EM62 Conversion
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Post away Sir! I love to learn and I'm sure others here would love to take a gander.
Tim
The Erquiaga Ams EM62 Modification of the M1 Garand is not at all like a BM 59 modification.
The EM62 uses
A new 7.62mm barrel 18 1/4 " long that is heavier than a Garand, M14 or BM59 barrel
The gas port is .087 inches in dia. and 12 inches forward from the rear of the barrel.
A new drop down type gas cylinder is used. It is pinned to the barred by two roll pins.
The top of the gas cylinder is dove tailed for a standard M1 front sight. The cylinder tube
is 5 1/4" long and extends into the stock channel.
The op rod is straight and is 13" long overall.
The op rod spring guide is patterned after an M14 op rod spring guide including using
the end as the front magazine catch.
The rear receiver legs are unmodified. The front legs are thinned but not V cut. The
front of the receiver is opened to to accept the M14 mag. The bottom front of the
receiver is also opened up to accept a magazine guide. This guide is held in by the
follower pin. It is also milled to allow the recoil spring guide to pass thru.
A rear spacer block with the magazine catch and bolt hold open is utilized. This block
has a rib on each side. The ribs allow the spacer block to slide into the enbloc clip
grooves on the rear receiver legs. The ledges on the rear legs acts as stops and the
trigger houses keeps it in place.
The only modifications to the trigger housing is being milled out for the magazine and a
small clearance cut for the magazine catch.
The stock is modified with the magazine cut out, stock ferrule lip is removed and the
ferrule is opened up to allow the gas cylinder tube to pass thru.
The bolt appears to be unmodified.
All in all it appears to be not a complex modification and the magazine is forward unlike
the BM59.
The Erquiaga Ams EM62 Modification of the M1 Garand is not at all like a BM 59 modification.
The EM62 uses
A new 7.62mm barrel 18 1/4 " long that is heavier than a Garand, M14 or BM59 barrel
The gas port is .087 inches in dia. and 12 inches forward from the rear of the barrel.
A new drop down type gas cylinder is used. It is pinned to the barred by two roll pins.
The top of the gas cylinder is dove tailed for a standard M1 front sight. The cylinder tube
is 5 1/4" long and extends into the stock channel.
The op rod is straight and is 13" long overall.
The op rod spring guide is patterned after an M14 op rod spring guide including using
the end as the front magazine catch.
The rear receiver legs are unmodified. The front legs are thinned but not V cut. The
front of the receiver is opened to to accept the M14 mag. The bottom front of the
receiver is also opened up to accept a magazine guide. This guide is held in by the
follower pin. It is also milled to allow the recoil spring guide to pass thru.
A rear spacer block with the magazine catch and bolt hold open is utilized. This block
has a rib on each side. The ribs allow the spacer block to slide into the enbloc clip
grooves on the rear receiver legs. The ledges on the rear legs acts as stops and the
trigger houses keeps it in place.
The only modifications to the trigger housing is being milled out for the magazine and a
small clearance cut for the magazine catch.
The stock is modified with the magazine cut out, stock ferrule lip is removed and the
ferrule is opened up to allow the gas cylinder tube to pass thru.
The bolt appears to be unmodified.
All in all it appears to be not a complex modification and the magazine is forward unlike
the BM59.
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111 Posts
RDS, it sounds interesting Sir. I'd like to see photo's of this rifle, if you have them. It sounds very much like my BM14 rifle except I don't quite understand the rear spacer you are describing. Pictures are worth a thousand words 
Tim
I have never posted photos as I do know how. But if you PM me with an email address I will have my son take photos and email them to you. Your free to post them here or on your forum.
As far as the rear spacer it contains both the bolt hold open and magazine catch. It also serves to position the magazine forward. The conversion was advertised as being able to use M-14 or FAL mags. My guess to do this it required a different rear spacer with a different length mag catch and a different op rod spring guide with a flat nose.
The conversions were only offered from 1963 to 1965. Gordon Ingram of MAC 10 fame worked for Erquiaga. It has been reported that Ingram developed the M10 while working for Erquiaga. In 1965 Juan Erquiaga closed his shop and returned to Peru and Gordon Ingram went to work for Sionics in Ga.
I have never posted photos as I do know how. But if you PM me with an email address I will have my son take photos and email them to you. Your free to post them here or on your forum.
As far as the rear spacer it contains both the bolt hold open and magazine catch. It also serves to position the magazine forward. The conversion was advertised as being able to use M-14 or FAL mags. My guess to do this it required a different rear spacer with a different length mag catch and a different op rod spring guide with a flat nose.
