Hard top gunner cutout

[fuzzytoaster]

If you want a hard top and a ring mount but don't want to cut the hole you can do this.

Rotate the ring all the way to where the pintle for the MG is at the rear of the mount, lock it in place and you can fire standing in the bed.

We used to do this when we were firing off 5 tons and didn't want to remove the soft top.

Unless you have the backing plate inside the cab you prob don't want to fire a .50 cal off your truck very much...it can litteraly rip the cab apart.

I'm not sure how many folks acutally own a "Ma Deuce", ring mount and truck to mount them on but I gonna venture that it ain't too many. You can fire other weapons off the ring mount if you have the hardware to mount them.

I have a duece, a ring mount but am missing the .50 Cal........anybody got a loaner????

I had thought of that but for the purpose I'm wanting it for wouldnt be ideal.

Mmmmm, possum burger. Got the mounts for the M60 and the Mini gun, just need to figure out the power plug for the Mini. I know it can be done, just haven't looked at it close yet.

My goal is to put a full metal M60 airsoft gun on the cradle. Its cheap, iconic, and deadly in airsoft, and it doesnt look half bad in pictures either.

the 55 gallon drum mod is probably the best bet.

take an opentop drum with a lit mounted to it and cut the top 1" off the drum. weld the ring to the hard top then remove the lid and cut out the hole in the roof. then pick from a variety of available drum lids.

that way when you don't plan to use it at all you can atleast use a nice gasketed drum lid that will never leak.

Do you have any pictures you could show us? I ran across some of WM's older posts mentioning this mod.

 

[jwaller]

I noticed an NOS canvas or vinyl cover somewhere today(maybe it was ebay).

ya I have 3 of these. they are meant to go on the ring itself, not the roof of the vehicle.

 

[jwaller]

I'm not sure how many folks acutally own a "Ma Deuce", ring mount and truck to mount them on but I gonna venture that it ain't too many. You can fire other weapons off the ring mount if you have the hardware to mount them.

I have a duece, a ring mount but am missing the .50 Cal........anybody got a loaner????

I have the deuce, 5 ton and hmmwv and a Ma deuce M2HB. My only problem is I can't decide which vehicle to shoot from. it's a bad problem to have.

 

[TiredIron]

I have the Deuce...the M66 Ring mounted....and have been firing the 50 M2HB standing and sitting through the Hardtop Gun Port for the last 5 years. I don't have the cab reinforcement plate. I always thought that was for cab stress while moving offroad with #550-600lbs of weight on the three legs. At the same time I think its a excellent idea and might install one.
I acquired a M66 ring mount and installation kit that was designed for the M548 Tracked Vehicle. The legs were specifically for the M548 and were of no use. The kit included a square metal plate with a 28 inch round port with a stand up flange about 3/4 of an inch high. The kit also included a rubber/fabric diaphragm with a spring sewn around the edge. After a shoot it always takes two of us to stretch and roll the diaphragm back on. After five winters in Colorado.....its never leaked.
I set the plate under the ring after I figured out where "I" thought it was to be positioned and scored a circle....took the sawzall and mutilated a perfect hardtop.
The plate had holes all around the perimeter.....laid down a heavy bead of silicon and nut and bolted it down.
It amazes me and spectators how much the Deuce rocks with 6-10 bursts. Our range at Cheyenne Wells was 1.5 miles....and on semi we can hit cars almost every shot once dialed at One mile. On full auto we're all over the place at that range. You would think a #13,750lb gun platform would be more steady but not sitting up on the fat michelins.
I have seen and been around enough OOB 50 failures that I don't stand in the cab and up through the ring anymore. It places you too close to the spades and too under the weapon....not where you want to be when things go wrong.
I prefer to sit on the back of the ring and either let my legs hang down or stand on the edge of the port.
I am about to bob one of three of my trucks and its been a real delima as to do the gun truck or the new A3. I have two brand new hardtop kits and will have to fabricate a new roof port....as I will never find another kit for this purpose. I'm leaning toward the 1in drum lip with clamp on lids.....welded to a flat plate. At least with this system I don't have to fight the rubber/spring diaphragm....the clamp lid sounds great.

TiredIron
Colorado

 

[jwaller]

I've got cab plates I still need to get rid of. so if anybody wants one pm me now.

 

[flyxpl]

TiredIron , can you tell me how the diameter of the barrel would compare to the size of the diameter of the hole in your original M66 ring install kit . I was thinking the barrel mod might be smaller .

 

[TiredIron]

I will try and climb up there and get an accurate measurement and maybe a couple of pics this week.

TiredIron

 

[General Mcgregor]

My deuce has a seat with a back that folds flat and is diamond plate for a gunner to stand on and operate the m66 gun ring. Is that a common option or is it rare?

 

[doghead]

That is standard .

 

[nk14zp]

My deuce has a seat with a back that folds flat and is diamond plate for a gunner to stand on and operate the m66 gun ring. Is that a common option or is it rare?

Real common to see those.

 

[820jeep]

I will try and climb up there and get an accurate measurement and maybe a couple of pics this week.

TiredIron

Any pics yet?

 

[flyusn99]

Hard Top Gun ring

I did a mod to my truck I'm very happy with. All the holes I've seen on US Army trucks were exactly 30" across which is much larger than a standard 55gal drum. I got two sheets of 1/8" Diamond Plate and cut them into a 34" square. I then cut a 30" circle out of the center of them. Then I got a 2" wide strip of Diamond plate bent to form a lip and welded it into the inside of the hole on one of the sheets. I then had them powder coated wrinkle black. After taking a plasma torch to the hard top I sandwiched the two pieces together, one on the outside and one on the inside of the cab and bolted them together with a boat-load of silicone caulk in between. This gives added structural rigidity to the cab without sacrificing water tight integrity. For the cover I ordered a roll of 5/16" neopreme and cut a 29" circle out of it and then a 1" wide strip to act as a skirt. I sewed the skirt on to the circle and then sewed velcro on the inside lip of the skirt. I used iron on seam tape to cover the outside of the seam so as to make it waterproof (and it looks much better as well. Then I glued a strip of velcro on the lip coming out of the hood and walla a watertight easily removable cover that stows easy and is totally waterproof. The only problem is in the Florida sun Neopreme doesn't do so hot so I keep it out of the sun as much as possible. I posted pictures on here awhile ago if you search for hard-top mods... I'd post them again but have limited bandwidth... I hope this helps, basically you can do anything you set your mind too. good luck!

 

[Warthog]

Here is flyusn99's cut out. Post #6

http://www.steelsoldiers.com/deuce/72745-m66-ring-heading-my-way-mounting-questions.html

 

[saddamsnightmare]

April 18th, 2012.

If you want to do it right, hunt up a Unimog U1300L which virtually every one of them has the gunner's hatch and copy that design. I suspect that the German engineers probably built one that is more water tight then any motorpool variation.... Just a suggestion!