info wanted for mg42 storing box

[jens]

hello,

i was wondering ... does someone has an original MG42 crate to place the mg into ?
I would like to rebild the case so i can put my mg away,
pictures of original crates would be nice and dimensions too.

kind regards,

jens

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

MG-42's were never stored in crates. You could make a custom crate for yours if you want one.

[jens]

there are no official boxes to store an mg in ?
because i saw some boxes that looked very original .

is there more information ?

[FKpt.Fritz]

do a forum search theres a 3 page thread on it with pictures and discriptions

[MGMike]

Hi Jens:

Here's the thread....viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7076

It explains that there were no "issue" boxes, but there are a few ideas on how they should look.

MikeD

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Hi Jens:

Here's the thread....viewtopic.php?f=24&t=7076

It explains that there were no "issue" boxes, but there are a few ideas on how they should look.

MikeD

.. How they should look IF THEY WERE ACTUALLY MADE AND ISSUED. There are postwar MG-34 boxes out there from Yugoslavia, and they can be a good basis for you making yourself a MG-42 crate. The Germans originally didn't have them, but we colectors find making and using them quite practical.

[JBaum]

The Germans didn't have transit cases for the MG42 that I've ever seen, but they did for the MG34.

Here's a picture from the 1936 dated HDv 127/1, MG34 manual I've translated.

[flemgunner]

No thats cool. Dude an Ox cart would be an awesome accessory.

[flemgunner]

eeerrr should say "NOW thats cool"

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

Where can one find oxen these days? Maybe the Amish have some on the trading lot. ..

[Blanksguy]

On the subject of MG42 and MG34 "Boxes"...........
.....guys, if you take into consideration that the WWII German had storage/shipping-crates for the K-98 Rifles........would it not make sence that they would also have "storage"/"shipping-crates" for the MG-34s (as they shipped to Portugal during the war) and for the MG-42. I just can not see them throwing their MG34s and MG42s into a pile into the corner of some warehouse (?).

I still believe that the best example would have been from the photos that were published in either the old "Machine-Gun-News" magazine (now out-of-print), or in an early issue of "Small-Arms-Review". The article was from one of the authors on a small-arms information-trip into either old Hungary/Romania/or one of the "Balkan" countries. They showed crates of new/almost new WWII German Small-Arms.....MP-44-series.....and MG-42s.

The examlpes (from the photos that I recall) showed two (2) "MG" per crate.......with basic accessories (IE: They had "Gunner's-Kit", Bipods, Slings, 1-2 spare-barrels in carriers w/slings, and maybe two 50-rd. "assault-drums", and/or a gun-action-cover. I don't recall them containing common "ammo-cans", nor any other accessories, and no ammo.

If someone can look that article up......and then post the photos, it would give you a basic design for a two-gun-crate.
As far as crates for one-gun (?)........you could possibly make up something on the line of the crates that the Germans made up to ship their MG-34s to Portugal as an example.......then, make slight changes to internal-design for the MG42 to fit, and make them look "period-correct".

Regards, RichardS in MI.
Blanksguy2001@chartermi.net

[Bil]

I agree-as well organized as the Germans were,it is hard to believe they didn't have some sort of box to ship the guns in.Maybe not a box that was kept with the gun,but at least something that would protect it and keep all the spare parts together.I read somewhere that the troops used the wood from the ammo crates in building their bunkers and trench duckboards,maybe the gun crates ended up the same way.By the way,I am looking forward to Johns newest manuals,Hdv 134-oxcart repair and maintanance,and its companion manual-Hdv135,oxen care and feeding,with menus for oxtail soup included! ---bil

[JBaum]

Actually, they were horse carts, and I understand that horse meat is pretty good. There should be some recipes out there for it, but I don't eat something that used to be a pet. No kitties, dogs, or horses.

BRP sells a transit chest: http://brpguns.com/mg42dummy.htm It's a little pricey, but it looks nice.

There are still a few Portugese MG 34 transit chests around, but the last one I saw sold for $1,700.