MG08/15 Ammo Cans?

[Cassidy]

Does anyone have a good link or photo reference for WW1 German Ammo Cans?

I assume that when not using the drum that the MG08/15 used the same boxes or cans as the MG08? Some look very similar to the WW2 cans.

I appreciate any good reference on how to tell the cans apart and also a good source to find a can.

Thanks

[dwmmg08]

WWI German Ammo cans

Does anyone have a good link or photo reference for WW1 German Ammo Cans?

I assume that when not using the drum that the MG08/15 used the same boxes or cans as the MG08? Some look very similar to the WW2 cans.

I appreciate any good reference on how to tell the cans apart and also a good source to find a can.

Thanks

In WWI, the most common can by the time the 08/15 came out, and the one you usually see, is the Patronenkasten 1915, or PK15; it is the same as the early WWII type cans, although all the WWI ones i have seen have the "cast" style latch handle, and not the stamped one. I am of the opinion that all the "stamped" type are post war Yugo, and not German at all. The M1915 type can is the standard 250 round (300 with the MG34) can for one belt for the MG08 or 08/15, and designed to be carried two in each hand.

Before the PK15 came out, there was the PK 11: it is the 500 round double belt can, and is very large and bulky, and is often seen with the MG08 in pictures. I can tell you from experience it is heavy and clumsy, and it is *immediately* apparent if you're using it in the field that the PK15 is a huge improvement.

The water can 15 for the MG08/15 and the MG08 was the same size and shape as the PK15, and is designed to be easy to carry with the ammo cans, a departure from the massive, unwieldy, and clumsy "cylindrical" water can that came before. From what I have seen dug up in Europe, I believe it was common to carry 2 of these, not just one, especially with the heavy MG08, but I've even seen two in pictures with MG08/15's.

Hope this helps!!!

Glen D.

[dwmmg08]

I am of the opinion that all the "stamped" type are post war Yugo, and not German at all.

Ok, I know what I was thinking of, but you can't see it in print, of course. There are stamped WWII German latch cans, but no Stamped WWI German cans, In my opinion. There are some really terrible looking latch cans out there which are stamped, but reverse of the WWII German ones, with a big Rivet in the middle of the latch; these latches are all Yugoslav, and not German at all, but the cans themselves may be. Again, none of the "stamped" type latch cans, in my opinion, are WWI. All are WWII or later.