This is one of those projects that was something I needed for my collection, and then other collectors expressed interest once they saw it. I had a loose M1919 .30 caliber machine gun without any of the hardware for the tripod that I got in a parts lot. Rather than relegate it to the spares bag, I decided to make something that would allow Joe to carry the MG. I looked online for examples of early MG handles, came up with a design, and sized it to fit in Joe’s hand without putting any stress on his hard hands. You can buy a bale now from my Shapeways Shop for $6 at: http://www.shapeways.com/product/ML2ZVNLEZ/m1919-30-cal-machine-gun-bale-for-12-quot-gi-joe
The bale is available in two plastics, White Strong Flexible Polished, and Metallic Plastic Polished. The WSF Polished is the default option, and better for painting. The Metallic plastic is grey with metallic flakes embedded, so it looks decent unpainted.
Check after the cut for pics of each version and Joe holding each.
Prometheus Rising Studios 