Since this has become the de facto stand-up tri-pod here by now, this is a really nice accessory to have as it properly mounts the gun through the original lugs on the rotating mounting ring on the barrel jacket (Lagerschellenhälften), as originally intended.
This is a very robust and capable adapter; unlike some others previously out there, Eric has really done his thinking on this design, this one won't leave any chance of loosening or shaking apart due to weak connections. As you can see it is far more substantially constructed and it's method of attachment is secure at the points on the gun originally intended to absorb the recoil forces.
Though there is certainly the other original method/option of attaching a gun to an MG-34 AA tri-pod through the rear attachment collar of a ZG15 adapter bracket (Zusatzgerät zum MG 15), I have always thought that using the original barrel jacket ring looks so much cleaner and better if one is shooting the gun off anything other than a bi-pod on the ground, and this new adapter from Lakeside really restores a lot of the "correctness" look to the whole gun, IMHO.
Eric told me today that he will be making a small run of these soon; he also noted that the pictures he provided to me here are of the first-article prototype and he already has decided on a few minor changes to the manufacturing process, overall cosmetics, and to improve the usability as a flexible gun, including allowing for more vertical displacement. He expects to fine tune the design in the next few days and then begin the manufacture of the small run within the next week. He is looking to gauge response/interest, and asks for anyone interested in getting one to contact him directly @ Lakeside Machine. I already have mine coming and I can't wait!!
This is just the kind of stuff I love to see crafty, smart people coming up with to keep these rare old guns up and running. If you think THIS adapter is nice, you ought to see what he also came up with to mount an MG-15 on a MG-08 sled mount!! Very, very, smart guy..... ;-)
-TomH
