MG 34/42 ammo box markings

[derspiess63]

Manny, I think you misunderstood me... I am not saying that the maker didn't exist, I am saying that it is not listed in any of the references that I have and I am hoping that someone might know who this maker is. But, I don't know for sure if the "gew" stamp on my box is a maker mark or not and it seems that no one else knows either. My gut feeling is that my box is original German, but I am not certain about the age. Bottom line is that it looks good and I am happy with it, but thought that someone on the forum would have known for sure one way or the other. No big deal. Thanks for all the replies.

Steve

[Bergflak]

Could we please let this can die........ gew is not a factory-logo. Factory logos are normally written with capital letters or combinations. That is the beauty of the codes, they are easily spotted! And to finally reveal the big moment.....(fanfare please) gew is "August Berghaus Ww., Preß- u. Stanzwerk, Oberbrügge/Westfalen"

Hr August most probably used to have a factory logo inside an oval, and kept the oval with the new code inside. Simple as that!

[derspiess63]

Could we please let this can die........ gew is not a factory-logo. Factory logos are normally written with capital letters or combinations. That is the beauty of the codes, they are easily spotted! And to finally reveal the big moment.....(fanfare please) gew is "August Berghaus Ww., Preß- u. Stanzwerk, Oberbrügge/Westfalen"

Hr August most probably used to have a factory logo inside an oval, and kept the oval with the new code inside. Simple as that!

Yes please ,and in order not to be haunted by Herr August again please write down the code of the other factory where he produced other stampings and tools: "hut" August Berghaus Ww Press und Stanzwerrk,Horst Wessel Strasse 111,Remscheid-Hasten !
Don't know if this cose is inside an oval though !
Manny

[Infanteer]

Finally!!! Thank you Bergflak Now I don't have to wonder if the box is original anymore. I knew someone would have the answer.

Cheers,

Steve

[derspiess63]

Finally!!! Thank you Bergflak Now I don't have to wonder if the box is original anymore. I knew someone would have the answer.

Cheers,

Steve

Sorry to tell you Steve,but if you go by the markings and makers codes alone to ascertain whether an item is genuine or not,still you cannot tell that by yourself judging it from its details and the way/materials it's been made you're fit for serious troubles during your collecting career methinks!
The member/s (I cannot remember who they are at the moment!)who did tell you that post-war ammo can are identical should at least have known that 1)the early cans like this one have been produced in small numbers because the one that was widely produced was 2)the Patreonenkast.Mod.41 f.MG,which is way heavier and sturdier and whose lids open in a different way!Further....post war NATO and Bundesweher earlier cans and Mod. 41 were MARKED ACCORDINGLY(take a look at BW and post war Gas Mask cans and you'll have the picture!) and SOME were even narrower due to the decreased OA lenght of the round used and contained within,namely the 7,62x51,aka.308 Winchester,aka .30NATO,aka .308 NATO,which, incidentally, derived (as a civvy round later adopted by the US Defense) from the .30M1 06(7,62x63),which in turn was originally the 8mmx57 Mauser round,with bullet diameter decreased and case lenght augmented.
If you only had a dime for any fake piece with correct Waa and UNIVERSALLY KNOWN code that's been posted here in the past 12 months you'd be the richest guy on the block!
FWIW
Manny

[Jan B]

For those who are interested...

...I had similar problems with this can (the first white/grey painted one)

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.net/foru...ad.php?t=87991

What are your thoughts on it?

Cheers

Jan

[derspiess63]

...I had similar problems with this can (the first white/grey painted one)

http://www.wehrmacht-awards.net/foru...ad.php?t=87991

What are your thoughts on it?

Cheers

Jan

Hoi Jan,
your can's genuine imo!Let me tell you this one more thing (and NO allegations to you whatsoever!!!!!!);rivets,angles,corners aso all translate into "brain-far#ing"...always imo, that is!Although it's hard to believe that, don't forget that these items were meant to be "disposable",even if they were re-used over and over again,and made by the millions(literally) by God-knows-how-many factories, and what has been portraied in "Schindler's List" is as close to reality as it may come;a firm which had stamping and pressing facilities to produce tins for cookies and sweets in peace time for example, would have produced metal boxes for the military a few weeks later,and Manny's boxes may have looked identical to Jan's ones bar for one or two details, depending on the machinery used!Now,even if Germans were somewhat "narrow-minded" when it came to standards let's not forget that we're not talking helmets,uniforms or VITAL parts like weapons and engine components here,so a rounded corner or a perfectly square one wouldn't have been a good reason not to deem a simple container acceptable or enough to dismiss a can as "post-war"!
I think Reidar gave a wise and more than satisfactorily answer as to why "gew" is inside an oval have and said the right thing when he did ask to let
this can die , for this thread it's getting tremendously boring !As usual,I'm just about the only one who speaks his mind out here, but I'm sure that there are many members who will silently nod as soon as they'll read these lines!
Manny

[Jan B]

I'm more then willing to let this discussion go Manny ...just thought it was useful to unite the 2 different threads in one thread, nothing more

Thanks for the additional information!

Cheers

Jan

[derspiess63]

I'm more then willing to let this discussion go Manny ...just thought it was useful to unite the 2 different threads in one thread, nothing more

Thanks for the additional information!

Cheers

Jan

Again.....NO allegations to YOU my friend !By the by...........the boots are on their way to Flandern and you'll love them!
Groetjes
Manny

[Infanteer]

Okay, this thread is finished... but just one point to keep in mind. Some of us have experience with WW2 field gear and can get a good or bad feeling of whether an item is period made or not, but "usually" a post war item does have differences from a war era made item and these forums are supposed to be the place where we can come to learn from other collectors. If you are lucky enough to have experience with lots of German produced field gear you can either choose to educate/help others learn or keep your comments to yourself. It's a free world. This is the first German ammo can I have ever had in my hands so how am I supposed to be confident as to what it is? I know that the MG 34/42 continued to be used after the war by many countries and so there must be post war versions of the accessories. All I wanted was to gain a little knowledge. If threads like this one bore some of you, then don't participate in the thread... just let it fade away. For those who did help me learn something about these ammo cans, thank you very much!

Cheers,

Steve