www.MG42.us

First off, this is my first post and I am a supper to this gun. I came across a kit that had a flash hider/muzzle break that did not look like the others. I will attempt to post it. Any ideas of history, rarity, even value? It's priceless to me, as was my first motorcycle, but no one would pay more than $500 for the motorcycle, so it's all relative. Help a out?

Welcome to the site. There has been several pics of that type posted on this site. That said it is still a rare item, one of the first style. I don't have a feel for the price but I'm sure that others will.

Later 42rocker

Is it original to the rest of the gun? If so, what is the maker, date, cocking handle type etc?

Tom.

Tommygunn wrote:Is it original to the rest of the gun? If so, what is the maker, date, cocking handle type etc?

Tom.

Hello Tom,
The gun is for sure later than the flash hider, which is rare and desirable.
Where the flash hider screws on to the 42 and then tapers in slightly an early one would have two rows of small holes.
Jonathan.

Jonathan,
I know the holes you mean, like paired staple holes going around the thin section. So that production detail was across the board for all manufaturers? From what you say I presume it was. When were they fazed out? More importantly what was their purpose?

Tom.

Tom,
Yes those holes were used by all manufacturers.
They were fazed out during the first half of 1944.
It seems that Mauser stopped first with the other manufacturers following suit soon after going by observed 42s.
I don't know why they stopped using the holes, but a half educated guess on my behalf would be that, that area of the receiver comes closest to the barrel which as we all know gets a little hot, putting it mildly! So for cooling may be?
It could be that the holes made little or no difference to aid cooling, so they stopped adding them.
I could well be wrong!
Jonathan.

Tommygunn wrote:Is it original to the rest of the gun? If so, what is the maker, date, cocking handle type etc?

Tom.

All great questions that I can only answer with pictures. This is the kit.I dont think it is from the 4 cut (5cut?) reciever as it looks phosphate white in the raw-ish. I couldn't sleep at night so I bought the kit and now my thoughts of rebuild are keepin keeping me up at night, Ha! Id love to sell it to someone with proper licence to rebuild to full auto original; I sortbof feel like if I built it to semi that it would be...wrong somehow. I mean, it was the mini-gun of its day, and building a semi auto mini-gun would be a bit awkward. Thanks so much for welcoming me into the family. I hope I can contribute as much as I learn.

Very interesting group of parts. Using the data off the rear receiver you can figure out which style front sight to use. Also doing worry about building it into a semi as it can be redone into a full auto with some work.
The last part of this thread has lots of great info for you to check out. Enjoy

http://mg42.us/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1830

Later 42rocker

42rocker wrote:Very interesting group of parts. Using the data off the rear receiver you can figure out which style front sight to use. Also doing worry about building it into a semi as it can be redone into a full auto with some work.
The last part of this thread has lots of great info for you to check out. Enjoy

http://mg42.us/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1830

Later 42rocker

cra= Maget, GH is 1943, so no extra fin? Guess I got to sell it off and get one that matches the reciever? Its too bad, I fell in love with it

The holes around the barrel bushing crimp were put there to relieve stress at the ends of the slots where the punch press crimped the steel of the receiver around the barrel bushing. It was thought that this would prevent stress risers that would create cracks in the receiver. While it was a good try it turned out that there were stress risers there anyway and after running for some time the booster and bushing would depart company from the rest of the receiver. I've seen and repaired some that have done this. The later guns used a different sort of crimp that didn't prepunch these holes. Basically the holes had nothing to do with cooling or heat in the area....just strain relief. You'd be amazed at how far the booster assembly will fly when it breaks free with the bushing.


Frank

Interesting, thanks for the info.

Tom.

Thank you very much Frank.
Jonathan.

I would not sell off that flash hider.. It is not common.. Getting a replacement is somewhat easy. Replacing that one with an extra fin would be much much harder. Keep it for your future collection as you will find that it grows on you.

Later 42rocker

42rocker wrote:I would not sell off that flash hider.. It is not common.. Getting a replacement is somewhat easy. Replacing that one with an extra fin would be much much harder. Keep it for your future collection as you will find that it grows on you.

Later 42rocker

so what I'm hearing is get another kit that matches the extra fin flash hider?

Let's chat legal for a second. Are these muzzle breaks or flashider? I live in California where the term matters. If it is a muzzle break, I just must kydex the pistol grip so my thumb cannot go around it. I wouldn't know how to bullet button a belt fed.

Another kit, not yet, wait till you move to another state. Really don't want to answer your legal question. but

http://mg42.us/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=4490

Sorry

Later 42rocker

1. There is no such think as a muzzle break, unless you don't speak English very well and that's what you call a broken muzzle. A break is something broken, a brake is a device that redirects, counteracts, reduces, or stops something, such as a sheet metal brake, or brakes on your car.

2. For a gun, the correct term is a muzzle brake. A muzzle brake is a device that reduces felt recoil by channeling propellent gasses a different direction (usually rearward, but sometimes simply a different direction than the bullet travels).

3. Neither the MG34 nor the MG42 have a muzzle brake, with the exception of the extremely early MG42, which had an experimental muzzle brake. If you have one of those, you're in luck, because no one else in the world can find one. They are known only from early pictures.

4. The cone shaped device on the front of the MG34 and MG42 is commonly called a flash hider, or directly from German, Feuer dampfer (fire suppressor), or correctly and properly called: a flash suppressor. It is mistakenly thought to hide a muzzle flash from being seen by others, when actually it is designed to keep the muzzle flash from blinding the shooter at night. It doesn't do a thing to hide a firing gun from being seen by others. Anti-gun, and other ignorant people who believe everything the anti-gun crowd says, will tell you it's to hide the muzzle flash so nobody will know where the shot comes from. They are wrong.

5. It's up to you to decide what you want to try to get away with depending on your state's laws.

I heard a story one time. It was about a fellow that took a common yugo flash hider and sawed off the end cone. Thus removing the "flash hider" part. He said that the weapon still worked just fine. Do Not Even Think about doing that to that early one. Buy a yugo and then cut it if you want to.
Angola Dan had a lot of interesting ideas. RIP Dan.

Later 42rocker

Guess what everyone? Im selling this awesome kit! (maybe) If it passes its reserve, Ill have to let it go. If it doesn't, Ill build this baby out with a huge smile on my face. It is listed here: http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =470550516

othersmightlive

Saw your kit on Gun Broker

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... =470550516

You do have some very nice parts..

However, please anyone here correct me if I am wrong.

Photo 41….65 top cover looks suspicions.
Photo 65 shows “BK” mark probably Yugo post war
Photo 71 looks to either be Yugo or post war number
Photo 75, 81 WaAmp marking looks suspicious
Photo 78, 79 look to be Yugo post way
Photo 102 the bipod marked “1941”

The BH and Austrian coat of arms on the rear of the receiver shows it was a Austrian Army (Bundes Herr) reissue. Not sure about how the BK marking got on that piece as that is typical Yugo. The kit is still a nice one for a semi-or 07 build. Harry