German WW2 markings on the MG42

[cow_commander]

Anyone have more pics of markings that show an MG-42 part really being from WW2 and not a later MG3 or Yugo? Like this one, this was a deactivated MG-42 being sold in Britain with nice clear markings.



http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detai ... german.htm

[Bil]

Just skim the site,there are enough to keep you busy for weeks!Check the old posts,although some of the old pics don't show up anymore. ---bil ps-that doesn't mean we can't use more!]

[cow_commander]

Yeah, what's up with that? I should've saved some pics here, because they're not showing up anymore.

[longhorn109]

Here are a few pics of the markings on my guns. Sorry for the large file size but it lets you zoom in better on the details.

[longhorn109]

and the last few

[fab]

this MG42 is a fake.
it's a yougo M53 with a fake MG42 WW2 markings .

[longhorn109]

Are you saying my MG42 is fake! If you are why? It is not the same as th M53 I also own.

[giorg1969]

this MG42 is a fake.
it's a yougo M53 with a fake MG42 WW2 markings .

perhaps you think so because you don't see the "MG 42" stamp...but is normal in "ar" (mauser borsigwalde ) production in 1944 - 45

[fab]

need this pic of the receiver of your MG

this pic come from a German "ar DF" ww2 MG42
yougo are diffent...

[longhorn109]

Ok...where do I start with this. I have posted many pictures of my guns on this site to help fellow board members with their builds. I would have thought in all this time one of the regular members would have pointed out that there was a problem with my guns. And probably in a slightly more constructive way. If you have a problem with something then explain why. Don't exclaim "fake" and leave it at that.

The pictures show my 3 MGs, a 42, a 53 and a relic 42. All it would appear are fake

I had a quick look around the Internet after I read your post and guess what? It seems that there is a rough 50-50 split on the booster bushing area, some are like yours and some like mine. I expect it depends where/when your receiver was made or maybe it's because of a manufacturing change.

Here are 5 links to other "fake" MG42s like mine.

http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detai ... umbers.htm
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detai ... d_belt.htm
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detail/MG42_nazi.htm
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detai ... outfit.htm
http://www.deactivated-guns.co.uk/detai ... 2_MG42.htm

Do you see any signs that my gun or the ones in the links have been scrubbed and re-stamped? No, because they haven't been.
Have you seen a Yugo M53? I have, it is upstairs next to the MG42, and it is covered in Yugo crests, part numbers and proofs. I mean REALLY covered not one or two in hidden places. The easiest and cheapest way that I can think of to make an M53 look like my "Fake" MG42 would be to go and buy an MG42.

I would recommend reading and when you can do the big words try this book "German Universal Machineguns" by Folke Myrvang

Anyway haw do we know that yours isn't a fake.

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Please explain why you believe his MG-42 is a fake, fab.

[Dan@AngolaArmory]

Fab,
I can assure you that the Mauser reciever that longhorn pictured is real. I need to ask, how many MG42's have you had or examined to base your statement as fact? I imported 500 intact guns in 2005 from INDEP, late AR marked receivers did not show "MG42".
Not a flame, but FWIW,
Dan

[fab]

Fisrt sorry for my English it's not my natural language..

i found The crimping of the end of the shroud strange (like on the M53)
Discoloration under the serial number..... same thing... i thought about a rewelded, and repunched number without "MG 42"
The small "eagle" that informs the supplier of the receiver is absent near the markings.
After mid 1943, the serial number was not punched everywhere on each part of the MG42

so it's possible it was a german MG42, but modified, re-assembled or re-use after the ww2 buy a foreign country.
and re-punched with a nice marking to be sale...
i ever seen some fake markings on this site you are speaking about...

i have 2 MG42 not here in NEVADA...but in my home in Europe , they are deactivated, one is 1942 dated, the other one is a DF AR from the beguining of 1944.
i can post few pics if you want...

Rgds.
fab.

[Bil]

I would like to see your pictires to compare.If Longhorns was rewelded ,it would show from inside.I have seen late-war receivers that didn't have all the markings in the 'proper' places.At first I thought the 'DF 'looked funny,but I blew up some pics of mine to the same giant size ,and some of those numbers looked strange also. ---bil

[weasel_master]

I would like to see your pictires to compare.If Longhorns was rewelded ,it would show from inside.I have seen late-war receivers that didn't have all the markings in the 'proper' places.At first I thought the 'DF 'looked funny,but I blew up some pics of mine to the same giant size ,and some of those numbers looked strange also. ---bil

So you're saying yours is a fake too?

[Bil]

The gun is real,the rest of the world is surreal! ---bil

[longhorn109]

The discolouration under the serial number is not discolouration, it is where I have wiped the oil off the receiver so I could take a picture of it.

The receiver manufacture code is indeed absent but not all manufactures put them on (Styer used unmarked receivers). You have answered this yourself when you pointed out that not all markings went on after 1943. I bet the Germans had better things to do in 1944 than stamp all the codes on the receivers.

The web site (Arundel Militeria) is an expensive site but I do not think they sell faked weapons. I have searched their archive and found one MG42 that had had its German markings scrubbed and a post war serial number added. I have also seen several war issue with post war markings added, like the eagle stamp on pirates rebuild (I hope its ok to use your pic). I have not seen any evidence of making a post war look like war issue.

My MG42 is not a matching numbers gun, the 3 parts with serial numbers on them (top cover, charging handle and receiver) are all different. If someone were going to fake it they would at least do a good job and make it matching numbers and get more money.

Now lets get to the money situation. To fake these guns you would need an M53 cost £350 delivered and then tools a lot of time and you would need to re-black the gun after. So 350 + 80 for re black chemicals + tools + time (lets say 3 days but that is a guess) for me that is 270. We are at £700 just on things I can put a figure on not including tools! The average price for an MG42 in the UK is about £750-800 in the shops or £650 ish from private sale. Not a very profitable business then!

I have seen on ebay people trying to sell M53 as an MG42 but they have not altered the gun in any way. They are just calling it an MG42.

You say you have a DF ar MG42, I get the impression from your post that it stamped MG42. If this is so then I am surprised as I was under the impression that these guns were not marked MG42. Do any other board members have any info on this?

Going from the info in Folke's book my gun was one of 35000 made in 1944 and it would have been made about May 1944 (I have assumed a constant rate of production).

And finally...it has not been rewelded. Thats me done for now, my head hurts.

ps please do add some pics of yours

[longhorn109]

Oh had a thought. . yes it was painful

Maybe we could do a section in the stickies for markings. A receiver section for all MG42s and variants, a top cover section, a grip section and a miscellaneous for all the other bits (sights, bolts etc).

[fab]

Hi,

this is mine:


serial number 3345a

this one comes from a parts kit with a torch cutted receiver:

serail number 3023b

I have some others pics if you need.
Rgds
Fab.

[longhorn109]

Ah your highest serial number is 10000 or so behind mine making mine a later war issue with less markings. Look in Folke's book page 136 and you will see receiver markings identical to mine.