The German MG42 machine gun...

[Texas Star]

I read a war book by a British officer who commented that the Bren just didn't look as vicious or sound as bad as the MG-42.

He felt that this was a morale issue among his men. But the Bren was better for precise fire, and probably accounted for very many enemy dead.

It, too, had a quick change barrel, a feature lacking in our own BAR. (US version. I know that Belgian models had a changeable barrel.)

The sound of the MG-42 was so distinct that Ian Fleming included one among the bad guy's arms in, Dr. No, the book. A Bren was subbed for the movie. In the book, Bond recalled that he had last heard that sound in the Ardennes in the Battle of the Bulge. Dr. No had an MG-42 on his patrol boat.

I think the look of the Browning M-1919-A6 was strongly influenced by the MG-42.

It was a devastating weapon to face, but surely needed vast amounts of ammo to run.

 

[shouldazagged]

The Wehrmacht had two of the most-feared weapons, with excellent reasons. MG42 was frightening. The 88mm AA/antitank gun was terrifying.

Great article as usual, John.

 

[les.b]

John, as always a great article. And I suppose that you are still limited in word count so that it will fit into the accustomed slot in the "Blue Press"?

That in itself is remarkable.

Thanks for sharing with us. I have your book, and my FIL gets the Blue Press, and saves the articles, which I have been adding to the book.

Some day you need to come out with a volume II!!!

Best Regards, Les

 

[MixmodelA]

I would agree, the pic is more than likely someone firing blanks. Shooting the MG 42 from other than prone or from a mount, is next to impossible. I own one and I have tried and failed. Thanks! Mick

 

[Texas Star]

I would agree, the pic is more than likely someone firing blanks. Shooting the MG 42 from other than prone or from a mount, is next to impossible. I own one and I have tried and failed. Thanks! Mick

Well, there is that case where Audie Murphy picked one up and charged the Germans, firing from waist height...

 

[Rudi]

I believe the pic is a re-enactor. It was discussed on another forum years ago. Nothing else sounds like the 42. The Germans invented nearly every major weapons system in use today. The ballistic missile, the cruise missile, rocket artillery, Blitzkrieg, the selective fire intermediate round rifle, and the Panzerfaust disposable anti tank weapon.

 

[PALADIN85020]

I would agree, the pic is more than likely someone firing blanks. Shooting the MG 42 from other than prone or from a mount, is next to impossible. I own one and I have tried and failed. Thanks! Mick

Useful commentary here. I decided to substitute a picture of an actual German soldat firing the weapon from the approved and way more practical prone position.

John

 

[chief38]

About a year ago I was watching a Documentary on this Machine Gun. The gun crew had to be very fast and efficient at changing the hot barrels as they did not last too long before they turned red hot due to the rapid rate of fire! The US Military focused more on a slower rate of fire to extend the time before the barrels over heated. That said, GI's deed seem to freak out (rightfully so) at the sound of those things!

 

[Absalom]

Great write-up.

The MG 42 was taken into service basically unchanged except for the caliber, 7.62 mm, by the post-war West German army starting in the late 1950s. A few versions MG 1, and MG 2 developed into the standard MG 3 manufactured by Rheinmetall by about 1960. It served in all machine gun roles from squad GPMG with folding bipod to anti-aircraft weapon with optics and heavy tripod mount.

It is still on duty with German forces in Afghanistan today, although mostly as a vehicle-mounted weapon. At the squad level, it has been replaced by the HK MG 4 in 5.56 mm.

 

[6518John]

Question about barrel changes.

When changing barrels, what does the operatior do with the red-hot one? Do you set it aside to cool to be reinserted when the spare turns red-hot? Would it cool down by the time the spare had heated up? Or does it warp/become unusable and have to be thrown away? How many barrels were carried as spares?

 

[Andyd]

While I haven't shot the MG42, I have plenty of experience with the MG3 and both have a lot in common.

The MG42 existed as a light machine gun, fired from a bipod and as a heavy machine gun when used with a tripod. Barrel changes were usually necessary after firing three 50 round belts fast and the machine gunners were issued an asbestos glove for that. Firing the light MG42/MG3 required a very different technique from firing a rifle but once the basics have been properly learnt, the gun can be shot with amazing accuracy and a short burst kept on the palm of a hand at 25 meters.
The MG42 and MG3 do not have a recoil that will move a shooter back several feet but not holding it right will result in the shots wandering out.

I have taught the soldiers that failed to qualify how to shoot the MG3A, they all finished the day with silver or gold.

It might be worth mentioning that the patent held by Rheinmetall for the MG42 roller lock caused Cetme to have to turn the G3 that Cetme developped over to HK.

Machinegun use has a history in my family. This is a photo of my dad in Russia in 1941.



I took this photo during a reserve training to show the shooters their mistakes.

 

[Richard Simmons]

There was a training movie made to try to counteract the psychological effect of the gun. The Marines in the Pacific would take the rear gun off damaged dive bombers. Basically a 1919 with double the rate of fire of the infantry model. They were used to good effect against Jap. pill boxes.

They called it “The Stinger”. Basically they repurposed them by adding part of a Garand stock to the rear of the receiver as well as a few other bits.

American Rifleman | Firepower in the Pacific: The “Stinger” Machine Gun

 

[mauser9]

A most enjoyable and informative read. Quite a MG for sure and developed/designed by someone not primarily in the firearms business. Envy those here that have gotten for fire one. Thanks for the great posts.

 

[max]

John, as usual, you did a fine job. However, I think the first sentence of the last paragraph should be 2 sentences. Here is a WWII US training film that discusses the MG42.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oyj-ZHXFKQI[/ame]

 

[PALADIN85020]

John, as usual, you did a fine job. However, I think the first sentence of the last paragraph should be 2 sentences. Here is a WWII US training film that discusses the MG42.

YouTube

Good suggestion - the sentence is a mite long. I really enjoyed the training film - obviously designed to boost morale with our troops.

John

 

[Engineer1911]

German 88 MM, USAF Museum, Columbus, Ohio

The lights inside the Museum were not very bright. Something about energy conservation because of the high outdoor temperatures. This gun was on display in the WW II area.

 

[Andyd]

The lights inside the Museum were not very bright. Something about energy conservation because of the high outdoor temperatures. This gun was on display in the WW II area.

That is what is spewed out. I have a lot of the fragments of the acht-komma-acht that a friend, who was a FLAK Helfer when he was 15 years old collected after the British raids on Hamburg. He painted them with clear lacquer to preserve them and I have inherited that collection.

Here are two vicious looking examples:

 

[usmc2427765]

I worked with a LEO that made the D Day landing, first wave, Omaha Beach. He Never talked about it to us younger officers, however I did overhear him comment to another WWII vet that the only thing he really feared was Hitlers " Buzz Saw". He caught one at the Battle of the Bulge and the war was over for him. God bless him, he died last year. I was never able to thank him for his service and I regret that.

 

[JayFramer]

Awesome guns. I think I’d take one over our 240 bravos. But at the end of the day, I’ll take my trusty M2 over everything else (provided there’s a vehicle to carry it!).