swiss army belt loader..is this what i need

Post by **Sevo** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:17 am

Swiss army mettalic belt loader for the swiss M1911 Maxim and MG51(MG42 copy).
Made by federal arms factory in Bern(waffenfabrik Bern)bult to take the 7,5x55mm(GP11) Schmid Rubin cartridge and MG34/42 (MG3) belts. 8x57
Is will only feed with a very light bullet,the belt tray can be cut oute to take surplus 8x57!

the guy want 200 for it. What do you all think.. will it work for laoding MG42 belts

Post by **TOM R** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 11:05 am

no that loader will not work for these belts

Post by **MCP** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:35 pm

I have one like that with a brass hopper. It will load 7.62x51 on WWII belts reliably. The hopper on mine will accomidate 8mm. It will feed into the hopper, get aligned, pushed into the belt, , but there is no clearance for the tip of the bullet it gets hung up when you try and load another round. If you milled a clearance cut, to the front plate it would feed 8mm.

OOW has them at their tables, and you can see the guys running a demo with 7.62x51 on WWII or Yugo belts.

Post by **TOM R** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 6:37 pm

i thought someone said it won't work cause the belt spacing is different?

Post by **Sevo** » Wed Mar 08, 2006 7:06 pm

MCP wrote:I have one like that with a brass hopper. It will load 7.62x51 on WWII belts reliably. The hopper on mine will accomidate 8mm. It will feed into the hopper, get aligned, pushed into the belt, , but there is no clearance for the tip of the bullet it gets hung up when you try and load another round. If you milled a clearance cut, to the front plate it would feed 8mm.

OOW has them at their tables, and you can see the guys running a demo with 7.62x51 on WWII or Yugo belts.

MCP, what is a good price for one of these

Post by **MCP** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:12 am

That price quoted is good, I paid about what you are paying for mine not including shipping. The MG-51 is a Swiss version of the MG 42.

Post by **TOM R** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 8:58 am

$200 is a good price BUT it is shipping from europe so shippin will kill that as a deal, thought somone posted pics of the swiss gun and it was different then the 42 , shorter with a different rear end?

Post by **MCP** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 9:11 am

If the loader is coming from Europe, I think it would be a deal breaker for sure.

techent · Post by **techent** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 6:31 pm

I bought one of those at Knob Creek last year for my 42. It's set up for .308, so you have to mill out the casting to clear for the tip of the 8mm round. Tilt the head of a bridgeport both angles (in and to one side) and use the knee to move up and down and slowly mill the clearance. After that the loader works flawlessly!

Post by **TOM R** » Thu Mar 09, 2006 7:42 pm

whats oow charge for this loader?

techent · Post by **techent** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 7:16 am

I think I paid $250 for it.

Post by **Blanksguy** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:46 am

Why don't you just go out and buy an old East German Belt-Loading-Machine (I believe the nomemclature is a "Z-64" ????)....but it looks like/built like an MG34/42 WWII German belt-loading-machine......"BUT" has "adaptors for loading:

1: 8x57mm Belts for the MG34/42. ...maybe 7.62x51mmNATO/.308. ......and maybe the "ZB-__ series steel-belts".

2: 7.62x54R Russian-Steel-Belts for Maxim, SG43, and PKM.

3: 7.62x39mm RPD Belts...and with the adaptor-plate change will load both types of RPD Belts. Both the older push-through to load...and the later type with the "L"-tab at the rear.....which are a pain for some people to load.

4: AK47 Magazine......yes, I said magazines.

It also has a "drum-adaptor" that will allow you to position a feed-drum (about 2-feet in diameter) so that you can dump boxes of shell into the drum....turn the krank and it not only orients them for direction...but drops them down a feed-area ready for loading into the belts.

It will not load cloth-belts.
I have one of these East-German Belt-Loaders that I use......but still awaiting digital-camera selection and purchase to show it off to you guys.
Regards, RichardS.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

techent · Post by **techent** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:52 am

Didn't know there was such a thing! So where do you just "go out and buy" it? I will be needing to load 7.62 x 54R in the future (PKM).

Post by **TOM R** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:53 am

where do you find these loaders?

Post by **Blanksguy** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 12:48 pm

The "East-German" Z-64 metal Belt-Loaders you will have to ask around as they are very popular with people shooting different weapons that require differnt belts and callibers....but they do not want to carry 3-4 different belt-loaders to the range.

Suggestions might be to place "WTB" ads over on "Subguns-Com" Board?

You might also want to look up the "DWJ" Magazine. This "German" gun magazine has sections in the back where mostly European sellers (and buyers) look and sell items overseas. Remember to check "Import-Laws"...and be sure of the seller so that they do not rip-you-off.........?
....and they may not have a "digital-camera" to send you a photo ........just ask for a good discription of the Loader, accessories/adaptor-plates, booklet, and carry-can. The carry-can is slightly larger that an MG34/42 Ammo-can....almost the size of the older 500-rd German Ammo-Cans.

That is where you can ...."just go out and buy one".
Regards, RichardS.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

PS: These things may still be in service?......due to all of the belts and magazines that it can load.

Post by **TOM R** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 4:32 pm

whats a good price for that loader richard?

Post by **Blanksguy** » Fri Mar 10, 2006 5:58 pm

TomR,
I picked up mine from a friend in old West German about 8-years ago for about $250-shipped.

I would guess that they were harder to get back then?.......and I would not expect you should pay more than about the same now adays ("up" due to inflation.....but "down" again due to old East-German "Surplus")....maybe $200-$250 shipped?....weight is about 15-18 pounds due to all of the adaptor-plates, and feed-hopper"S"...and Feed-hopper-adaptor. It does not come with the large-drum...that is a separate "add-on". I believe that they were selling the complete loader with "Drum" attachment for about $400-$450 shipped........and several have been spotted being used down at Knob Creek years ago........they work great....but more on the line of an Ammo-Dump/Divisional type ammo-resupply area thing.

Regards, RichardS.
PS: I will see if I can dig up those old "contacts" In/Around Germany I have listed in my files out in my garage.....getting warmer out there this weekend so I can sort. I use to have some contacts over in Israel....and out towards the Phillipeans.
The big "contacts" to have now are from the Russian Supply/Arsenal Areas where they stored WWII German Captured items.......that would be fun to sort and inventory. Remember that "surplus" turns up in a lot of odd places......what did Russia give away and to "who" over the last 50-60 years? MP44?....MP40?........???????????????????????

emmagee · Post by **emmagee** » Thu Jun 29, 2006 3:42 am

I would be *VERY* interested in finding one of these Z-64 loaders. If anyone has a lead on one, please drop me a PM. Thanks!!!