MG 42

[instinct]

well thats my theory put to death.

[DXTR]

by the way... a bit off topic danish soldiers seized an mg-34 with german registration and stamp in Afghanistan a few months back... in my mind that's quite amazing how long that weapon have survived from regular use (i guess - unless they seized from someones living room wall. I have heard that regarding 'quality' the MG-34 was more reliable but to expensive to produce compared to the MG-42 is that true?

David

[instinct]

what ive heard! but that don't count for much!

[Cool-E]

by the way... a bit off topic danish soldiers seized an mg-34 with german registration and stamp in Afghanistan a few months back... in my mind that's quite amazing how long that weapon have survived from regular use (i guess - unless they seized from someones living room wall. I have heard that regarding 'quality' the MG-34 was more reliable but to expensive to produce compared to the MG-42 is that true?

David

The MG34 required much more skilled labor and machining to produce than the stamped MG42. However, I think the MG42 was more reliable than the 34. I have an operational MG34 and they can be very tempermental. The 34 has a lot of springs, which any one can cause a failure. THe tolerances are also less on the 42, which makes for a more forgiving firearm.

[Markus Becker]

they had too pack the lafette tripod down with loads of sand bags.

First time I hear that - I thought it was some quite ingenious design that took the recoil and dissipated it? ISTR seeing movies of it firing and it did not look like any special weighing down was needed.

Where did you get that from?

The power of the recoil is used to load the gun, but still I would have prefered a softer Rifle Butt Plate.

The MG34 required much more skilled labor and machining to produce than the stamped MG42. However, I think the MG42 was more reliable than the 34. I have an operational MG34 and they can be very tempermental. The 34 has a lot of springs, which any one can cause a failure. THe tolerances are also less on the 42, which makes for a more forgiving firearm.

Both is true. The MG 42 is easier to make and a lot more reliable. The 34 does not like dirt, the 42 worked even under the worst conditions in Russia, which were by the way a lot worse than those in western europe.


Last but not least:

In WW2 the MG42 fired 1500 rpm, the current MG3 fires 1200.

[Groscurth]

Well this weapen is used by the Austrian (and other) mountain troops and is a pure grandchild of the MG 42, hope you like it
BTW,Picture is free, for posting, no copy rights on it. Origin: Ministery of defence of Austria.

[Andreas]

In WW2 the MG42 fired 1500 rpm, the current MG3 fires 1200.

Thanks for the correction - so the ROF ws reduced by 20%, not 25%. I guess the point about wasting ammo still stands though.

All the best

Andreas

[Sigismund]

the danish forces uses the mg3 asswell, or atleast used to.

[Redwire]

They still do, atleast as a vehicle mounted weapon, I not sure if it also has been replaced as a squad weapon on international missions.

[DXTR]

The MG3 has not been replaced in the danish armed forces. It was even used on subs.

[*Dreamer]

Great pictures and informations !!

Plz give me more pictures and videos, i would be happy about pictures of the MG42 in the ww2 with german Wehrmachts Soldiers! 8)


Im waiting

[Aufklarung]

http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?t=42142 (Hehe, there is two "42"s in the thread link Hehe!!)

Not just blatant self-promotion!!

regards
A

[Zygmunt]

In WW2 the MG42 fired 1500 rpm...

Was that all MG-42s with standard ammunition? I recall reading that the rate of 1500 rpm would only be achieved using certain (Luftwaffe?) ammunition. With ordinary ammunition the rate was 1200 rpm. Perhaps others can correct me on this. Of course, 1200 rpm was still noticeably higher than most other machine guns. For example, I understand that the Bren in British service had a cyclic rate of 600 rounds per minute.

Zygmunt

[Markus Becker]

1500 rpm was achieved with standard ammo. AFAIK the Air Force did not use the MG42 in it´s planes, they used "Flugzeug-Maschinengewehr Modell 15 and Modell 17"(1000rpm) and "Flugzeug-Maschinengewehr 81z"(1600rpm).

[blitzvogel]

I am looking to biuld an authentic crate to store and ship our units MG42. Does anyone have any idea where I can look for plan or specs? To be honest I can't recall seeing anything like this in any picture, but I can't imagine Mauser and Metall und Lackeirwarenfabrik GrossFuss would ship thousands of them out without any packing or ability to stack them on truck and rail cars. Yes, I could take measurements and fab something up, but realism plays a key part in my efforts.

Danke