www.MG42.us

Can anyone identify this belt?

Marked "BERLIN 1916" but there is another mark above that appears to end in "...MANN"

The rivet holes of the extended tabs are not filled.

Thanks.

Looks very nice,love to see more pics. I posted some belt fragments I have some time ago and there were some very informative comments made on German cloth belts,look up the posting in the MG08 section.


Regards
Andrew

Hard to say without seeing the rest but it looks like a standard German Maxim belt judging from this picture only.

Here's a couple more pics...thanks guys!!

Well thats odd. Its not a standard German Belt. With open rivets on the fingers, its not typical. How well does 8mm fit? I am guessing its not a 8mm belt? Schwarzlose belt? Looks like it with the bend over tabs.

Can you read ''KAMPMANN'' do you think above Berlin? Another option is another belt maker that uses Berlin in their wording but that ends in Sackur. There is an excellent belt specialist who will know straightaway so standby.
Mark

It might read "KAMPMANN". It definitely looks like a "P" or an "F" prior to the "MANN" but nothing is visible before it. Does that mean something in particular?

8mm seems to load to proper depth with not too much effort. I can't speak for extraction during firing as I have not run it yet. To make judging it even more difficult for me is I'm still very much a green horn on the maxims. To me, the rounds feel tight enough to actually stay in place in the belt when moved around but not too tight that the gun wouldn't be able to extract them. But can't say for sure. I had only one other belt when I fired the gun for the first time and the rounds seemed too loose in that one in my opinion...if the belt was moved around anymore than necessary the rounds would lose their proper seating position. So I would imagine that tighter than that would be proper.

I paid a hefty sum for this belt so I would really love to get a definitive answer on it.

Thanks for the continued help on this one guys!

Gorgosaurus wrote:It might read "KAMPMANN". It definitely looks like a "P" or an "F" prior to the "MANN" but nothing is visible before it. Does that mean something in particular?

8mm seems to load to proper depth with not too much effort. I can't speak for extraction during firing as I have not run it yet. To make judging it even more difficult for me is I'm still very much a green horn on the maxims. To me, the rounds feel tight enough to actually stay in place in the belt when moved around but not too tight that the gun wouldn't be able to extract them. But can't say for sure. I had only one other belt when I fired the gun for the first time and the rounds seemed too loose in that one in my opinion...if the belt was moved around anymore than necessary the rounds would lose their proper seating position. So I would imagine that tighter than that would be proper.

I paid a hefty sum for this belt so I would really love to get a definitive answer on it.

Thanks for the continued help on this one guys!

I would post on Gunboards MG forum. There are a few guns on there including JFL, who will know that it is.

Hello,

I usually look at the MG 08 board and only looked at this one by mistake

According to the shape of the folded-over short spacers, the shape of the ribs on the long spacers, the hollow rivet at the end of the long spacer, the shape of the numbers inked on pockets and finally the weave of the fabric, this is doubtlessly a Turkish Maxim belt of the early 1930s in caliber 7.92.

Unfortunately this is a fake German WW1 marking, which by the way has never ever been observed on any German WW1 Maxim belt. Furthermore, in 1916 all German Maxim belts were fitted with steel starter and spacers.

All the best,

JFL

Excellent education - thanks JFL. Now some idiot is faking ammo belts!
Mark

I was just going to add, definitely NOT a Schwarzlose 07/12 belt, but definitely a Maxim pattern belt. Glad it's also 7.92, had no Idea someone was faking markings on these!!! Is there anyone faking markings on the Russian belts???