Post War use of MG42/MG3 by West German Army

[BMF]

Norwegian Homeguard with MG 34. (Pic. taken June 1987. Courtesy of the norwegian armed forces media archive). The MG 34 was officially in service until 1993. One of the officers in my Homeguard unit told me he took a platoon leader course in 1994. They still shot with the MG34 on tripod as a heavy MG, so they were around after 1993, untill all were replaced by the MG3.

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[Vincent]

God dag, BME. It’s good to see someone from Norway here. I have enjoyed many visits to Norway and feel privileged to have been shown some incredible private firearms collections there.

[mrclark303]

Norwegian Homeguard with MG 34. (Pic. taken June 1987. Courtesy of the norwegian armed forces media archive). The MG 34 was officially in service until 1993. One of the officers in my Homeguard unit told me he took a platoon leader course in 1994. They still shot with the MG34 on tripod as a heavy MG, so they were around after 1993, untill all were replaced by the MG3.

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Great picture,thanks for sharing, this has turned into a really fascinating thread. Did the G3 replace the .30-06 K98 as the standard service rifle in Norway?

[Littlejohn]

I wonder what other WW2 weaponry was re-issued after the war. The MG42 and the P38 were re-issued with the latter back in production as the P1.

Were all the MG3's re-manufactured MG42's or some new production too. Was there any initial re-issue of MP44 or MP40, how about K98ks?

I wonder what re-issue happened on the other side of the iron curtain, apart from some Luger refurbishment and reissue, were the East Germans mainly Soviet supplied?

East German Volkspolizei 1955, armed with Stg 44s.

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[Calif-Steve]

Something like 300,000 Germans surrendered in Norway in 1945. They left a huge inventory of various weapons and equipment. The Norwegians were quick to use all of the weapons for years.

[Sarge]

Beautiful country, both in the summer and the winter. I spent some time skiing the year the Olympics were there.
Haven't been back for probably 15 yrs.
Sarge

[mrclark303]

East German Volkspolizei 1955, armed with Stg 44s.

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Now that's a picture I haven't seen before, so did they also issue the MP40?

It's interesting, the only East German attributed WW2 weaponry I have seen before are the refurbished Luger's (plastic grips with circle design) and film of border guards with K98's.

They always seem to carrying PPSH41's in achieve films.

[Flying10uk]

I have owned this U.K. deactivated MG42 for a while that has had it's designation stamped changed to just M42, presumably post war, but I have no idea who may have done it, or why. It is the only example that I am aware of that is marked in such a way but I also don't believe it to be a MG3 or M53 dressed up to look like a MG42 or they would have got the marking correct? The top cover has been replaced at some point and probably some other parts as well as may be expected with something of this age. I would be pleased to hear of any thoughts as to who may have used it post war and why the designation marking was charged. Thanks for any information.

[Peter Laidler]

That's what I'd call '.....been round the block a few times.....' as my old mum used to describe some of my early girlfriends........ The simple reason for previously numbered parts appearing on weaponry is that gun A would come back from a Field, Command or Base workshop in-inspection. It'd have a major fault such as a cracked body or elongated rivet holes or twisted this that or the other so it'd come back with a certificate of condemnation. So when it came back to you prior to return to Ordnance and the hot-axe you'd take anything that was serviceable off it or parts that were in short supply and replace them with worn out stuff. The good stuff goes back on the shelf. When it's used on another bit of kit, it's re-numbered to suit. Simple That's how it works in real life.

Then 30 years later when it is sold off to the public they get into train spotter or anorak mode, read a few books, immediately know best and say that it isn't original! Like I say many times and will repeat until the cows come home. I don't remember anyone coming into our Armourers shop to say that they don't want a BSA trigger, P-H piston, a set of Fazakerley woodwork or a Lithgow barrel on their rifle or GPMG. It might have happened of course but I was probably out.

[Flying10uk]

I believe that the "bnz" marking that is stamped on the lower part of the receiver to be the original factory code stamp but the designation appears to have been changed to just M42 instead of MG42 that is normally seen. It would be interesting to discover which country labeled their MG42s up in this way. An obvious possibility is Yugoslavia but I have never heard any suggestion that they did this.