MP40 Serial Number Locations

[Rekraps]

So I was down in the gunroom looking at my Bnz MP40 and noted the following SN locations. Thirteen in all, but I did want to see if perhaps I was missing something...

• Front sight housing
• Resting bar
• Barrel
• Barrel  locking nut
• Lower receiver
• Trigger housing
• Rear sight base
• Rear sight leaf
• Upper receiver
• Folding stock arms (both)
• Bolt
• Firing pin

Not numbered was the extractor, but it matches with WaA623 stamp.

Any others?

 

[TSMGguy]

You're very patient! I stopped counting at 14.

Also, the folding stock locking button and sling loop. The muzzle thread protector is normally marked with the serial number as well. This serial is electro penned rather than stamped.

My all-matching bnz 41 MP40 has never been disassembled past field strip, so I don't know whether the two barrel collars are serial numbered or not. 

[Rekraps]

On 11/4/2022 at 8:11 PM, Rekraps said:

So I was down in the gunroom looking at my Bnz MP40 and noted the following SN locations. Thirteen in all, but I did want to see if perhaps I was missing something...

• Front sight housing
• Resting bar
• Barrel
• Barrel  locking nut
• Lower receiver
• Trigger housing
• Rear sight base
• Rear sight leaf
• Upper receiver
• Folding stock arms (both)
• Bolt
• Firing pin

Not numbered was the extractor, but it matches with WaA623 stamp.

Any others?

 

TSMG! Thanks for the post! I pulled my Bnz out and sure enough, the stock locking button, muzzle thread protector and sling loop match also. That makes 16 in total.

• Front sight housing
• Muzzle thread protector (electro penned)
• Resting bar
• Barrel
• Barrel  locking nut
• Sling loop
• Lower receiver
• Trigger housing
• Rear sight base
• Rear sight leaf
• Upper receiver
• Folding stock arms (both)
• Stock locking button
• Bolt
• Firing pin

All waffen marks should read WaA623 for bnz, and WaA280 for ayf, and WaA37 for fxo

Wow. Have we missed any?

[TSMGguy]

Can you get to your two barrel collars? Are they serial numbered as well?

Also, a WaA815 stemple indicates inspection at Steyr-Warsaw. This is found on the trigger of my gun, and on every 98E and kur marked magazine I've ever seen. 

Edited November 6, 2022 by TSMGguy

[Rekraps]

If the barrel collars are numbered, I can't see it. I probably won't take the barrel nut off, but it seems reasonable that IF the collars are numbered, then since every other part is matching they would be also. But you never know. I'll check with Reidar Daae (BergFlak) and see what he says. 

My trigger also has the Waffen WaA623 stamp, and so does the ejector. 

[Rekraps]

16 hours ago, Rekraps said:

If the barrel collars are numbered, I can't see it. I probably won't take the barrel nut off, but it seems reasonable that IF the collars are numbered, then since every other part is matching they would be also. But you never know. I'll check with Reidar Daae (BergFlak) and see what he says. 

My trigger also has the Waffen WaA623 stamp, and so does the ejector. 

According to BergFlak, early production collars had WaA stamp and SN, mid-production units had WaA only and late-production had nothing. 
 

So, potential for 17 matching SN's. 

[TSMGguy]

1 hour ago, Rekraps said:

According to BergFlak, early production collars had WaA stamp and SN, mid-production units had WaA only and late-production had nothing. 
 

So, potential for 17 matching SN's. 

18, right? There are two collars. 

[Rekraps]

5 minutes ago, TSMGguy said:

18, right? There are two collars. 

How right you are! Damn! 

[Rekraps]

22 hours ago, Rekraps said:

TSMG! Thanks for the post! I pulled my Bnz out and sure enough, the stock locking button, muzzle thread protector and sling loop match also. That makes 16 in total.

• Front sight housing
• Muzzle thread protector (electro penned)
• Resting bar
• Barrel
• Barrel  locking nut
• Sling loop
• Half Moon collars (both)
• Lower receiver
• Trigger housing
• Rear sight base
• Rear sight leaf
• Upper receiver
• Folding stock arms (both)
• Stock locking button
• Bolt
• Firing pin retaining nut

All waffen marks should read WaA623 for bnz, and WaA280 for ayf, and WaA37 for fxo

Wow. Have we missed any?

Okay, I think we have them all. One correction though related to the firing pin. The recoil/buffer assembly (three primary tubes/firing pin retaining nut/firing pin) has Waffen marks on the three tubes plus the smaller internal tubes, the firing pin and the firing pin retaining nut. It is the  firing pin retaining nut that is serialized to match the gun, not the firing pin as I misstated in earlier posts. 

So 18 total SN's potential for each early production gun, depending on when it was manufactured. Later guns will have less as those number crazy Nazi's did not have the time or resources to be so anal. 

I think for you collectors, vs shooters out there, that after the matching SN's are verified, the next tricky thing is to make sure that the Waffen marks on the smaller parts (trigger, ejector, extractor, sear etc.) match also. If not, (which could very likely have happened with field use, or depot repairs), then correct Waffen parts are still available. 

[Robert Henley]

Good to know.  Next time I pull my BNZ 41 out of the safe and oil it I'll have to look at all these parts.

Robert

[TSMGguy]

23 hours ago, Rekraps said:

 

I think for you collectors, vs shooters out there, that after the matching SN's are verified, the next tricky thing is to make sure that the Waffen marks on the smaller parts (trigger, ejector, extractor, sear etc.) match also. If not, (which could very likely have happened with field use, or depot repairs), then correct Waffen parts are still available. 

That can be tricky. As the war progressed more and more sub-contractors became involved. They made parts that were shipped to central locations for final assembly. Just because a part is not WaA stamped with inspection marks commonly attributed to Haenel, Erma, and Steyr may not mean that the part isn't original to the gun. Many subcontractor's small parts are WaA marked but may not bear three letter manufacturer's codes. Example: my all matching bnz 41 MP40. It was originally produced with a hook type cocking handle but was modified during the war with the addition of the sliding safety which is WaA37 marked.

[Rekraps]

23 minutes ago, TSMGguy said:

That can be tricky. As the war progressed more and more sub-contractors became involved. They made parts that were shipped to central locations for final assembly. Just because a part is not WaA stamped with inspection marks commonly attributed to Haenel, Erma, and Steyr may not mean that the part isn't original to the gun. Many subcontractor's small parts are WaA marked but may not bear three letter manufacturer's codes. Example: my all matching bnz 41 MP40. It was originally produced with a hook type cocking handle but was modified during the war with the addition of the sliding safety which is WaA37 marked.

Of course, my handle is the sliding safety also. I'd better look to see how it is stamped! 

Great point. Suffice it to say that for guns like ours, there is sufficient number of matching parts and correctly stamped parts to label them correct and original.

[TSMGguy]

Great guns!