Glock Links-MG74?

[scoutfal]

These links are stamped Glock:

URL=http://img576.imageshack.us/i/glockbelt.jpg/][/URL]

I assume these are MG74 links? Anyone know?

Thanks,

JW

[TactAdv]

Yes, you are correct, they are current ÖsterreichischesBundesheer issue for their MG-74. So far as I have ever seen, they all seem to be made by Glock as you note. I asked Gaston's son at the Glock party in Vegas a couple years back about their participation in this, and he indicated "they made them all" with a smile. Not sure if I believe that......

They are a REALLY nice link arrangement, MUCH easier to load by hand singly, they seem to give more consistent stripping pressure than either the Gurt-34 or DM-1 belt loops, and they are of course dismountable so you can shorten or lengthen belt length at will.

For shooters of live MG's here, there is one problem though in that you can't easily run them through a MG3 belt loader machine as they won't fit the star-wheel precisely. See pictures below:

Picture 1, DM-1 belt fitting the star wheel precisely:


Next two pictures showing poor fit of MG-74 links in star wheel:



....this is due to the pitch of the links being a bit different than the more common Gurt-34 or DM-1 belts, see below:


...MG-74 belt pitch is visibly more narrow than DM-1 pitch, so the MG-74 belts won't lay in the MG3 belt loader star wheel sprocket correctly. You can do it, but you have to be watching to keep the next-in-line MG-74 link from catching on the sprocket tooth as you feed.....a pain, but do-able.

I have not tried it with either an Gurtfuller-34 or 41 machine yet......though there may be some more available tolerance in the GF34, enough to use it with MG-74 belts successfully. I doubt much success will come trying it in a GF41 as, again, the pitch will interfere.

I think it really worth it as the MG-74 belts are just really so nice to use. Of note, I have noticed no discernible distinction in actually running my Steyr MG-74 with "correct" MG-74 belts, MG3 DM-1 belts, or Gurt-34 belts. It doesn't seem to matter, the differing pitch. I also can't measure reliably any distinct difference in the actual feed cam angles between the MG-74 and my MG3. Lacking any official information as to why they chose to alter the pitch, I am left to make some assumptions relative to the need to facilitate the links being easily disassembled.

-TomH

[scoutfal]

Tom,

Thank you for the information!!! That's more than I found searching probably 100 results on google, here, and other boards. I also have these amongst what I picked up:

URL=http://img199.imageshack.us/i/kaefbelt.jpg/][/URL]

They are stamped "KAEF" and I found a link on a German website that talked bout them here:

http://www.militaria-fundforum.info/arc ... 85582.html

Best I can tell, he makes reference to them being "1st generation"

Also, I have some plastic starter tab looking things (tan) with the Glock links. Haven't tried to figure them out yet. The Glock Links look cool, but I don't have that many of them. I havne't tried to link/delink them yet. I agree these belts look troublesome in the loader.

Anyway, some cool variations of belts I got.

Thanks,

JW

[scoutfal]

P.S.----Does any one have a manual that shows what Austria uses to load belts? It sure seems odd that they would "reinvent" the belt/link for the MG74.

JW

[TactAdv]

P.S.----Does any one have a manual that shows what Austria uses to load belts? It sure seems odd that they would "reinvent" the belt/link for the MG74.

JW

No idea. John Baum was able to secure for me an original Austrian copy of the 1978 MG74 field manual that covers the gun, Lafette 74 tripod, and the blank adapter among other things, but there is really no mention nor pictures of anything resembling a field-use belt loading machine.

One might suspect that ammunition comes pre-packaged and is adjudged disposable, i.e., non-refillable in the field, as is almost all NATO 7.62mm ammo provided on M13 links. Just a guess, as I have a lot of Austrian pictures showing the -74 in actual use and there is never a picture of anything resembling a belt loader anywhere.

-TomH

[TactAdv]

They are stamped "KAEF" and I found a link on a German website that talked bout them here:

http://www.militaria-fundforum.info/arc ... 85582.html

Best I can tell, he makes reference to them being "1st generation"

I have no idea who 'KAEF' is. BTW...for those who don' t know, Glock GmbH was in the business of making items for the Austrian Military for a LONG time before they ever came up with their pistol entry for the Pistole-'80' competition. There's at least a dozen or so years between when the MG-74 was adopted and when the P-80/G-17 came around, and Glock had been contracting for other stuff for years when they entered the official competition for the new service pistol, so them making MG-74 belts for a long time is probably accurate.

Also, I have some plastic starter tab looking things (tan) with the Glock links. Haven't tried to figure them out yet. The Glock Links look cool, but I don't have that many of them. I haven't tried to link/de-link them yet. I agree these belts look troublesome in the loader.

The OD plastic Glock starter-tabs are not always easy to find, though if you bought the surplus MG-74 cans & links, they always came with one on the first 50 rd belt segment. What's kind fo cool is the "olive drab" Glock uses on these starter tabs is exactly the same "pea green" they use for the OD Glock pistol frames, and the entrenching tool, field knife, and Glock bayonet.....it isn't anywhere near the US MIL idea of "olive green". It's always fun to poke fun at the self-appointed "Glock Jocks" who think they have collected "everything Glock" and showm them a link or two and that starter tab.

[scoutfal]

I found this pic with a cool looking drum, but you can't see the links:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... eibein.jpg

[TactAdv]

I found this pic with a cool looking drum, but you can't see the links:

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... eibein.jpg

Those "real" MG-74 drums are impossible to find! Apparently, the release of "surplus" gun-related items from Austrian service stocks is a rare event. I've only seen a few, all scored off Germany's EBay site. Pretty rare, I think the last one went for about $250.00 or so....

Here's a shot inside the drum:



The MG-74 drums are somewhat unique; they resemble most closely the 7.62mm Swiss MG-51 drums, though different, and like the Swiss items, totally overbuilt.....and EXPENSIVE to make no doubt!

I have seen only two MG-74 tri-pods here in the states, neither complete, and have never seen actual correct Austrian optics here ever. Never say never, though.....

[MPLoyd]

The MG-74 drum is a unique looking piece. What are they called in German or Austrian? I’d like to try and search for one. Thanks.

[sharmanajusmc]

where do you get these link? are they desintegrating?