www.MG42.us

As the title says, what does it do and how does it work in conjunction with the main Mgz34 optic?

Cheers,
Tom.

This can be done two ways.

1st Buy one of John's great German translated books and read up on it.

http://www.germanmanuals.com/

2 The other is to hope that John or someone else sees this post and helps out.

That said I think that we should have a get together at Knob Creek, Ky some year and go over this stuff. Of course a get together in Great Britain or Italy sounds good too. Or next time John is in Fla we get together at my house. Some live fire sighting in, learning/teaching range time sounds good also. That was talked about one time. Never got pass the talk stage. Not at my house or anywhere in this area, need a large area for this.

Later 42rocker

A collimator is much like the little telescope on a big telescope. It lets you aim the telescope close to the target, so that you can find it in the telescope view.

Well that was my answer #2 John shows up and tells us about it.

THANKS John B.

Later 42rocker

I find it strange why you would need a collimator sight attached since the main optic is about a x3 magnification, so it is not as though you would lose the target through the main optic at close range.
Even at close range, less than 500m, it is no problem aiming the main optic. If the target is within tens of meters then I'm sure you'd switch to iron sights.
Indeed, the collimator is significantly out of line with the main optic and, of course, that innaccuracy gets worse at range.
The collimator also rotates with no markings or detent ability to co-witness it with the main optic/elevation mechanism, therefore, bears no relationship to the impact point of rounds.

To my mind it really only works as an emergency sight in case of failure or damage to the main optic. It is also not ideal under any circumstances having to stick your loaf above the parapet and look down into the collimator.

Also, why does the point of the sight hairs not meet the top edge of the black, I can't see what I'm looking at?




If you can answer my questions your doing well

Thanks,
Tom.

I haven't seen any operating instructions for it in any manual, and I wasn't in the Wehrmacht, so answers to your questions won't come from me. I don't speculate on things I'm not certain of.

The collimator is used to target the geographic reference points, or theodolite (RK31) which is not necessarily the same altitude as the look to which is locked the MG.Z.
With its mounting plate, it is fixed by four screws on the support and the telescope rotates on a vertical axis. With the help of the clamping screw, the collimator can be locked in any position.

The collimator's main usefulness is in two areas: (1) As a rough sight in getting the main sight aligned in the general target area. (2) As a SAFETY in FIRING OVER THE HEADS OF FRIENDLY TROOPS! Set the lafette controls on the target, then modify as per the firing tables for firing over the heads of friendly troops. LOOK through the collimator, IF ONLY TARGET IS VISIBLE, you are GOOD TO GO! If you can also SEE FRIENDLY TROOPS, DO NOT FIRE! Adjust the lafette controls until FRIENDLY TROOPS ARE NOT VISIBLE!