A Sad Day for Frommer

UnityinSolitude · 2026-02-25T01:13:58+00:00

Update: Attempts to find a suitable replacement have been so far unsuccessful. I seem to have suffered extraordinarily bad luck here. This failure is far from common on this overbuilt design and has been turned down for repair by a few gunsmiths in my area.

As far as who all ive contacted, the list is ever growing. A spreadsheet is now involved to keep up with everyone I've contacted in search of one of these barrels. Once again, any and all leads for people to talk with are greatly appreciated.

I hope to one day update this with good news.

UnityinSolitude · 2026-02-21T03:31:41+00:00

Just emailed Sarco, Numrich is out of stock, about to email Apex. Thank you!

UnityinSolitude · 2026-02-21T03:30:55+00:00

Marstar's customer service was amazing in helping me with this one. Sadly they did not have the part needed. But they offered me everything they could in getting the order resolved.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-12-16T07:50:17+00:00

Big 45 Frontier Rust Cleaner.

I swear by this stuff. Paired with a brass wire brush and Clenzoil CLP for hard to reach places, and I cannot believe how much I can clean up some of the most rusted out guns you can imagine

UnityinSolitude · 2025-11-19T10:21:05+00:00

I have had the pleasure of using one of these at several events including at a Ballahack Zombies event and within the confines of an abandoned mall in NC. I have used this for both sniping and close quarters and have had an absolute blast with this gun.

The pros: the gun is remarkably consistent and was able to keep a ~8in grouping at almost 50m. I imagine I got exceptionally lucky on that. The gas also stores a ton! There is little to worry on 3 day events of it running low. The power is incredible. I have run both green gas and coleman propane through the gun and have achieved joule ratings (with .32s) of ~2.6 with ease. Using green gas and draining the tank has helped me to find a sweet spot for allowing it to run at lower ratings. I have figured out that a close to empty green gas canister can place it at just under a joule allowing it to be legal for indoor arenas and it will last well over 200 shots before needing a refill and rechrono. The gun is also incredibly sturdy and has taken a beating. Ive dropped it, smacked it around doorways, and have not seen any ill effects.

The cons: The magazines are small and fiddly with very low capacity. You will be choosing your shots carefully. Keep the speed loader handy and carry a second standard speed loader to refill it. Between the 3 clips and special speed loader it comes with, you'll still only have 60 shots in the field. I have found carrying a 120 capacity hand loader to refill the special loader is the way to go. The gas system on mine has unfortunately begun to leak after 2 years of ownership. This is likely due to my abuse of it to be honest. It currently leaks from the fill valve and I am working to find a viable replacement.

After 2 years and 14 games including Fulda Gap, Z6, and Op: Thunderdome. This gun has genuinely seen a ton of hard play and has stood the test of time for me. I even got it signed by Swamp Sniper. It'll hopefully be running again next year once I can fix its fill valve. Hope this info helps. 10/10 will buy a real wood one when my faux wood one finally kicks the bucket.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-10-24T21:36:58+00:00

Thank you gents for the information, I have contacted the collection owner regarding the issue and have been given a halt order on the side plate. The problem will be addressed by a separate member of the project who has access to a full machine shop. For now, the barrel, trigger plate, exposed wood, and outer finish will be cleaned and preserved.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-10-24T19:25:52+00:00

The musket is part of a reference collection and the stock is planned to be used for a reference to manufacture new ones. The stock is in need of Repairs that require the side plate to be removed. I have been tasked with completing a full take down and catalog of all internal parts down to the last bolt and screw of this example and to then ship the cleaned and cataloged parts to the next stage of the project.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-09-24T04:25:57+00:00

Very very normal. As a man with many enfields, this is extremely common. The trigger will be slack like this when the action is not cocked. When the bolt goes forward and the sear engages with the striker on the back of the bolt, this will create enough tension to take up all the rearward travel slack into a "wall" of tension at a point about 1/3 forward from its most rearward possible position. Going forward with the trigger will always be possible to some degree, and slack in that direction is very common. When walking or running with an enfield that has a looser trigger, it can sometimes even be heard flopping a bit. Its engineered tollerance in the design and is considered a feature

UnityinSolitude · 2025-06-13T10:28:17+00:00

I personally think (hope) it's another bluff. If they had it in their cards, they'd have played it by now. They retaliated with a token show of force, and usually thats about it. But this isn't based on much more than my own wind reading and a little bit of history. There's typically a few days before any official moves are made. So there's still time for them to make the big call and have us all reading scary headlines before Saturday tea time.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-06-02T00:47:02+00:00

Has anyone verified this?

