The Box Tube MAC-11

The Ultimate DIY Machine Pistol

Practical Scrap Metal Small Arms Vol.II
By Professor Parabellum
Plans on paes 1! to "#
Intro$uction
The machine pistol described here is perhaps the most compact of any homebuilt design publicized. In it's
outward appearance it is an almost 1:1 clone of the M11-9 probably one of the most desired submachine guns
in e!istence due to it's highly compact size and mainstream notoriety. It uses minimal parts and is as simple to
construct as any typical homebuilt design yet matches an original commercially made gun in loo"s function and
#uality.
$ith the original weapon already ha%ing a highly refined recei%er layout the de%elopment stage focused solely
on simplifying both the bolt and fire control mechanism to negate the use of a well e#uipped wor"shop for
production as cloning the original would re#uire. The resulting weapon is e!ternally identical in size to the
original with the main differences being the method of constructing the bolt and it's fire control group consisting
of two easily constructed components. &onstruction has also been simplified by using measurements in-line with
the upper recei%er as is present on most open bolt submachine guns such as the 'T() and 'terling. This
negates ha%ing to offset the position of the breech face and barrel trunnion as replicating the original M11 would
re#uire. *y altering the design in this manor e%ery component housed in it's upper recei%er can be made by
simply laminating two sizes of tubing and steel bar stoc" together.
+nother 'get around' incorporated into this design is the simple two part assembly of it's wrap-around type bolt.
This component is constructed by combining a section of 1,mm steel bar stoc" fitted with a length of -.mm !
/mm steel bo! tube. *y laminating in this %ery simple manor the need for a milling machine to mill the bolt from a
single bloc" of steel is eliminated.
For legal purposes, the demonstration prototype shown in this publication was built as a legal non-firing dummy
replica. It's dummy barrel is completely destroyed, blocked and permanently welded in place as well as it's bolt
being built out of specification and having no provisions for a firing pin. Built In this manor It is not legally
considered a firearm in most places. This document is for academic study purposes only.
Tools % construction techni&ues
An angle grinder !he "oor #an's #illing #achine
)o e!pensi%e machine-shop tools are needed to construct the *o! Tube M+&-11. Instead a number of %ery
affordable tools can be used to the same effect. (#uipped with a cheap angle grinder the a%erage hobbyist has
the ability to perform machining actions usually reser%ed for an e!pensi%e milling machine. 0ather than tediously
using a hac"saw to cut steel sheet an angle grinder fitted with a 1mm slitting disc will accurately cut a straight
line through steel of any thic"ness in mere seconds. 1itted with a /mm disc it can be used to easily 'sculpt' thic"
steel into any shape in a fraction of the time it ta"es to manually use a hand file. Importantly for this pro2ect it is
used to grind the magazine cuts in the bolt piece after which a hand file can be used to neaten the newly created
9. degree channels. This techni#ue wor"s surprisingly well and it's not unusual to get %ery neat right-angle cuts
which loo" as though they were produced using a milling machine. 3ne can manufacture almost any component
of any weapon using this techni#ue in %ery short order with %ery pleasing end results.
$mall arc welders like the one above are available cheaply for purchase over the Internet
+ rotary tool or dremel is highly useful for delicate grinding and cutting operations. 1itted with a 'reinforced
cutting disc' it becomes a mini angle grinder ideal for cutting out and grinding openings in pieces of tube #uic"ly
and neatly without ha%ing to manually use a hand file. These can be purchased cheaply online with a large
%ariety of cutting grinding and sanding bits a%ailable for wor"ing with metal.
$ith enough patience it is possible to construct e%ery component described using only a drill hac"saw and a
few hand files. 4owe%er for under 51.. you can purchase all the budget tools necessary to complete the pro2ect
in only a couple of afternoons. It is well worth %enturing to any 'swap meet' 'car boot sale' or 'flea mar"et' as all
tools mentioned can be found practically being gi%en away in used condition.
