www.MG42.us

I have picked up some rare LMG parts lately too.

A round-round counter off the back. This gives me both the round and square round counter.
Next is the recoil plates to go with the round-round counter. Not the back inside of the left plate! I think I am missing some of it but its the piece that connects to the round counter. I have never seen pictures of this anywhere else... Anyone have any?
Finally, the 1917 LMG08/15 Marked Fusee cover. I am not 100% sure this is not a fake, made from a MG08/15 cover. The rivet heads for the slide measurement bar on the outside of the fusee cover are ground flush. The number on the top of the cover looks newly done. Also the "7" in the 1917 is clearly stamped in and not the normal style lettering. Any opinions?
I also picked up another version of the T-Gewehr bipod (I know they were used on the MG08/15 too). One has cast feet and the other stamped. The cast feet weight a lot more!
More good posts to come!

Really cool! I've got one of the tube bipods too, but I think I have the cast one; really heavy. Interesting that they made that stamped one!

Can you weigh each and tell us?

5lbs 5.5oz for the cast
3lbs 10.5oz for the stamped

Pretty big difference!

I'll say! That's is a big difference, you'd really notice it carrying it. I know the difference between the cast and normal stamped type feels like quite a bit. Thanks for doing that!!!

That is really amazing

How complex were the internal mechanics of the round-counter? It seems like a lot of moving parts, in an inhospitable environment, they must have been built well. I recall reading that ol’ Manfred (the Red Baron) would use about 500 rounds per plane on average.

Was there a way on the dial, maybe a second smaller dial-that I cannot make out, to delineate how many times an operator went through their 100 rounds, or did you just have to remember that they were on the 3rd, or 4th, etc., revolution?

Great items, the German aviation Maxims are the coolest.