Proof Marks on Smooth MP-40 Mag

[Govostes]

I just won this Auction on this Smooth Mag. And 1st I wanted to ask if everything looked alright, an then Question the Letter B on the bottom of the Mag. The Book I,m getting my information from (Blitzkrieg) states the letter O indicates Old style,the letter A is for early Magazines with grooves added,and the letter B is for newly manufactured magazines with the side grooves added. Any impute would be Appreciated. Thank You

Edited March 1, 2020 by Govostes

[TSMGguy]

We know, of course, that all MP-40 mags dated 1941 and before were originally produced as slab sided mags. If they have ribs today, they've been modified. Modification was done to improve feeding.

 

No one knows what the letters (including B and VK) mean at the bottom of each mag, but these were applied at or before original manufacture, not when the mags were modified from smooth to ribbed. The only way to tell a mag so modified is that there will the three and sometimes four WaA stamps on the top back of the mag. This is because different firms did the work, and additional inspections were required. You'll typically see one of three different additional WaA stamps on modified mags: 387, 815, and 37. Smooth ("slab") sided mags escaped modification for whatever reason and will have just the normal two WaA stamps. Mags made as ribbed mags will have two stamps, also. The additional stamps are the only way to spot modified mags, since there are no differences in the ribs, which were pressed with the same dies.

 

Your mag pictured is a Styer-made mag, denoted by their code, 98E and the date, 1941. It's unusual in that all stamps are the same, WaA 815, as would have been the case when the mag left the factory. Most mags have had their internals mixed up because parts were interchangeable. Steyr's code changed to kur in early 1942, and they made mags into 1944. I've never seen a kur 45 mag.

 

I did a long post on Steyr MP40 mags with lots of photos, but it's gone now.

 

Hope this helps!

 

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?21619-Steyr-Made-MP-40-Magazines

Edited March 1, 2020 by TSMGguy

[Govostes]

Thank You for your Help . Would you consider this mag somewhat rare , and feel its 100% correct .

[TSMGguy]

Slab sided mags are certainly more rare than the ribbed ones. This one is all Steyr, too, which is nice. I have just one like it. They're usually matched up like that only when they've just left the factory. My theory is that components from different mag manufacturers got mixed up as groups of soldiers got together to clean their weapons. After cleaning, there was no reason to keep mag pieces together. They were interchangeable and not serial numbered anyway.

 

Years ago a seller in Poland said he had unused Steyr made mags from the original crates. I ordered some. Sure enough, they were unused, all matched 98E 41 & 42, and kur 42 mags. He ran out real fast.

 

Some German WWII mags were better made than others. I think that Steyr mags had consistently high quality throughout the war. They invariably fit and function well, when in nice shape.