Lets see your MG08 - MG08/15 displays

[pzrwest]

Boy that last gun brought back memories for me. When I was around 15yrs old a neighbor gave me one of these. Mind you alot of parts were missing and was badly rusted as well. I had the main part of the gun with bipod legs. Was missing the pistol grip, the rear stock, the top body cover, the innards of the gun were gone, but was cool playing war with it. It was beyond ever being restored though so was just a piece of scrap iron. It finally wound up in a local garbage dump. Still it was a cool piece of "junk" to have

[MG1918]

Alan very nice. You appear lucky enough to have the 100 rd ammo belt too tucked away in the trommel. Is the sling original? Nice colours too.
Mark

[Alan Smith]

Thanks for the nice comments guys, both on the 08/15 and my "little helper".

Mark: everything on the gun is 100% original WWI German issue, other than the leather sling which is a repro. On the 100 round cloth belt, it has steel tabs and spacers, and is marker marked on the starter tab.

Alan

[Chip M]

Alan,

That repro sling is very convincing. I made a couple of these a few decades ago based on measurements taken from an original one here at the national WWI museum. It appears the only thing missing on yours is the crosshatching on the leather. Are these still available?

Chip

[Don D.]

Beautiful gun. What would one expect to pay for an example like that if one could find one?

[MG1918]

Alan - MG08/15

Now you need an 08/15 rain cover and she will be perfect. The 100 rd ammo belts are hard to find strangely considering how many trommels are floating around. I suppose in an assault an expended belt would be discarded but ''old trommel off & new (full) trommel on'' might be top of the gunner's list of things to do! Most MG08/15 collectors are looking for these including me so a great find Alan, and a nice inheritance for the young chap.
Mark

[Alan Smith]

Again, thanks for all the nice responses. The repro sling came with the 08/15 when I got it, so I do not know where it was sourced from. On the 100 round belt, interestingly, the prior owner used this original belt to fire 200-300 live rounds through the 08/15 at the time he acquired the gun about 30 years ago; this was the one and only time the prior owner ever fired the gun. I have not fired this 08/15; if I do fire it at some point I will use a reproduction belt.

My "little helper" and his older brother have soccer games and other family events this weekend so I'll be busy with them, but if I get a chance I will take detailed photos of the 100 round belt. I had no idea that the original 100 round belts were hard to find, until seeing some of the posts here. Also, in the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that I have never taken the belt out of the drum. While I assume that it is a 100 shot belt, there is always a possibility that someone cut down a 250 round belt. Your inquiries have my curiosity up now, so I will for sure look at the belt closely and post photos here.

Regards,

Alan

[Chip M]

Alan,

I think you can tell immediately if it is a 100 rd belt just by looking at the leader tab. The 250 rd ones have a narrow tab, while the 100 rd ones have a tab that is twice as wide (approx. 30mm).

Chip

[Hoss]

Lovely gun Alan
Belts are tough, they always have been usually you find out when one's sold em. queue David with a bucket full.

Eric

[Hoss]

Blast, missed it.
The dude who got this I want it!

Blooming Heck!

[LA MITRAILLE]

Hello,

Some bayonets and machine gunners' sabres.
Sorry eric, but this box returns to France










Two MG 08/15, one from 1916, and one from 1918.


And to finish, a amunition cart for MG 08 and 08/15..


Regards
david

[Hoss]

Sorry eric, but this box returns to France....

NO

One of my bayonets

[Hoss]

David
The swords I never seen before



Eric

[Alan Smith]

Here are a couple of photos of the 100 round belt that came with the MG 08/15 and drum set shown earlier in the thread.

[Alan Smith]

Photo 2