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Any report of Flash Hider made by Drillmation

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painter777 View Drop Down
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    Posted: Nov 15 2021 at 6:13pm
Has there ever been any reported Flash Hider made by Drillmation or Eight Mile Road Defense Contractors, Inc from the mid to late 60's? 

I found a Contract expenditure for Drillmation Inc for Bolts and M2 Carbines $1,657,113 listed in a Army Research and Development monthly newsletter dated March 1966.
Listed under RDTE production contracts, Which I assume means Research and Development Test and Evaluation: RDTE.

It reads: Drillmation, Inc., $1,657,113, bolts and M2 carbines

This limited information can be found on page 17 in the upper middle column:
https://asc.army.mil/docs/pubs/alt/a...6/Mar_1966.PDF

I began looking deeper in to this because of some personal family ties living in the Downriver Detroit suburbs who were employed with Drillmation in the mid to late 60's.
Just recently I was told by a family member they started making Flash Hiders for a short period along with the round bolts while he worked there. He believed the parts were being sent to Viet Nam, but had no way to know for sure. Until hearing this I had never heard or have seen a Flash Hider made by Drillmation or Eight Mile Road Defense Contractors, Inc.
But before finishing the contract (s?) Drillmation cancelled the contracts stating they were unable to continue performance. At this time there was a period of lay offs and transfers to another facility. My Uncle worked there until the Detroit riots got started.
I've been trying to research this off and on as time allows. One relative telling me his paychecks came from Eight Mile Road Defense Contractors, Inc. This made for some confusion until I came across a law suit filed on them:

United States of America, Plaintiff-appellant, v. Malcolm P. Gardner and Herbert L. Stern, Jr., Defendants-appellees, 528 F.2d 715 (6th Cir. 1976) :: Justia

Just a bit curious as my Uncle is still pretty sharp. If they were made for use in or by Viet Nam, possibly (If Made) they would have been unmarked?

Thx,
Charlie-P777
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ranzuly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 10:42am
I found this very interesting reading, Looking forward to any responses,
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W5USMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 12:37pm
"Drillmation, Inc. (the Company) entered into two contracts with the Department of the Army for carbine bolts and flash suppressors."

Charlie, I have to wonder if they are even talking about Carbine Flash Hiders since they use "flash suppressor". Could they be talking about a suppressor for a different firearm all together? Just thinking that if they are talking about Army contracts then they would use the correct nomenclature.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote painter777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 4:59pm
@ Wayne,
The 1st link above from March 1966 in the center column page 17 reads: 
"Drillmation, Inc., $1,657,113, bolts and M2 carbines".
The 2nd link (Court case) mentions the flash suppressors. 

I talked with Uncle Jimmy (My Mothers side), recorded the call so I could keep up with his replies.
1st a little about him, he served in a supply unit in Korea and passed along most of his guns and a Underwood carbine to me years ago for safe keeping. Mainly to keep it away from his trouble finding kids and grand kids. He's from the coal country on the line of Harlan and Pike counties in East Kentucky...... But I can decipher his language pretty well Wink.
When he got home he worked with my Fathers company doing Quarry work on Fort street near Trenton, Mi. Left there then a couple years after a stay in jail he hired in to Drillmation and was there until 1968 when he started his own landscape business until he retired. His half brother was already working at Drillmation when Jimmy hired in. The 1/2 brother Henry then became part of Eight Mile Road Defense Contractors, Inc after the name change about the time Uncle Jimmy quit. Henry worked there until they became part of a company called Wickes (sp?) in the late 70's till he retired. All under the same umbrella these were machine shops were making specialty tool equipment like crank shaft makers.. etc all nestled in an area surrounded by like companies fetching Defense contracts.
 
