Harvington

Thanks for everyone's input ...

I decided to purchase this weapon, and now it's in my hands, I have conducted some further investigations. The pieces on either side of the top rib, and the piece below the slot for the charging handle, do indeed form a channel which passes through the rib (per the earlier comment by "thirtyround"). It can therefore take a thin strap which wraps around the tube (modelled in the attached photographs with a piece of paper). That would seem to support the theory of a strap which prevented the bolt cycling back and an accidental discharge. Further thoughts welcome, of course ...

It's a deactivated gun in Europe

I've encountered a Sten Mk III (LB manufactured) with an additional element fixed onto either side of the receiver tube. The other examples of this gun that I have seen either online or in the flesh do not have this particular feature. What is it? I've posted this enquiry on another board, but no-one seems to know. Thanks for any information ... Unfortunately, I don't have a copy of Peter Laidler's out of print bible.

Thanks! Very helpful!

What WaA markings are found on a 1944, DOT manufactured MG34? I'm looking at an MG34 that has a variety of different WaA markings, and I have been told that this is not unusual on the basis that DOT, at that time, was using surplus MG34 parts from other factories which were switching to MG42 production. Has anyone else come across this situation, or should the gun more properly be marked with only WaA63?

This is the only picture I have (I've marked out the serial no. since the gun is not mine)

I've come across an M38A without the usual wording MOSCHETIO-AUT-MOD 38A CAL .9-BREVET ... P BERETTA-GARDONE V.T-ITALIA" ... etc on the top of the receiver. Has anyone seen an M38A without this wording before? Does anyone know why the wording would be missing? Secondly, is there any way of dating this type of weapon from the serial no. and prefix? Thanks for any help

Thanks for the replies ... very helpful!

I've been looking to add an MG34 (deactivated) to my collection for some time, and have come across a number of examples. I always fail to find a "fully matching numbers" gun; they seem super rare here in Europe, which is perhaps not unexpected - it would presumably be unusual to find a wartime gun in which no parts have broken and needed replacement during its active service life. I've now come across the MG34 that is shown in the attached pictures, which seems to be >95% matching (the bolt and front sight are mismatched; the buttstock collar looks to be period force matched; the rest is matching, although many of the small parts are engraved rather than stamped). The buttstock is not numbered. I was wondering what the collective view was on this gun? About as good as it'll find, or do I keep hunting? A few other positives are that it is sympathetically deactivated (the main parts move, rather than everything being welded shut) and that it's an early Mauser gun (waA26, S/243), which I understand is a little more sought after than the later DOT manufactured guns. It also seems that all parts are WaA26 marked, even the replacements, so it's fully Mauser. All thoughts / advice gratefully received.

Thanks for all the replies. It's like having a bunch of Waffenmeisters on speed-dial. 🙂 I'll start with the oil, then the heat, and see how far I get.

Just encountered a problem with my MP40. The shoulder leaf won't close down - it stubbonly remains at right angles to the arms, and I'm scared to force it. Has anyone encountered this problem before and identified a solution? Alternatively, does anyone know how to disassemble this component? It looks like there is cross pin at the end of each stock arm that could be driven out to allow the shoulder leaf to come off the end and be reset, but if I do this, I'm worried that the pins won't stay in place when I put them back. Any help gratefully received ...

Thanks for all the replies, and additional information. Very helpful and useful for next time. I'm quietly pleased to have at least been able to detect something fishy ... in no small part to what I've learned over the last year from the members on this board. Thanks to all ... especially to TSMGguy and BRMCII who have regularly responded to my newbie questions. On the MP40, one additional question I've been pondering concerns the way in which the serial no. is shortened, e.g. on the barrel nut or adjacent collar. I see in the TSMGguy pictures that the last three digits have been used. The gun I posted about used the last two digits only on those components. That didn't immediately flag any concern in my mind ... but should it have done? Was there a standard way of shortening the serial no. (aside from dropping the suffix)? Thanks again!

I've come across an MP40 which has multiple Eagle over swastika markings - these are on the end cap, trigger guard, receiver, and bolt (pictures attached). There is the typical Eagle over swastika fireproof on the barrel collar, but then these further markings in addition. Has anyone seen such additional markings on an MP40, or has someone post-war liberally applied a stamp in an effort to increase the value?

Some additional pictures ...

Thanks, BRMCII, Might I ask you some further questions in my hunt for a decent MG42. I've messaged you on a different board, but I'll replicate here. I'm looking at a few guns, but am struggling to find one which is in, or close to, all original condition (and not diluted by MG53, or even M3 parts). One particular weapon has a Yugo bolt, but otherwise looks decent. I'm wondering whether to grab it, or hold out for a (potentially elusive) all original. How rare are all original guns? If you wouldn't mind casting an eye over the attached pictures - of the gun I'm currently looking at - to see if you can see any problematic post-war parts, I'd be extremely grateful. I can't see any Yugo serial nos. Thanks for any help you can provide.

Many thanks. Very helpful!

Does anyone know the date on which the smooth actuators came into service on the 1928A1 (or an approximate serial no. for the change)? I've found a Savage gun with a serial no in the 400,000s - it has the fixed L sight, finned barrel, smooth safety and selector, horizontal foregrip, 3 piece riveted ejector, 4th design of Cutts compensator. All that seems appropriate for the serial no.: as I understand it, this is a second variant military 1928A1. It has a smooth actuator, so I'm wondering whether that's original, or replacement ... Thoughts?

I've heard that, in the "just left the factory" condition, an MG42 may have numbering on the "trunnion" that is different from the serial numbers on the rest of the gun (and that the trunnion is matched to itself). Is this correct? If so, is there any known relationship between the numbering on the trunnion and the numbering on the receiver? Am I right in thinking that the trunnion numbering is the circled number shown in the attached picture?

Thanks, both, for the very helpful replies.

I posted my first question under another thread. But I think it got lost, so I thought I'd post it as a new topic. Was the trigger frame of the Thompson 1928A1 always numbered? I've seen some examples with no numbering on the trigger frame, but I'm unsure as to whether they left the factory that way, or whether they are replacement parts. Second question ... what should I be looking for in order to distinguish an original front vertical grip from a reproduction. Any and all help greatly appreciated. Thanks!

The trigger frame is force matched, which is a bit of a shame. Out of interest, was the trigger frame of the 1928A1 always numbered? I've seen some examples with no numbering on the trigger frame, but I'm unsure as to whether they left the factory that way.

I'm looking to purchase a deac MG42 and have come across a decent looking Mager swd NC weapon. I've heard that some MG42s are a mix of WWII and post war (Yugo MG53) parts, but I don't know a lot about that. So I'd be grateful to hear anyone's thoughts on the attached pictures - does anything look out of place, i.e., clearly a post-war Yugo part? I'll certainly check the anti-aircraft sight mount, the barrel change door screw, and the profile of the butt stock. As an aside, I'm assuming that the small numbers on various elements are part numbers, but let me know if not ... I don't believe that there are serial numbers in these locations. Thanks in advance for any help.

Thanks, Roscoe. That's very helpful. I had been assuming that the barrel was a refurb, but given your message, it could be original. It's marked 3-54.

A basic question ... but what are the manufacturing dates for a 1918A2 BAR from Royal Typewriter? And is there any way of dating the weapon from the serial no. The barrel is a post-war refurb., so I can't tell the original year from that.