13 days ago
1166
41
Posted On: October 5th 2026, 01:21 pm
Mix-it-up Monday brings you an M3A1 Grease Gun re-weld submachine gun!
⛔NOT FOR SALE⛔
I posted this a few years back, but this post has many more photos and provides additional details on the re-weld.
M3A1 Grease Gun post sample details:
* Parts kit was cut through the receiver in three places, including trunnion threads.
* Turned threads (16 TPI) on piece of aluminum tube (1.75 inch O.D.) to serve as a jig for trunnion TIG welding.
* Used a piece of steel round bar (turned down on the lathe) to fit inside the trunnion jig for heat sink and to help prevent shrinkage. It will shrink!!! I had to hammer out the steel using a wood dowel and cut the aluminum out.
* Turned down 1.75 inch O.D. aluminum tube to 1.65 inch O.D. to fit inside the receiver pieces.
* Cut 1.65 inch tube in half to be used with two small muffler pipe expanders (Small expander size 1-1/8” to 1-3/4”).
* Aluminum tube halves with muffle pipe expanders keep the receiver pieces aligned while TIG welding. Won’t prevent warpage - be careful!!
* If an rubber O-ring on the expander melts, get the variety size O-ring kit from Harbor Freight for replacements. Kit is approximately $5.00.
* As with all of my re-welds, I spot weld a couple of areas at a time and let cool by fan. Countless spot welds are done to eventually connect all spot welds together.
* Copper pieces used in the flat areas for a heat sink backing plate. Feeler gauges used to maintain gaps during TIG welding.
* Weld clean-up was accomplished using table grinder, drum sander, Dremel rotary tool, 3/8 belt sander, needle files and regular files, and Emery Cloth. Many hours were spent cleaning up the welds!
* Refinished in a Cerakote mix going for a parkerized look. Used Sniper Grey and Armor Black colors for the mix.
This Grease Gun is an absolute blast to shoot and reminds me of ‘Apple Cobbler’ and ‘Apple Pie’. If you know what I’m referring to, leave a comment!
⛔NOT FOR SALE⛔
I posted this a few years back, but this post has many more photos and provides additional details on the re-weld.
M3A1 Grease Gun post sample details:
* Parts kit was cut through the receiver in three places, including trunnion threads.
* Turned threads (16 TPI) on piece of aluminum tube (1.75 inch O.D.) to serve as a jig for trunnion TIG welding.
* Used a piece of steel round bar (turned down on the lathe) to fit inside the trunnion jig for heat sink and to help prevent shrinkage. It will shrink!!! I had to hammer out the steel using a wood dowel and cut the aluminum out.
* Turned down 1.75 inch O.D. aluminum tube to 1.65 inch O.D. to fit inside the receiver pieces.
* Cut 1.65 inch tube in half to be used with two small muffler pipe expanders (Small expander size 1-1/8” to 1-3/4”).
* Aluminum tube halves with muffle pipe expanders keep the receiver pieces aligned while TIG welding. Won’t prevent warpage - be careful!!
* If an rubber O-ring on the expander melts, get the variety size O-ring kit from Harbor Freight for replacements. Kit is approximately $5.00.
* As with all of my re-welds, I spot weld a couple of areas at a time and let cool by fan. Countless spot welds are done to eventually connect all spot welds together.
* Copper pieces used in the flat areas for a heat sink backing plate. Feeler gauges used to maintain gaps during TIG welding.
* Weld clean-up was accomplished using table grinder, drum sander, Dremel rotary tool, 3/8 belt sander, needle files and regular files, and Emery Cloth. Many hours were spent cleaning up the welds!
* Refinished in a Cerakote mix going for a parkerized look. Used Sniper Grey and Armor Black colors for the mix.
This Grease Gun is an absolute blast to shoot and reminds me of ‘Apple Cobbler’ and ‘Apple Pie’. If you know what I’m referring to, leave a comment!
Comments (41)
13 days agohabitat_v1
Somewhere. A torched parts kit needs you to rebuild it. All alone cold and hungry. For a few dollars a day.
13 days agoalwaysonline.vr
Is this some sort of fabrication exercise? Genuinely asking, just confused how and why it got cut up In the first place. I’m an engineer not a gunsmith so excuse me please
13 days agopossumtacticaltx
Nice to see another one saved. My granddad called these the 20 dollars and change guns. Apparently that was the statement of charges some Joe got when he let it get run over by the trailing convoy on post.
13 days agodynamic_operations_executive
Wow! They butchered that! Great job putting it back together
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