The conversions were only offered from 1963 to 1965. Gordon Ingram of MAC 10 fame worked for Erquiaga. It has been reported that Ingram developed the M10 while working for Erquiaga. In 1965 Juan Erquiaga closed his shop and returned to Peru and Gordon Ingram went to work for Sionics in Ga.
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111 Posts
This is terribly interesting to me, what a fantastic story for this gentleman. My email is [email protected]
Tim
Story gets better it's reported that Erquiaga was Castro's armorer during the revolution.
He split with Castro when Castro went Communist. He then fled to the US. He also developed a SMG and a long barreled modified Colt 1911 for target shooting.
Story gets better it's reported that Erquiaga was Castro's armorer during the revolution.
He split with Castro when Castro went Communist. He then fled to the US. He also developed a SMG and a long barreled modified Colt 1911 for target shooting.
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111 Posts
What a terrific story RDS! Here's the photo's you sent me Sir.
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111 Posts
On the design, what I don't know is why he went with the rear mag catch between the rear legs? I also don't quite get the bolt stop. Would like to see the exterior of the receiver and how the bolt stop looks from the clip latch/bolt stop side.
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111 Posts
The magazine article RDS sent me;
Tim
The clip latch is non functioning and serves no purpose other than filling in the cut out in the side of the receiver. The bolt hold open in only activated by an empty magazine or manually pulling it up with your finger with the bolt fully retracted.
The spacer with the bolt hold open fits into grooves that are milled into the receiver behind the enbloc clip grooves in the receiver. By positioning the spacer were he did he positioned the magazine fully forward like a M14. Its a direct feed from the magazine into the chamber. I believe the second reason being that with the magazine catch in the spacer the spacer could easily be tapped out and another one inserted with a magazine catch for a FAL mag. Erquiaga claimed the conversion could use either M14 or FAL mags.
The rifle in the photos will not accept FAL mags. By putting the magazine catch in the spacer it cut down on milling and drilling of the trigger housing. It also left more metal on the housing between the cuts for the trigger guard and the thin legs. I have seen BM59 trigger housings cracked in this area.
The clip latch is non functioning and serves no purpose other than filling in the cut out in the side of the receiver. The bolt hold open in only activated by an empty magazine or manually pulling it up with your finger with the bolt fully retracted.
The spacer with the bolt hold open fits into grooves that are milled into the receiver behind the enbloc clip grooves in the receiver. By positioning the spacer were he did he positioned the magazine fully forward like a M14. Its a direct feed from the magazine into the chamber. I believe the second reason being that with the magazine catch in the spacer the spacer could easily be tapped out and another one inserted with a magazine catch for a FAL mag. Erquiaga claimed the conversion could use either M14 or FAL mags.
The rifle in the photos will not accept FAL mags. By putting the magazine catch in the spacer it cut down on milling and drilling of the trigger housing. It also left more metal on the housing between the cuts for the trigger guard and the thin legs. I have seen BM59 trigger housings cracked in this area.
Coincidentally, Forgotten Weapons just did a story on the EM-62.
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/erquiaga-em-62-castros-ex-armorer-makes-an-m14/
https://www.forgottenweapons.com/erquiaga-em-62-castros-ex-armorer-makes-an-m14/
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Not a let down for me. Heck, almost all of my guns are older than the post. I just wish the photos were still up. Maybe 'ole Schuff can dredge them up and re-post them. And/or, maybe he can be talked into building these. I would like one to go dating to the range with my Mini G in 30 06.
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111 Posts
I have a BM14 which will have to do at this time. The BM14 is almost identical to the OP’s topic rifle. You can only make so many offerings before your menu gets diluted. I have no photos of the OP’s rifle, perhaps he does?
I resurrected this old thread in response to the thread the "Rarest of Rare EM62" thread posted this week. That thread was a "Forgotten Weapons" video on the EM62. I felt the video left a lot of unanswered questions, plus the EM62 featured was missing parts. Tim Shufflins' BM14 is a much better weapon and a superior design period. The EM62 was designed as I stated before as a cheaper, easier and quicker conversion than a Beretta BM59. The EM62 conversion was marketed towards third world countries armed with M1 Garands. As such the design lacks some key features the BM59 has. When these conversion orders did not materialize the conversion was offered to the American public. In 1962 there were no M1As or Beretta BM59s available to American shooters and M1 Garands were expensive and in short supply. As the EM62 was not a big seller apparently there was not a market for these weapons yet.
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I asked for them, he may not have had time to. As soon as I get them I will post them. I imagine he is busy with the Holiday's.
I'll get you photos tomorrow.
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