Russian captured MP44?

[Hans Zeug]

Is there a consistent way to how these RC "X"-markings appear?

Hi there,here is my ex Russian capture?I've owned the gun now for longer than a decade and was told when I bought it that it was ex DDR, it came with a post war 1001 magazine.It has had its gas piston and rod cut off and had the barrel milled and filled with rod.I believe it has also been reblued but still a fine looking gun,price at the time when purchased £350.Regards Hans.

[Time Bandit]

Interesting information TB! I have both a MP44 and a MP41 that passed through the same system, but they have both got the BNP stamp as well, and I would have suspected to find the same on both the barrel and receiver if this gun indeed was resold for use in the UK? The one on the barrel could of course have been removed with the de-act......

I'd guess that in your case both guns were actually used in the UK in their live state hence the BNP markings and then after the Hungerford shootings when they were banned they were deactivated and kept by their original owners rather than go to be destroyed and were then, somewhere along the line, sold and eventually ended up with you.
My MP44 has no BNP proofs on it at all and in this case I would imagine the dealer most probably ended up buying a batch direct from the DDR or someone who had got some ex DDR guns anyhow and they were then deactivated in the UK and sold on to collectors like me, because they were never used as live weapons in the UK there would be no need for them to be proofed as such, therefore no BNP markings.
I bought my MP44 in 1995/96 and it cost me the grand sum of £280 or thereabouts...wish I'd bought a couple more when you see the prices they are fetching nowadays...



Just on about the Russian 'X's and that...I have one of the ex Russian refinished P38's which were released a year or two back. It's been refinished obviously (as I believe most, if not all, were?), it's a Mauser byf43 and has matching original numbers (no Russian electro pencil stuff etc) but does not have an 'X' on it anywhere. I have seen other ones which were for sale, same condition as mine, refinished, matching numbers etc but these did have an 'X' stamped on them, and also other ones without the 'X'.

[Bergflak]

Both my Mp41 and MP44 are semi-auto. When Ryton or Manton or whoever made the deal imported these they re-exported quite a lot to other European countries. It appears that all of these re-exported guns have the BNP. Maybe a procedure they had to go through before it was legal to push them on!? Most of these ended up as de-acts, but they are still BNP marked. ( Can't remember if the one I bought as a de-act from the UK had the markings or not..)

The mystery x! I have heard that the P38's and MG34's are all from Ukraina (and not Russia). The K98k's are the only batch I have heard of that has been released from Russia for sure. It appears that the X marking has been commonly used in the different arsenals in the former Eastern Block, but that only the RC K98k's show this stamping on ALL known guns.
I have checked 35 MP44's from the Yugo sales, and only 1/3 of them have the X. In addition, the X-marking appears in different ways, or said in other words; the strike of the X is placed in different locations and with different types, which leaves me to believe the x-marking is a typical "all-over-the-Eastern-Block" arsenal control stamp, and not "Russian property".

[LT69]

Any live weapons exported from the UK must be 'In Proof' ie Proof tested with a proof round and have a valid proof mark(s) or a certificate in lieu of marks

With the Mp44's being WW2 made weapons the military proof (if any) would not be valid and they would therefore need proofing in order to be legally sold overseas.

[dect]

Any live weapons exported from the UK must be 'In Proof' ie Proof tested with a proof round and have a valid proof mark(s) or a certificate in lieu of marks

With the Mp44's being WW2 made weapons the military proof (if any) would not be valid and they would therefore need proofing in order to be legally sold overseas.

Would it be legal (=possible) to buy a deact in the UK and take it to the continent? Will the HMRC allow to do so?

[macumazan]

Would it be legal (=possible) to buy a deact in the UK and take it to the continent? Will the HMRC allow to do so?

In Spain is possible always when you can demonstrate that the deactivation of the weapon (British deactivation) is compatible with the deactivation exiged in Spain.

I do not know how it does work in Poland, but it should be possible. If I were you I would ask to a Weapon Intervention in your Country. These are some papers but the strugle is worth.

I hope I can help you a little bit.
Best regards,

Macumazan