Talk:MG 42

Additional images

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MG42 Early Left - 7.92x57mm Mauser. The characteristic feature of the early model is a white grip cladding made of metal and a horizontal charging handle.

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MG42 Early Right - 7.92x57mm Mauser. The characteristic feature of the early model is a white grip cladding made of metal and a horizontal charging handle.

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MG42 with bipod extended - 7.92x57mm Mauser

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MG42 with drum magazine - 7.92x57mm Mauser

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MG3 with no bipod - 7.62x51mm NATO.

Discussion

CETME

CETME Ameli (please note capitals as CETME is a abbreviation) Is not a minaturised MG42/MG3 it is in fact a SAW variant of the CETME 5.56mm rifles like the H&K 21/23 machine guns and works on delayed blowback not the short recoil of the MG42/MG3

- That is all entirely true as I've read. But, since it bears such an uncanny resemblance to the German MG guns, probably wouldn't hurt to leave it. That note should be posted on the page, though. StanTheMan 17:03, 5 May 2010 (UTC)

MG42 with Drum Magazine

I was able to get a picture of the MG42 with the drum magazine, the one that appears in some video games. Though I don't know if German units in World War 2 did have MG42 with drum magazines, I'm not sure if I should put this image onto the gun's page. - Kenny99 00:05, 4 June 2010 (UTC) Yeah the MG42 retained the 50 round drum magazine from the MG34, but not the 75 round double drum. Pravda616

Wasn't the 75 round double-drum just a magazine for the MG15 and not a belt holder?--Mandolin (talk) 10:23, 16 February 2014 (EST)

A thought

Hey,guys! I want to hear a comparison between these two legendary MG's:MG 34 and 42.

First question:Is it true that the MG 42 couldn't jam?I heard that the Mg 34 was ineffective during cold weather or somwehre in mud.True or just a Myth. --VLAD M (talk) 18:42, 9 July 2016 (EDT)

All firearms can jam. And to my knowledge the MG34's cold-weather problems were just the standard "Its negative 20 Celsius, nothing works". Even Russian guns won't work if the metal freezes to itself, and when its that cold combat is impossible. Its probably snowing or has snowed several feet of snow and you have enough trouble just trying to not freeze to death. Also, you should probably ask this on the forum, its a better place for discussion.--Mandolin (talk) 18:57, 9 July 2016 (EDT)

What forum?--VLAD M (talk) 08:10, 10 July 2016 (EDT)

The IMFDB Forum. If you do not have an account, post in this discussion page and one will be created for you. --commando552 (talk) 08:54, 10 July 2016 (EDT)

MG42 in Stalingrad

I always thought that the MG42 was not used at Stalingrad. The fact that all the photos I've seen of MGs at Stalingrad were of MG34s led me to the conclusion that the MG42 was not present there, maybe it was still in a development stage in 42' or there were logistical issues. That's why I cringed every time I saw a media showing an MG42 being used at Stalingrad.

So I just dug deeper into the matter and here is what I found. The earliest "thing" that can be defined as MG42 is the experimental MG39 which can be seen here and here, apparently that thing is so obscure that it didn't appear anywhere else other than this particular photo. Then we have the thing called MG39/41 of which only 1500 pieces were produced and trialed in 1941. The MG39/41 is believed to have been trialed in very limited numbers at Stalingrad. The MG39/41 was almost identical to the MG42 and after its trials underwent minor modifications and was officially adopted in 1942 as the MG42.

According to this document from October 22, 1942, the MG42 was present on the front. This and this also confirm the MG42 being at Stalingrad. However, we have to consider that it was still a rarity at this point (ratio of about 1 MG42 per 13 MG34s or so in the report) so liberal depiction of mass MG42 in media would be inaccurate and historical blasphemy :D

Now that we have the answer to the question, one more thing remains. The early MG42 used at this time of the war apparently had distinctive early horizontal charging handles. According to this here these first model "Slab sided" charging handles were used on the 1942 - early 1943 guns and were replaced by the common ratchet handles. Apparently the MG42 got its "classic" look at some point in 1943 so all the media portraying the classic MG42 being used in Stalingrad is fake news :D Bonus photo of the gun with early handle allegedly at Stalingrad. --Nanomat (talk) 18:12, 18 December 2018 (EST)