The Machinegunner Sharpshooters Badge

[Don D.]

The underside of the carraige. Note both the finish and the metal underneath. It is pitted due to rust. It is an iron-based composition and is magnetic.

[Don D.]

Last shot, the point where the front leg intersects the ammo belt.

[Don D.]

Tony, overall your badge has more good points than bad and other than vey basic observations it cannot be compared against a Juncker. Here are my general observation then:
The trigger grips. Because they are missing the top part they are not an accurate (to my knowledge)depiction of period grips. Could the top part have corroded away?

The carraige leg and traversing wheel areas. Could the missing metal be attributed to corrosion? If you look at the close ups of mine you can see the effects of corrosion. The spots on yours that I have pointed out are all reletively thin and could easily coorode away. That would also explain the jagged edge on the ammo belt up top. The thinner edge would coorode and flake away before the thicker bullets. The only problem with this theory is that your finish looks intact. Perhaps it has been refinished?

Again, its not a Juncker so we don't have enough data to say who made it.

Hope this helps.
Don

ps. Didn't your signature use to say something about Heather in a Pickelhaube???

[Tony & Kaiser]

Oops! Public retraction time.

I dug that badge out once again and this time, used a jeweler's glass. I was wrong. I should have used that the first time.

The section at the top of the trigger grips that I thought was formed that way, is actually snapped off. It does not appear to be corrosion, but like it snagged on something as it is a metal shear. Tiny though, but I can see with the glass both ends where it broke off. So at one time, it was joined.

And it now appears that a good part of the badge is heavily corroded from the bottom. The part I lifted and looked at (naturally) was fine, but the carriage leg and traversing wheel areas and the top ring of bullets are very badly corroded underneath.

The gold color only looks intact when viewed straight-on. On the sides where the bullet ring narrows on top, the carriage leg and traversing wheel, these areas have corroded away and are black/red with rust.. The carriage leg in particular, is just a sliver now as you can see in the photos. It must have been as fat as the upper leg at one time.

And yes, my signature STILL refers to Heather. (sigh) Heather...................

Tony http://www.kaisersbunker.com

[Don D.]

Good, another riddle solved. Now if we could put a name to the maker.

Don

ps. what about the pickelhaube? Don't you want Heather to wear it?

[Tony & Kaiser]

what about the pickelhaube? Don't you want Heather to wear it?

All that gorgeous blonde hair drenched in sweat would be bad for the leather....

[Brian S]

..who cares about the leather at that point...

So, Tony, still like the badge, but, what do you think about corrosion on the badge and the material looking so pristine???

[Don D.]

Brian, I had the same thought (about the leather and the backing cloth) but when I look at mine I don't see where any of the rusted area has stained it. I think it occurs so slowly over a long period of time that the rust just flakes away. I think it must be from humidity.
Don

[Tony & Kaiser]

This is common phenomena on the M15 Bluse and greatcoats as well; corroded buttons, belt ramps, collar hooks, but nothing on the cloth. Plus, this corrosion seems very different than say, rust on a steel blade etc. It almost seems like the structure of the metal has rotted away. I know this cloth was tough, but I wonder if it has more to do with the composition of the metal?

[Brian S]

Well, I'm convinced it's not the common fake w/o maker mark. This may be the genuine article.

[Øyvind]

Sorry if this is a very stupid question, but have you ever seen this badge in use on ww2 clothing (on photos)? Any ww1 veterans still in service (in ww2) that just did not want to put that badge away?

Ps: This is way over my feild of knowledge.

Cheers
******216;yvind

[Chip M]

For absolute clarity this is the


Aermelzbzeichen der MG-Scharfschuetzen-Formationen.

An insignia or badge...
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Just for interest's sake, the official Probe tag for this insignia calls it, "******196;rmelabzeichens f******252;r M.G.=Scharfsch******252;tzentrupps".

Chip

[Don D.]

Another example of an original badge, from Luc.
thanks
Don

[Don D.]

and the reverse. This one also has the Juncker mark.

[sabertasche]

Non Marked Variation?

Guys, I would like your opinion on this badge. It is unmarked except for a stenciled NO 38. The details are quite good and it is all magnetic and concave. Am I naive to believe it is good?

Greg