MP-40 Slab Side Magazine

[Govostes]

I got this on Gun broker for $150.

Was interested in any ones Views.

[Haenelistklasse]

Nice little clip. They are rarer than the ribbed ones but I think the ribbed ones look cooler.

[TSMGguy]

It's a Steyr made magazine from 1941. In early 1942, the 98E code changed to kur. The last Steyr magazines were made in 1944. Quality was always very good. Slab side magazines were gathered up and modified in early 1942 to have ridges pressed into the bodies in an effort to improve feeding. I've identified three concerns that did the work. Not all magazines were so modified, as yours escaped modification. The only way to spot a modified mag is by the added WaA inspection stamps. Some mags will have as many as four stamps.

[imageaudio]

I also read somewhere that you can also identify a modified mag by the ribs which do not extend under the reinforced upper portion of the magazine tube. Later model magazines which included the ribs as part of the original manufacturing process extend fully underneath the upper magazine tube reinforcer.

Edited August 6, 2021 by imageaudio

[TSMGguy]

I also read somewhere that you can also identify a modified mag by the ribs which do not extend under the reinforced upper portion of the magazine tube. Later model magazines which included the ribs as part of the original manufacturing process extend fully underneath the upper mixing tube reinforcer.

 

The same dies were used to press the ridges into modified magazines that were used on later new magazines. In no case do the ridges extend under the magazine's upper outer plate. The extra WaA inspection stamps are the only way to tell, that, and the dates. Magazines with 1941 and earlier manufacture years were not originally made with the ridges.

[TSMGguy]

Steyr-Made MP-40 Magazines - The MP38-40 - 43/44 Message Board - MachineGunBoards.com Forums

[imageaudio]

TSMGguy,

 

Thanks for your clarification. I by no means claim to be an expert. When I saw your reply, it got me thinking about where I had seen the information and I found it at this website:

 

https://www.mp40.nl/index.php?page=magazines

 

I've also attached a picture for reference.

 

 

Guess I was mis-reading it. The website author states "You can easily recognise a A from a B type because the ribs of a afteribbed A type start right under the reinforcement." After reading a 2nd time, the quote is a little confusing. However, I believe english is not the authors native language which could be contributing to the confusing interpretation.

 

Could you provide some clarification as to what you think the author meant? Or perhaps they are simply wrong?

 

 

[BRMCII]

In this case "under" means "below" the box part. The ribs start just "below" the bottom edge of the box. Poor choice of word to describe where the ribs begin. That's what I see here. FWIW

[TSMGguy]

I'm unable to see any difference between the ribs on modified mags, and mags originally produced with them. Additional WaA stemples above the maker code and year date seem to be the only way to tell.

Something else is that there's no evidence that the mag bodies were folded and welded. They're seamless, quite a neat trick.