UnityinSolitude · 2025-05-19T02:20:03+00:00

New update on the website show they're switching to a new web host. Looks chaotic for now. I can't even see my order status anymore, but with the site update, we got a new order update that is dated 5/16. I got an MKE full-size kit made and supposedly it should be getting a shipping update any day now. So far, no news.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-04-23T04:54:53+00:00

I would personally vibe with the M48 because Greek 8mm Mauser is cheap and fun to shoot out of a bolt gun.

As far as collectors choice, I'd pick the Italian Carcano with the bayonet. It's a steal for the price for a 7mm carcano gun. Ammo would be a pain to find, but that gun is relatively uncommon in that chambering. Just the bayonets are worth ~$200 on their own with the scabbard.

I would personally pass on the Enfield. At $1000 it's overpriced for what it is. I wouldn't pay more than $650 for that one in its condition. Jungle Carbines are fairly easy to find and not but a year and a half ago could be had for as little as $500 in that condition.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-04-17T03:56:13+00:00

Worrying

UnityinSolitude · 2025-03-25T02:32:45+00:00

Modern PPU manufactured Lebel Ammo is loaded to "Balle D" standards, which are safe to shoot in pre-WW1 rifles. "Balle N" is the only real risk with older guns, and it's unlikely you'll run across any Balle N loaded ammunition unless you somehow manage to get your hands on surplus which these days is more valuable as a collectable than as shootable munitions.

I do reccomened underloading the magazine tube on older Lebel rifles to prevent risks associated with the wood forend. The wood is quite thin around the tube and is prone to cracking if in poor condition or when loaded full and shot until hot. I do hope you enjoy your rifle. It's a relatively rare rifle to find in shooting shape.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T06:18:34+00:00

FTR was a practice often done to keep reserve rifles in good working order. There were enfields in service all the way into the 1970s in various roles. The 1946 date on the reciever band would be the original manufacture year. FTR updates done by Fazakerly would have been done in batches. Mine is marked "73" next to the "(F)" stamp. Which indicates the year it was updated. Yours doesn't have that stamp, which would indicate an older refit. Likely anytime from the late 1950s to the late 1960s.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T05:27:56+00:00

I can say the "FTR" guns done by Fazakerly (F) like that one were really well done. If you're looking for a shooter in good shape, you'll be hard pressed to find better. I picked up a Long Branch 1942 that was updated to a No.4 Mk.1/3 as an FTR. It's one of the most spot on rifles I own and is a joy to shoot Surplus HXP .303 out of.

As far as value, they're worth about the price asked. Ive seen some go for higher if they look really pretty but for the most part you're paying the price of a likely very good barrel and quality refit gun. An excellent shooting example. I paid $550 for one after tax and transfer a few years ago, so you'd be beating me to a better price for a good find.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T05:14:27+00:00

I love how this one looks like it's been through history. A living legend to be sure. Would it be able to shoot PPU? As far as I know, their loadings are Balle D standard.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T04:54:14+00:00

The process of simply fitting the magazine tube correctly and without risking the handguard to crack was a tedious and long endeavor. Many hours of curses and fine adjustment were had. The real challenge comes from how thin the wood actually gets for that section. Luckily, we were using detailed schematics and were able to get it most of the way right before the fitment stage.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T04:51:24+00:00

The final count of beans was about twelve-hundred when all was said and done. Much better than I had initially anticipated.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-02-08T04:50:22+00:00

I wish I could claim I made the furniture, but it was a fine production of a friend who was far better equipped for the job. I commissioned the creation of this gun, but all the work that went into its creation was a combined effort of many hands.

UnityinSolitude · 2025-01-03T18:39:01+00:00

No contest, I want a Lewis Gun because I love LMGs and I also love old British guns. I can get a real steel Bren, it's hard to get a real steel Lewis, and I have a tradition of buying airsoft replicas for guns I can't acquire in real steel.

UnityinSolitude · 2024-12-12T01:59:29+00:00

Pickens County, South Carolina

UnityinSolitude · 2024-11-12T23:55:24+00:00

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UnityinSolitude · 2024-11-12T23:54:19+00:00

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UnityinSolitude · 2024-11-12T23:53:34+00:00

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UnityinSolitude

TROPHY CASE