Early MG 42 buffer

[Annihilator]

Pictured is an early MG42 cra buffer on the left and a late one on the right. The early buffer has a larger diameter (25mm) than the late one (22mm) and will not accept the three wire main spring. If you force that spring over the early buffer, the MG will not cock because there is too much friction against the receiver housing

so i suppose they had a simple MG34 like spring at the very beginning

[dogman5]

This is super cool. Any other markings on the early buffer? I was reading that the early buffers needed a single wire recoil spring similar to the MG34, never knew any survived. Good to know that the spacing in the buffer spring seems to be a way to tell them apart at first glance.