'seful tools
Anle rin$er
(ac)sa* + cobalt tippe$ bla$es
Cobalt or titanium tippe$ $rill bits
,rill press or han$ $rill combine$ *ith a stan$
-el$er
,remel . rotary tool + reinforce$ cuttin $iscs
(an$ files
Materials
1/ x "/ 0!#mm x "!mm x 1.!mm1 mil$ steel box section
1/ 0"!mm x "!mm x "mm1 mil$ steel box section
1 1.!/ x "/ 02#mm x !#mm x "mm1 mil$ steel box section
12.13/ 0"#mm x "#mm x "mm1 mil$ steel box section
2.4/ 01#mm1 thic) aluminum or steel plate
15 aue 0"mm1 mil$ steel plate
!.4/ 013mm1 roun$ or s&uare mil$ steel bar stoc)
m26 m56 m4 bolts
2.5/ 014mm . 17mm $iameter1 compression sprin
If excess tihtness is encountere$6 s&uare tubin can be re$uce$ in 8, slihtly on each si$e
by usin an anle rin$er fitte$ *ith a rin$in or san$in $isc.
89er9ie* of components an$ their construction
:o*er recei9er
The lower recei%er is cut out from an 11.,6 7 /98mm long length of -.mm ! 8.mm steel bo! section tube with a
wall thic"ness of /mm onto which the trigger group rear support bar magazine and front lug holes are made.
The rear closure is bent to the specified dimensions and is welded in place with the rear sight plate welded o%er
it. + '9' shaped strip of /mm sheet metal ser%es as a trigger guard and is welded in place. The rear support bar
holds the upper recei%er firmly in position with the rear closure portion of the lower recei%er while the front lug
holes allow it to be secured in place.
+ section of 17:6 ;,mm< thic" aluminum or steel plate is cut to shape and ser%es as a feed ramp. It is secured in
place by tapping it to accept two m- bolts.
'pper recei9er
The upper recei%er is constructed from a length of /8mm s#uare steel bo! section with a wall thic"ness of /mm
onto which the e2ection port coc"ing handle slot and lower opening sections are cut out. The best method to
achie%e this is to use a combination of drilling holes around the inside section to be cut out before cutting along
the holes using a dremel type rotary tool fitted with a 'reinforced cutting disc'. These are e!tremely durable and
can be used to neatly grind the edges to shape without ha%ing to use a hand file. If a dremel is una%ailable a
hammer and a screw dri%er can be used to chisel out the drill hole lines after which a hand file can be used to file
down the edges. + front lug made from a piece of the same /8mm bo! section is welded or bolted onto the lower
front end and holds the upper recei%er in place. This same material is also used for the construction of the front
sight.
Barrel
The demonstration model pictured was made with a non-functioning dummy barrel which is permanently
destroyed ;bloc"ed by a hardened steel insert and cut open< and is welded in place. In this configuration it is not
considered a firearm and can be legally owned and built freely as a display replica in most places.
The outer dimension of the barrel is 87=6 ;1,mm<. This fits tightly into a section of /.mm ! /mm round tube or
s#uare bo! section which ser%es as a collar to attach the barrel to the upper recei%er. The barrel is secured in
place either by welding or by means of a pin installed across the upper recei%er as is present on the original
M+& design.
Maa;ine-*ell
The magazine-well is made from a section of 16 ! /6 ;/8mm ! 8.mm< steel rectangle tube shortened to /8mm !
:-mm by remo%ing widening slightly then re-welding one /8mm side to allow snug contact with the magazine.
The magazine catch is cut out from 1.mm aluminium plate it's housing consisting of a small piece of bent steel
sheet or rectangle section welded in place. The bac" grip piece is cut out from either wood or plastic and is
drilled to accept an M8 bolt to attach it to the magazine well. 3nce completed the magazine-well is welded to the
lower recei%er. If a welder is una%ailable an alternati%e method would be to use an '>' shaped piece of metal to
secure the magazine-well to the bottom of the recei%er using two short bolts.
The e!ample shown uses a modified 'T() magazine which has had the stop lips ground off and a new stopper
attached. +lternati%ely a homemade magazine constructed from 18mm ! -8mm tube can be used. In this case a
length of /.mm ! :.mm steel tube with a wall thic"ness of /mm is all that is re#uired for it's magazine-well. +
magazine-catch can be as simple as a length of handsaw blade combined with a modified nut and bolt.
