Mg.15 armourers training saddle drum

[Damien Horn]

Here's a few pictures of a Mg.15 saddle drum used as a training aid. I guess its a tad rarer that the all singing and dancing actual useable saddle drum mag. Has anyone seen or know of such a saddle drum? I would be curious to see if there is any info on this saddle drum out there and to know what its value may be.

[TactAdv]

Again, you have a very interesting piece here. "Value" is probably highly subjective.....it'd be a very small audience that would be interested (ME! ME! ME!), but to them....."priceless" is as good an answer as any. That anybody could today also cut a normal DT-15 to open it up isn't the point, obviously, but that it is an original item that clearly bears an official designation is uncommon to see; I suspect that the actual source of these were minimalistic instructions passed out to WaffenMeisters for field modifications of unusable DT-15's to serve as donors. There may such instructions in one of the applicable 'GebrauchsAnleitung für MG-15' series, though I don't recall offhand. (Maybe JB has seen something?)

Also again, it'd be importable here, if you are looking to establish that "collector value". ;-)

I am jealously noting that you -DO- seem to turn up the neatest stuff there. ;-) ;-)

If you have the time and inclination.....it would be very interesting to see some more detailed pictures. (HINT)

-TomH

[Damien Horn]

Hi Tom,
Thanks for your reply. Like 99% of my collection it is packed away in a box stored in the attic where it has been for I guess 5 years now since I moved house awaiting the building of my collectors room and gun room. As this still seems a long way off my kit is destined to sit in the boxes till the great day arrives. Then I will be more than happy to furnish you with all the photo's I can download to the site.
I too would like to see my collection someday soon.
All the best,
Damien.

[pitfighter]

Damien,

Sorry to resurrect an old post - but did you ever try this mag, I would be interested to see if it worked - do you think it is a training or a system designed to view round count.


Pit.

[jerseydamien]

Hi,
I never tried it, but am sure it works as its in fairly good condition. I imagine it would fully load as purely an instructional piece in the class room.
D.

[42rocker]

Damien
Hope that your house and new room is going well. Looking forward to seeing some great pics someday.

Later 42rocker

[JBaum]

To answer Tom's question a little (lot) late, no, this isn't covered in any manual I've seen.

[TactAdv]

To answer Tom's question a little (lot) late, no, this isn't covered in any manual I've seen.

Guten Morgen John! Und.......Fliegen Sie noch? ;-) ;-)

[bmg17a1]

>......a system designed to view round count.,

Many years ago, late eighties perhaps, a quantity of complete crates each with ten or fifteen MG15 drums, loader/unloader equipment, instructions, tools, lube cans, and other stuff were imported.
Althopug I don't know if these were part of those crates, there were several drums that had 'round counter' windows in the rear of the drum, where, actually, one would expect to find them. If I recall the small windows were marked with numbers every five or so rounds. I have wondered since where those drums, crates and stuff went to, as well as where did the counter drums go? Never have seen any of them surface since.
This drum is obviously a cutaway for instuctinal purposes as having huge panels cut out of the drums would too easily allow debris of all sorts into the drum and shortly stop its function.
It is unwise to let Tom Hoel know what you have as he has irresistible magical powers that will draw it to him inexorably.....

Bob Naess

[TactAdv]

>......a system designed to view round count.,


It is unwise to let Tom Hoel know what you have as he has irresistible magical powers that will draw it to him inexorably.....
-Bob Naess

Well, Thanks, Bob! I think? ;-)

That reminds me....I need to stop by a certain well-stocked candy store in Vermont soon. See what my magical powers can do..... ;-)
-TH

[Folke]

Its the drum for the cutaway MG15. The cutaway guns came in neat wooden boxes that doubled as a stand. Very attractive guns and quite rare. I have seen a few of them over the years and the magazine Damien has is definitely the one from such a gun.

[amafrank]

Since the front of the drum is Marked Ub I'd say its a training piece. Uebungs means training or practice. That would put it out of the round counter realm for sure. I could see where it could be part of a cutaway setup and there is no way to tell if the painted markings are original or something added later.


Frank