Is a Ljungman AG42 worth buying without the magazine?

I've had 2 M42B's in my milsurp collecting/shooting adventures. First was about 20 yrs ago. Shot it a little but quickly lost interest as it was not kind to my brass. About 5 yrs ago I had an offer of a second one without a magazine at a very good price. Bought it with the promise that if the misplaced mag showed up it was mine at no additional cost. Picked up a mag from Paul Switzer at a reasonable price and shot the rifle a little. Decided to part with it and it was sold at auction a couple years ago. Got a phone call from the original owner this summer - he had found the mag and it was mine. When delivered the bottom was missing so I have an excellent condition mag body complete with follower and spring. No bottom. I hopefully questioned the previous owner and he had no idea where it was. Somewhat unusual! Bottom line I have a couple nice parts that I should list on the EE to see if there is any interest. No real idea of what would be a fair value. Wish it was complete but it is not.
 
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Old Ranger said:
I've had 2 M42B's in my milsurp collecting/shooting adventures. First was about 20 yrs ago. Shot it a little but quickly lost interest as it was not kind to my brass. About 5 yrs ago I had an offer of a second one without a magazine at a very good price. Bought it with the promise that if the misplaced mag showed up it was mine at no additional cost. Picked up a mag from Paul Switzer at a reasonable price and shot the rifle a little. Decided to part with it and it was sold at auction a couple years ago. Got a phone call from the original owner this summer - he had found the mag and it was mine. When delivered the bottom was missing so I have an excellent condition mag body complete with follower and spring. No bottom. I hopefully questioned the previous owner and he had no idea where it was. Somewhat unusual! Bottom line I have a couple nice parts that I should list on the EE to see if there is any interest. No real idea of what would be a fair value. Wish it was complete but it is not.
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Liberty tree collectors has mag bottoms..

AG42.flrpt.jpg


ht tps://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=4855&idcategory=46
 
I wouldn't buy one without a magazine.

Somewhat finicky rifles, make sure you use hard primers (NOT FEDERAL PRIMERS OR AMMO). I had a out of battery detonation with one 6 years ago, definitely not a experience I would like to repeat. Still a pretty accurate rifle, even the one fired out of battery was on target.
 
Cranky Pants said:
Having shot a AG42 in the past I would be terrified trying to place single cartridges into the breech knowing that giant bolt is but a bump of the cocking knobs away from removing knuckles.
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This gun far and away has the scariest action closing of any gun I have owned. Gives me the creeps just thinking about my finger being in the action when the bolt slammed shut. Friend of mine did just that. Then was off to the hospital for several stitches.
 
Of course it would be a bad idea to drop ar ound in the chamber, and allow the bolt to slam shut.
Could this be done? I don't have an AG42B at hand...
Push the cover forward, latching it to the bolt.
Pull cover and bolt to rear. Make sure the safety is positioned so that the catch will not be tripped releasing the bolt.
Drop round in chamber.
Push cover and bolt forward.
Release the catch, and allow the cover to return to the rear, the bolt staying forward.
Wouldn't this work?
 
One thing that hasn't been mention yet about the 42.
With the mag out the potential of the bolt closing on your finger or thumb is real.
It will make Garand thumb feel like a paper cut!
So do your homework before messing with it.

 
ted_dent said:
This gun far and away has the scariest action closing of any gun I have owned. Gives me the creeps just thinking about my finger being in the action when the bolt slammed shut. Friend of mine did just that. Then was off to the hospital for several stitches.
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I heard about this legendary scary action long ago... I acquired a Hakim this year. I put on the armoured gloves before I unpacked it... Armored gloves are a thing in my world... Required in lots of situations. Maybe a lifetime of slamming tongs and latching elevators has dulled my warning system... I didn't really find it that scary. Honest... It just doesn't bother me that much.
Not cat calling or blowing my own horn... I spent a lifetime with fellows who are missing fingers... Because the iron would eat them if you weren't aware... You just get aware of such things
 
tiriaq said:
Of course it would be a bad idea to drop ar ound in the chamber, and allow the bolt to slam shut.
Could this be done? I don't have an AG42B at hand...
Push the cover forward, latching it to the bolt.
Pull cover and bolt to rear. Make sure the safety is positioned so that the catch will not be tripped releasing the bolt.
Drop round in chamber.
Push cover and bolt forward.
Release the catch, and allow the cover to return to the rear, the bolt staying forward.
Wouldn't this work?
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Yes it does , I've done it with AG42B's , Hakims and Rashids . I like the action , just be aware of how it works and they work fine . I've had Lungmann designed rifles for about 40 years , I've never caught my fingers in that time . They can be a bit funny with soft primers though , as was pointed out .
 
HuskyDude said:
One thing that hasn't been mention yet about the 42.
With the mag out the potential of the bolt closing on your finger or thumb is real.
It will make Garand thumb feel like a paper cut!
So do your homework before messing with it.

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This guy is very knowledgeable,he also has a video on Utube how to load an M1-garand and how it is impossible to get Garand thumb by loading it by the book.
 
Cranky Pants said:
Yeah, they were cheap a lifetime ago. I have never seen anything throw brass farther and generally straight back and screaming hot! I used to joke to my buddy that the Swedes must have been nervous about Russians sneaking up behind them and the hot brass would give some defense!
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I remember them in the S.I.R. catalogue for sixty-some dollars when I was a kid. But those dollars were worth more a lifetime ago.
 
I've never had a rifle harder on brass - a real rim destroyer - if you can find the empties! Was going to rebarrel one to 308 with adjustable gas system but never got around to it......they were very cheap in the '80's!
 
DaveGP said:
I've never had a rifle harder on brass - a real rim destroyer - if you can find the empties! Was going to rebarrel one to 308 with adjustable gas system but never got around to it......they were very cheap in the '80's!
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Maybe you're reloading them too hot,my brass comes out without any damage,I reload them all the time.
 
Answer to OP's question...
Sure, buy it if the price is right. Sooner or later a magazine will turn up at a price that makes it worthwhile.

I have a beater/parts gun AG42B salted away. Have thought that it would be a good basis for a rebarreling project as suggested by DaveGP.

AG42Bs are very ammunition sensitive. With the right ammunition, they are excellent shooters. If gas port pressure is too high, the action tries to open when there is too much residual pressure in the case, and the rim gets torn off. Apparently a Swedish stop gap solution was to lubricate the cartridges. The cases are really going to get ejected then. Never had a problem with my handloads; never loaded them too hot. I personally don't think that the design ever really matured. The Hakim variant incorporated a selector in the gas system, so there was a chance of balancing the action to the ammunition.
When the Swedes sold off their surplus rifles, the M94 cavalry carbines went first, then the AG42Bs. They got rid of what wasn't being used first.
 
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