German WW2 markings on the MG42

[jonathanseverin]

Hello hear are three of the best first two sadly still awaiting to be reunited with german buttstocks bnz russian capture so all german.

[jonathanseverin]

Posting pictures may not be a strong point of mine!

[jonathanseverin]

Got there in the end! Jonathan.

[42rocker]

With a post count of 9, you got the pics up and they look good. Thanks for the share. Do you have any full pics of the mg42's???

Later 42rocker

[jonathanseverin]

Hello here are a few pictures of the Mgs dfb 1943 5237

[jonathanseverin]

dfb 1943 4362

[jonathanseverin]

And this is the bnz pj 8391b

[jonathanseverin]

This is a picture of the collection so far, the three 42s plus six 34s, and the 34s are dot 44, dot 42, dfb 42, s/243 39, bsw 38, and bsw 37. Also I was wondering if anybody in America could help with a little advise, as my sister lives in New York and I will be paying a family visit in the future and whilst there if possible would love to go somewhere where I could have a go firing both the 34 and 42. Any help would be great, many thanks Jonathan.

[jonathanseverin]

It might help if I posted said picture!

[42rocker]

What a Nice collection!!! I have to ask. Where are you from.... Germany or? 3 mg42's and 5 mg34's, WOW..

As far as full auto firing a mg34 or mg42 in New York area I can't help you. Hope that others will chime in from that area.

April 13th 14th 15th, 2012 there will be one of the largest private machine guns shoots. Check it out at

http://knobcreekrange.net/

In our Florida area (way to far from New York, but) we have the Hernando club machine gun shoot with over 100 weapons / shooters firing in Feb..

http://www.hernandosportsmansclub.com/machinegun.htm

Just the New York area, can't help you.

THANKS again for the pics. Now going to go back and review them and look at the details. Have you reviewed the following website with your weapons?

http://www.parabellum.at/

LOTS of great mg42 info on markings and such at that website.

Later 42rocker

[42rocker]

Ok, starting to review.
It looks like you have 2 of your mg42's with the early front sight. The one the you can raise and lower, correct?

Also on all three of yours it looks like there is a small vertical "knob" on a plate just in front of your gripstick. I'm guessing that is a deactivation item that keeps it weapon from firing? Can you share more light on the area?

Also all three of them looked like the "double "U"" front sight area type of receiver. Thanks for something to review and study.
Hope that you have had a nice weekend and plan a great trip to the U.S.A..

Later 42rocker

[jonathanseverin]

Hello, Thank for the advise and websites. Also I know they are by no means the best pictures in the world! Too answer your questions I am from London, England. The vertical knob must be I think the cocking handle there's no deactivation work done round there, the deactivation work is the barrel has a slot cut in it and a rod placed inside and the bolt head is cut at a 45 degree angle, depending on when it's deactivated the early ones the barrel is removable. Both the dfbs are the "UU" the bnz is not, also on the bnz it has the adjustable front sight which I think I am right in saying would not have been there when it left the factory in 1944, as does the dfb serial 5237 but the other dfb has the later sight. All still have their AA finger sights. I think I have cover most the points and if you have any more questions fire away. Jonathan

[Gulfstream4]

Great pictures!!
Thanks for posting.

[42rocker]

Well the guy with the egg on his face is me. That round knob is of course the bottom of the cocking handle seen from this side... O'well.
A nice collection. There are a few weapons in the US, just a few that is, that are still in one piece, ok maybe a thousand or so. A lot of re-welds in both full auto and semi-auto. In both Mg42 and mg34. As far as what front site goes on which for which time period. I don't know of anyone that has put any of that type of information together yet. I would be happy to try to help out with stuff. However hope that it happens someday. Do you know of an websites that have part dating info or who put what on their weapons. As you can tell from the Kata info they know who made the receivers and what types and who put them together. However we still don't have a lot of info as to the parts that belong on which weapon. Love to find more info on that as I would like to rebuild mine as close as can be done to the original weapon that came out of the factory.
Double looked at the pics and found more egg on my face. Looks like you have two double "U" front sight areas and one short step front sight area.

Been to London a couple of times. Interesting area. Liked bike riding up and down the sides of the Thames River.
Hope that you can find someone to help with firing a FA MG42 or MG34 in the New York Area.

Later 42rocker

[jonathanseverin]

Hello, You got me thinking about the front sight and I think I can help a little. Firstly I had another look at the bnz one and I noticed (for the fist time) it is waffenamt stamped waa26 for mauser so somewhere along the line it got changed, when and by whom I think we shall never know. Then I remember I emailed Cristian last year on this very subject (whose website you gave me earlier today, thank you) I don't know if he's on this forum but I bet he is, if he is he uses the tag 'searchandfind'. Anyway he gave me the dates of when the different sights were fitted and they are, first style 1942 to mid/end 1943, second style mid/end 1943 to end 1944, and third style end of 1944 until the end of the war. Jonathan.

[jonathanseverin]

Here are two pictures he kindly sent me showing the three different sights he has in his collection. Jonathan.

[42rocker]

Jonathan
Is the one with the screw in it what you are calling the 3rd style? Ok, the one with the screw in it is what Brian at the brp website calls the first or did the pictures get reversed, bet that happened. Any rate there is another type I believe that has a screw in it which could make 4 types. The pic of the two together that you posted did not have a screw in the normal position that I'm used to seeing. So I thought about this after I typed up the following and posted it and now I'm using the edit button. Please think on review and offer your thoughts. Myself I think that before I go to bed to night I'm going to dig through a lot of front sights. If you don't have Brian's website it's a nice site with stuff for sale. Do you know Phil from Britain?

http://www.brpguns.com/products/MG42-Fr ... TTERN.html

"http://www.brpguns.com/products/MG42-Fr ... TTERN.html"

website full address is not showing up and I hope that one of the two works or go to the front page of the brp website and work your way it.

And to confirm the picture with the two side by side, the one on the left with the angled area is type two and the one on the right with the flat surface type 3 or???

1st was used from start to mid/end of 1943

2nd style was used from mid/end of 1943 to end of 1944

3rd style was used from end of 1944 to end of the war.

Wish this stuff was in the mg34 / mg42 book.

Thanks for this good info. Anything else that you can think of in this time line of information??? Please. Also searchandfind is on this forum under that name and I'm happy to say has added a lot of info to this site. Just wish that the last redo of his info was in English not just German. I would enjoy reading his comments on the lafette holder that he added a while back. Also could cry but what has to be has to be. The pyle of barrels that have been demilled in the background of one or more of your pictures.

Another fun group in England. Check it out.

http://www.vonabt.co.uk/models/Dora/DoraBuild.htm

Later 42rocker

[jonathanseverin]

Hello, Yes I mixed up the pictures so the second picture is of the 1st style with the screw, first picture left hand sight is the 2nd sight and the right hand one is the 3rd style. I didn't know there is a 4th one. Jonathan.

[Tommygunn]

I was just reading about the foresight and it made me think about my MG42, now sold, which had the same style of barley corn attached with a slotted bolt.
You say that these were an early style but my MG42 was made by Gustloff Werke in 1944 so I believe.

MU
M.G. 42
5389e
dfb


Tom.

[Tommygunn]

Also, have you fellas seen this post on Wehrmacht Awards, quite interesting?

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... p?t=397622

Tom.