Steyr-Made MP-40 Magazines

[TSMGguy]

Just some pics of some Steyr-made MP-40 magazines that I've picked up over the years. Steyr was a contractor for the German WWII MP-40 machine pistol. The firm also made magazines for the guns, evidently from 1940 to 1944.

I have seen no explanation as to why the guns bear 660 and bnz codes, while the magazines are marked differently, but the WaA stamps (623 & 815) lead me to believe that guns and magazines were produced in different facilities. In early 1942, Steyr's 98E magazine production code changed to kur. All bear WaA815 inspection stamps. 98E 42 coded magazines seem to be somewhat rare today, and those coded kur 42 seem to be more commonly encountered.

Steyr also made mag loaders, marked the same as their magazines. Quality is also excellent.

I have never seen a Steyr-made, kur coded magazine dated later than 1944.

Magazines were initially produced with smooth bodies. In 1942, in an effort to improve feeding, it was directed that these were to be taken out of service and sent to be modified by having ribs pressed into their bodies. Some magazines were never modified. Those that were bear additional WaA stamps; the one's I've observed are WaA37, 387, and 815.

IMHO, Steyr produced the best quality WWII MP-40 magazines. They invariably fit and function well. Quality steel seems to have been used throughout production; a later kur magazine fits and functions as well as any of the earlier ones.

These still turn up, and some are in very nice shape, as you can see. A seller in Poland was even offering new condition 98E magazines recently. He said that they had just been broken out of the original crate. Judging by their new appearance in his photos, I can believe it!

Magazines pictured left to right are:

Unmodified, slab-sided, 98E 40
Unmodified, slab-sided, 98E 41
Modified, ribbed, 98E 41
Ribbed, 98E 42
Ribbed, kur 42
(Not shown: ribbed, kur 43 & 44 which are identical, except for the date)

Edited March 29, 2016 by TSMGguy

[hawksnest]

Nice summary and nice photos. Thanks.

[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.