MG34/42 belt in 08/15

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crash520
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MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by crash520 »

To All,
i have read in various locations that the MG34/42 type belt was used as some point in the MG08/15, used with the belt upside down, if this is the case, what mods, if any are needed to be able to use the MG34/42 link in an MG 08/15 please.

V/R
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Re: MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by IMBLITZVT »

The Germans altered feedblocks post WWI to allow this. They added a switch to allow the tail of the MG34 belt to feed through. I have pictures in my past posts and video on YouTube under user MaximMachineGun showing it in action. These feedblocks are very hard to find and I have seen not one make the conversion to the feedblock post WWII.
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Re: MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by crash520 »

Thanks, great youtube stuff.

Does anyone know what material the cloth belts were actually made from? if one was daft enough to engage in the thought of makeing a couple of belts!!!
I know the vickers belts work ok and the older the better as they are not as tight but these are also getting hard to find now.

VR
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Re: MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by bmg17a1 »

The MG34/42 belts can be used with the tab further up the case or facing the opposite direction. The Maxiextracts the round from the link so as long as the link is supported at the back and doesn't foul the feed way it will work. Pith of the 34/42 belts is very close to Maim belt pitch. Browning fabric belts will also work in some guns so it is worth at try to see if they will work In yours. The BMG belts double up in the feed way as the pitch is slightly more than half of the Maxim pitch. The Vickers tabless, machine loaded belts also work well with. 7.92.
Metal Schwarzlose belts are perfect in the Maxims and Vickers and can be found now and then on auction sites and by posting WTBs. They are for the 7.92 round so fit perfectly. Steel and Turkish metal belts law ill work with varying degrees of reliability and are easy to load by hand. Finnish sheet steel constructed Maxim belts will work if the front loop is opened up a bit to accept the neck of the 7.92 round. it hour opening up the loop the 6.92 won't fit or if forced is way to tight.
Vintage Maxim belts are a cotton/ canvas type material, cross woven. Fabric similar to the vintage type is still made and can be found with some searching. Getting the belts made to spec will be the hard part.
just some other ideas....

Bob Naess
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Re: MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by crash520 »

Thanks Bob,

Its for 7.92, appreciate the assistance, looks like i need to keep my eye out for some Metal Schwarzlose belts my vickers belts are getting pretty old

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Re: MG34/42 belt in 08/15

Post by IMBLITZVT »

crash520 wrote:Thanks Bob,

Its for 7.92, appreciate the assistance, looks like i need to keep my eye out for some Metal Schwarzlose belts my vickers belts are getting pretty old

Crash
One of those metal Schwarzlose belts got good money on Gb not long ago. Like $200+ Maybe I could try mine out... and if I don't like it sell it...
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