Bolt
1or legal purposes the bolt on the demonstration model was made without pro%isions for a firing pin and can
only feed dummy inert rounds. 0ather than milling a bolt from a single bloc" of steel it is constructed by inserting
a length of 1,mm round or s#uare steel bar into a length of /.mm steel s#uare bo! section with a wall thic"ness
of /mm the same material used for the barrel collar. The breech face of the bolt piece is first drilled -mm deep
using a 1.mm drill bit and then le%elled flat using the same size drill bit with it's tip remo%ed. The feeding cuts for
the magazine are formed using an angle grinder fitted with a /mm or -mm grinding disc after which it is hand
finished using a file. The e2ector slot is cut using a 1mm slitting disc until the e2ector itself slides in and out
without resistance. The finished 'dummy' bolt is retained in place using a number of steel rods grub screws or
beheaded bolts threaded in place. +dditional weight can be added by drilling out and inserting tungsten bars or
partially filling the bac" of the bolt with lead. To ensure positi%e engagement with the sear the contact point at
the front of the bolt carrier can be increased in width using a welder and then filed to shape.
Angle grinder milling%
<xtractor
This machine pistol uses a fi!ed spring-less e!tractor. +dding an e!tractor to a blowbac" design is usually
optional though the simplicity of this design hardly 2ustifies lea%ing it out. In this case it is simply a strip of /mm
sheet steel bent at a right-angle and filed into a simple claw profile after which it is then attached to the bolt %ia
two m- or m: grub screws. 3nce confirmed functioning of the finished e!tractor claw is established it can be
hardened by heating until red then #uenching in a solution of salt water. The e!tractor claw should be made fairly
undersized so as to allow a cartridge rim to easily slide into contact with it without interfering with feeding.
<=ector
The e2ector consists of a plate bolted onto the bottom of the upper recei%er it's contact arm slotting up 9.
degrees into line with the bolt's e2ector channel. It is fabricated from a single piece of /mm thic" sheet steel. The
plans pro%ided contain a smaller simplified %ersion.
Trier roup
The trigger group consists of two pieces of modified 1.mm thic" aluminum or steel plate. The trigger is cut to the
dimensions specified while the flat sear piece is cut out and fitted with a modified section of hardened7stainless
steel bolt ground to it's re#uired profile. This part ma"es contact with the front of the bolt carrier under spring
tension pre%enting it from mo%ing forward until the trigger is pulled. + suitable sear spring can be obtained from
a hand sanitizer or shampoo bottle.
&eft% 'ocked position ready to fire. (ight% 'losed position round chambered and fired
>ecoil sprin
?ue to the small inner dimensions of the upper recei%er suitable compression springs are readily a%ailable for
purchase online. + compression spring around 1/.mm ;: -7:6< in length 1=mm ;- -7:6< in outer diameter and
wound from 18 gauge wire is desired. +s long as a spring firmly holds the bolt closed and can be coc"ed bac"
with a smooth and consistent pull it will li"ely be suitable.
Maa;ine
The demonstration model uses 9mm 'T() magazines which ha%e been modified by remo%ing the original
stopper tabs and instead fabricating a new stopper and catch notch. The magazine-well can optionally be slotted
and the mag-catch increased in length to accept original unmodified 'T() magazines. @lans for a homebuilt
magazine ha%e also been pro%ided.
?inishin
3nce completed the pistol can be stripped down and spayed with two to three coats of matt blac" 4igh
Temperature (ngine (namel. This type of finish usually re#uires no priming or preparation and is many times
more durable than standard auto or **A paint.
Plans
+ll pages included should be printed out on =.8 ! 11 9' letter paper. (ach component template is drawn to scale
and can be cut out and glued to their respecti%e thic"ness of material. Ma"e sure the ruler at the bottom left of
each sheet is / inches in length. +lternati%ely enlarge the plans using a computer program until the ruler is the
correct length then trace the parts needed onto a sheet of paper taped o%er your computer's screen.
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