Luft FG42

[Gran Sasso]

I heard that that foto was arranged by putting several collections together?

There's plenty more where it came from, the seller still has some in his collection ...

[Daniele C]

looking at the size of his garden, the owner refused 130 k probably because money are not a problem for him i would guess.

fantastic collection!

[r_hufschmied]

The collector in question started buying these (and others) a long time ago. I must say that he had (and has) a keen eye for what would become both desirable and highly valuable. Some rare stuff was then considered so odd that it was close to classified as junk, from what I've heard that's how he secured a Krummlauf device. I do not know the man personally but he is legend among collectors and I'd love to see his entire collection.

[mg42rip]

I've seen 2 of his nicest MG42's, one appears to have less than 100 rounds through it. The other with probably less than 1000 rounds fired through it with a matching barrel. Unfortunately most US machine guns are considered refinished junk because we can fire them, its pretty sad.

[dect]

This MKb is such a beauty, not many left in that condition

[r_hufschmied]

This MKb is such a beauty, not many left in that condition

From what I've heard there are still anywhere from 500 to 1500 (mixed MKb42Hs and Ws) in Russian storage, all cosmolined and crated. Might be true since the Russians never used to scrap anything, even the monument tanks and guns were listed as war reserves.

[r_hufschmied]

I would urge anyone who knows this collector personally to try to persuade him to make his collection public through the internet, he could still be anonymous (I'd suggest through a foundation). A website with pictures would rack up more than enough visitors to be able to finance the site with very modest advertizing, I'd bet it would even make a profit!

[Alan Smith]

The former owner (seller) of the FG pictured at the beginning of this thread is a VERY well known collector and researcher of FG's; if you look at the credits in the Collector Grade "Death From Above" (revised edition) book, it is pretty easy to figure out who the seller is (especially if you look at the watermark on the photo at the beginning of this thread). Also, the former owner/seller checks out this site from time-to-time, and his brother-in-law is a regular here.

Yes - all of the FG's in the group photo shown belong to the former owner of the FG that started this thread; they are all his and no, he did not get other collectors to "pool" their guns for a group photo.

The FG's are "rare", but there are also more of them around in U.S. collections than the average observer might think. I personally know of two (2) FG's here in Mississippi - one "First Model" with the metal stock and one "Second Model" with the wood stock.

[Heinz Steinkopf]

From what I've heard there are still anywhere from 500 to 1500 (mixed MKb42Hs and Ws) in Russian storage, all cosmolined and crated. Might be true since the Russians never used to scrap anything, even the monument tanks and guns were listed as war reserves.

Just opposite. Almost everything was scrapped as a source of precious steel.

[blitzkrieg gsd]

Wow is all I can say these are my favorite TR guns of all time. I got a chance to see one in person at the Knob Creek machine gun shoot here in Ky a few yrs ago. If you want to see full auto guns there's no better place to do it then Knob Creek twice a yr. But I have never seen anyone fire one out there and I don't think I can say that about any other weapon. I would love to know how they shoot and handle and if someone who has ones really thinks about it. Would it have made a good combat rifle or would the draw backs make it more of a novelty? How does it handle in full auto can you hit anything with it. Will it fire 2or3 rd burst or does it shoot so fast your lucky to get a burst of five or less rds? Wasn't that always the biggest complaint that on full auto the recoil put all the rds after the first over the targets head? Please the guy that bought this bute tell me how she handles?

[JasonA]

In the aforementioned reference book, "Death From Above," there is information on the firing and handling of both models. The same goes for Robert Bruce's "German Automatic Weapons of WWII."

J-

Wow is all I can say these are my favorite TR guns of all time. I got a chance to see one in person at the Knob Creek machine gun shoot here in Ky a few yrs ago. If you want to see full auto guns there's no better place to do it then Knob Creek twice a yr. But I have never seen anyone fire one out there and I don't think I can say that about any other weapon. I would love to know how they shoot and handle and if someone who has ones really thinks about it. Would it have made a good combat rifle or would the draw backs make it more of a novelty? How does it handle in full auto can you hit anything with it. Will it fire 2or3 rd burst or does it shoot so fast your lucky to get a burst of five or less rds? Wasn't that always the biggest complaint that on full auto the recoil put all the rds after the first over the targets head? Please the guy that bought this bute tell me how she handles?

[PanzerJohn]

Just opposite. Almost everything was scrapped as a source of precious steel.

There are miles of tunnels scattered around Russia full of war reserve stock.Tony at Ryton Arms (sadly recently deceased) was bringing in lorryloads of gear, Thompson SMG's (I have one), boxes of new drum mags for same,Mg34's and 42's. He said the selling was done by IRC the Ministry of the Interior, and that there were miles of tunnels with a few retired elderly vets slowly working their way down, opening up boxes logging the contents.He would then get a call or fax telling him what was available with a price, take it or leave it. He told me there could be anything in these tunnels.

[snipernuts]

fg42

here's one for sale in PA - http://www.sturmgewehr.com/webBBS/nf...gi?read=146377

[PanzerJohn]

Also on the same site is this Swiss post war FG42 "copy", only $69k!

http://www.sturmgewehr.com/webBBS/nf...gi?read=146375

[r_hufschmied]

There are miles of tunnels scattered around Russia full of war reserve stock.Tony at Ryton Arms (sadly recently deceased) was bringing in lorryloads of gear, Thompson SMG's (I have one), boxes of new drum mags for same,Mg34's and 42's. He said the selling was done by IRC the Ministry of the Interior, and that there were miles of tunnels with a few retired elderly vets slowly working their way down, opening up boxes logging the contents.He would then get a call or fax telling him what was available with a price, take it or leave it. He told me there could be anything in these tunnels.

When I made an inquiry to Oberonexport (now Rosoberonexport) many years ago on the possibility of release and sale of possible war reserve WW2 weaponry they told me (yes, I got a reply) more or less the same. I quote "we have everything and anything, from MIG 29s to collector weapons". A few years later the so called RC (Russian Capture) K98s, SVTs, P38s, Lugers and MG34/42, Maxim, DP parts kits among many others started hitting the western market en masse. I later learned about the estimate figure for MKb's that I gave (500 -1500) and also that the stock of the MKb, MP43/44 and StG series had been depleted by Soviet "foreign aid".