www.MG42.us

i found a belt loader for sale on gb its a little pricey but havn't seen before
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =425915003

if someone here buys it maybe it can replicated .

There's nothing odd about it, and it's already been replicated (mine is numbered almost 300 numbers higher). It is a fully functional belt loader, of the style from late WWII. They work fine, and load two cartridges per single push of the lever.

I believe the one on Gunbroker to be a post war reproduction. I think I gave $120 (including postage) for mine about 4 years ago. Works great, but $700 would be high even if it was genuine wartime. "German marked" doesn't mean anything. Stamps are sold on ebay for nearly any mark you want, for about $35 each. Mine was faked with an actual waffenamt, rather than the bird shown in the Gunbroker picture, but it's the same manufacturer. It was new/never used when I bought it.

It loads a belt at about the same speed as a crank loader, but you don't need to clamp it on a table. You can put it on a floor and use your foot.

how hard would it be to make something similar if a cheaper one cant be found ?

I've no idea - I never claimed to be a manufacturer or engineer.

If it was easy, somebody else would be doing it.

It is as John noted a fairly common loader from the early postwar era. They were basically a sheet metal copy of the ZB37 loader with a spring loaded operating plunger rather than a crank. Looks to me like the eagle is a Bundeswehr or austrian eagle though if memory serves the loaders were made in Yugoslavia for the M53. They were not good loaders and had some issues with the return springs and wear in areas that caused them to quit working. Neat loaders but not worth what he's asking. I don't believe they will load MG17/81 belts either.

As for making something to replace it from scratch I think you are better off hand loading belts or using a plate loader. If you have some machineshop skills you can make a plate loader like the linkers that Ohio Ordnance works sells. In fact you could pretty easily adapt one of their linkers. You just need to make a belt stop or stops to retain the MG42 belts with the proper spacing between the links....

Frank

i like the one ohio ordinance has and its a heck of a lot cheaper to .

Moving this thread -- because nothing is for sale on it. LOL

Good talk about belt loaders,

Later 42rocker

That is a Bundeswehr loader for the MG 3.
Probably worth around $200?
Sarge