I was careful how I asked questions so I didn't lead him to any answer. When asked about the shape of the Flash Hider they were making he replied "You mean a muzzle cone? They were the Funnel shaped cones like a oil funnel that clamped on the end of the barrel with a wing nut". "They were a PITA to make because there were quite a few steps to milling and welding them, leaving a lot of scrap". I wanted to be sure these were for a carbine, so I asked what they fit on to which he said: "They were for the machine gun carbines, some with just a light some with a night scope and like that one (semi) I gave you to take care of". "I figure you could use them on any barrel they'd fit on, maybe wrap some black tape as long as it doesn't block the front sight so they couldn't see your flash at night". He was well aware of what a M1 carbine recoil check looked like and scuffed about there being a need for one.
I'm convinced he had been involved making some, but were they for a US contract? Or maybe aftermarket? I can't answer that. Time period seems right per the links above but in the mid 60's the commercial carbines were really taking off......

Early in his retirement he was in to big flea markets and owned a rummage store. Still having a lot of hoarded stuff left stored away he 'Thinks' he may have one.... somewhere in a junk box. 
He could remember the wing nut was steel with a bushing inside but could not remember any markings.
** To Add, Uncle Jimmy was the cool Uncle, the type that took you fishing and hunting often. I believe his word UNLESS he's telling me how many or big his fish were. Or if he had salted an area with raccoons to get big $$ for his old Blue Tick. He pulled that one a couple times and had to lay low a while.

I get time, I'll try to look deeper in to this 'Defense Districts Area's' history.

A Muzzle Cone....... LOL

Ch-P777
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W5USMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 5:19pm
Well Charlie, I have to agree that your Uncle Jimmy described a Carbine Flash Hider, muzzle cone funnel.Big smile. Since Drillmation's contract was cancelled, did another company take over and finish it? I now wonder if these flash hiders could have ended up with the Oval F marking since that is the only FH I know of that could be from that timeframe.  
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote New2brass Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 8:19pm
The earliest history I have found on Drillmation was in 1958 looking for sales people and then 1960 when they were showing off gun drilling boring machine (deep hole drill).
then in 1964 there was a trademarks and possible an incorporation.

Drillmation was located at 6500 E. Eleven Mile Road, Center line Michigan

guess there were a few roads that were named by length?LOL

As to cone flash hiders, the M3a1 also had a cone Hider, Flash,  M9.
the welding may be a clue.
The M3 hider had the clamp spot welded on.
I would have to look closer at the M3. I think the cone was formed, not machined?

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote W5USMC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 8:50pm
Originally posted by New2brass New2brass wrote:

As to cone flash hiders, the M3a1 also had a cone Hider, Flash,  M9.
the welding may be a clue.

There is a Grease Gun M9 flash hider currently on ebay listed as a Carbine FH.
M1 Carbine Flash Hider M1/M3 LFC USGI | eBay
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote painter777 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: Nov 16 2021 at 10:55pm
Drillmation Bolts and their troubles trying to make them,

I know I've got a few tangled weeds here, but I plan to post the final rulings vs Drillmation's appeal over withdrawing from their Bolt contract before I loose it.
It lists the Original order of bolts #xxx,xxx along with a potential 2nd order for #xxx,xxx. 
Government placed the 2nd order before any of the first order were delivered.
These findings don't name who, but do say another company made the Bolts the Government needed after Drillmation's self contract cancelation.
I have a guess who this other Bolt maker may have been in the mid 60's a Michigan company.

The Board of Contract Appeals Decisions from 1969 has the appeal and final ruling.
It's thousands of pages to sift thru just to get to this ruling.
I've started putting it together so I can save the hassle of finding it.
I'll post here in a few days. I need time to clear out many of the legal footnotes and proof read it.

There is no mention of Flash Hiders in this text (I'll get back to those when I can) just the bolt production which BTW was Deemed 'Critically Urgent' in the Government Contract with a extremely tight timeline, with the contract reading: 'Time was of the essence'. 
Monetary incentives were offered for early or accelerated deliveries. 

Makes you wonder why Bolts were needed so badly in the mid - late 60's ? 

Stay tuned only if interested,
Ch-P777

PS: @Wayne, I recall Mr. Ricca having some thoughts on the F in the Oval FH, but didn't get a look today.

 
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