Anyone know of any NICE and matching transferable MG42s for sale

[michaelkih]

One of my buddies shot my MG42, and he is hooked and has the money to buy one. He would like some kind of MG42. Factory and year don't matter, however he would #1 like the gun to be original (not refinished), and in really nice shape, and then #2 would also preferably like it to be matching. Just looking for the gun itself really, as he has plenty of accessories that he can just buy from me. Just wanted to see if any of you know of one for sale, or if you may be willing to sell yours. I am willing to drive pretty much anywhere in the US to check it out and pay for the gun for him as well. Thanks!

[Black River Militaria CII]

Correct, matching numbers with all the appropriate parts numbered on 42s is very rare. Top covers, buttstocks, buffers bodies, feedtays, lowers, bolts, barrels, rear sights were numbered early on, but dispensed with shortly after, although it is not clear when the practice stopped. Mixed numbers seem to show up more frequently than fully numbered and matching guns, which are exceedingly rare. Numbers stamped on various parts by later owners, sometimes post-war military users, but mostly owners who had the guns after the war and up even into the nineties show up quite often. Owners would stamp serial numbers on parts in an attempt to improve collector value. There was little knowledge about the manufacturing practice of the factories and little experience seeing and handling the guns in the early day sod interest in collecting and shooting MGs. I have seen a lot of odd fonts and sizes of numbers stamped onto parts. Numbers were not always stamped, as engraving with varying line thicknesses, etching and electric pencil were used by the assembly factories. Excellent, original finish guns are hard to find now, and there are a lot of reblues, many of which can appear original without a close examination and knowing the telltale signs. Many guns had new parts retrofitted years ago when quantities of new MG42 parts were imported and sold, so an MG42 can be reblued, and outfitted with new parts and passed off as "unfired" and all that baloney. A pristine MG42 raises flags and with a careful inspection of the internal areas of the receiver, the rivets, the webs between the cutouts in the shroud and the trunnion will usually reveal a used, and sometimes a well used gun. With the import of many Yugo M53 and Rheiinmetall MG1/3 parts and kits over the last twenty or more years, one has to inspect every part of any MG42 offered on the market to confirm that the gun is fee of post-war parts.

Your friend would be well advised to visit and inspect any 42 he is considering buying and also start to educate himself on the post-war markings of Yugo and MG3 parts and learn something about how to spot a reblue, etc, etc. FWIW

[x50plt]

Hi, I don't see mg42's come up for sale very often, if ever. What would the expected pice be for a c&r mauser mg42 with matching numbers?