I had this all typed out and was ready to post when I butterfingered the post button and managed to lose everything I had! cry1
At any rate here we go again:
I was going through the /136\ guns for the Chinese Arsenal Component Configuration board and got to the following gun:
S/N 1802444:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1802444_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1802444_manual.jpg)
No big deal, looks like your typical pressed and pinned gun from the early 70's.
Then I get to S/N 1804622, approx 2k guns later:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1804622_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1804622_left_lug.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1804622_right_lug.jpg)
Ok, this one is a short barrel lug. Not unusual either, but odd that they would switch mid-year like that.
Then I get to the next S/N in my archive, S/N 1806951:
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1806951_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1806951_left_center.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1806951_left_lug.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1806951_right_lug.jpg)
100% a pressed and pinned barrel there. WTH!?
The final 1.8 mil /136\ I've got is S/N 1807867
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1807867_receiver.jpg)
(http://i1352.photobucket.com/albums/q647/jelucer/Chinese/T136/1807867_bolt_carrier2.jpg)
Hard to really tell, but it looks pressed and pinned to me.
So we go from pressed and pinned to short lug back to pressed and pinned? I have my thoughts on them, but what do you guys think about these? I'm open to any ideas anyone wants to toss at the wall...
Simply using up old stock.... I doubt there will be a definitive transition point and that its permanent from that point forward at any given arsenal.
Running-man, using your beginning gun (1802444) as a starting point we know there is at least 2178 guns before this particular short lug was used. We don't know how many have been used since (or before) your beginning gun. Why would the "assembly crews" choose to use up barrel lug stocks at this point in production?
I'm thinking possibly the press fit in that receiver was not sufficient, for whatever reason, to hold the barrel :o so a lug was installed.
A repair of the mistake made by Sum Yung Guy and a carbine saved!