wasn't too worried about it, I checked to make sure my original barrel nut, my Sarco barrel, and my IO barrel bushing would mate up properly. Yay!
In the background of some of these you can see a steel bar I've been using for my tentative efforts at producing a consistent weld bead. I'm not confident about that yet: though I can, apparently, stick metal together, I can't yet make the bead look like I want it to. I'll make sure to practice more.