This was over 5 years ago and I was in contact with Handrich through Claus Espeholt. Here is a copy-paste from part of a much longer email chain. I think it’s obvious from this that they believed for the second trial different rails were attempted. I actually approached Claus initially with skepticism about the rail but showed all the photos from this thread. But just so people don’t think I’m making this up out of thin air. Claus then asked to show some of the photos on his website and I agreed. The truth is these are still just opinions. If you want the actual documents you might want to try to contact him.
“The “railed” type was used for the ZF4 (MP43/1 + early MP43) and for the Vampir (MP44) – as you already know. So yours must have been made for the ZF4 tests (unless it’s a fake which I don’t think it is).
We have the number of the first trial and pictures of the third (I think) (but we don’t have all numbers), so it’s logical that yours very well could be from the second trial. I presume that they thought after the first trial: We must try to fix the mount in another way and then they later returned to the spot-welding.
I must “breakdown” and admit that I sent some of the pictures to H-D Handrich, and the answer was this:
Very nice weapon and nice photos - thanks!
It must be one of the MP43/1s subjected to trials by the Infanterieschule.”
“The “railed” type was used for the ZF4 (MP43/1 + early MP43) and for the Vampir (MP44) – as you already know. So yours must have been made for the ZF4 tests (unless it’s a fake which I don’t think it is).
We have the number of the first trial and pictures of the third (I think) (but we don’t have all numbers), so it’s logical that yours very well could be from the second trial. I presume that they thought after the first trial: We must try to fix the mount in another way and then they later returned to the spot-welding.
I must “breakdown” and admit that I sent some of the pictures to H-D Handrich, and the answer was this:
Very nice weapon and nice photos - thanks!
It must be one of the MP43/1s subjected to trials by the Infanterieschule.”
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