Belt Loader

Abwehr · Post by **Abwehr** » Sat May 14, 2005 7:35 am

Hey guys,

We have all seen the MG3 Belt Loader being sold by SG and others in the $90 range. Converting from 7.62mm to load 8mm has been the real PITA for using this great loader. I saw a photo in the May 01 issue of "Shotgun News" of a belt loader for the E. German RPD MG and they used what appears to be the MG3 Loader with a curved tray instead of a hopper to load the 7/62x39 round.

I was thinking that the hopper could be removed from the loader, a simple tray fabricated from sheet steel, attach to the loader body with the same type mounting as the hopper ,at an angle that would allow the rounds to "flow" into the loader mechanism. This way, you could load both calibers and still not make any modifications to the original loader. Did my little explanation make any sense?

I may work in this when I get time, but it won't be for a while yet.

Jason · Post by **Jason** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:24 am

sounds like a good idea. If you could come up with an extra hopper you could cut the top off and use the mounting bracket for the new tray. the 8mm tray would be easy to make but the mount would be much harder to fabricate I would think.

Post by **Blanksguy** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:47 pm

That "East-German" belt loader came in a metal can that held different adaptors to lay in the area for the different belts being use. I have one of these belt loaders, and it will load 8x57mm in the MG42 type belts, 7.62x54R in Maxim metal belts, 7.62x39mm in both types of RPD Belts....and even load AK47 magazines. Quite a machine. It also has an adaptor to where you can install a larger drum-type hopper onto the machine.....and it will point the live ammo in the correct direction for loading into the machine also (allowing you to just dump boxes of shell into the hopper).

Have you looked at modifing the MG3/.308 belt-loading machines to load 8x57mm? Might be worth a look? Seems if you use "reverse" engineering....making the pusher come back farther, and modify the feed-hooper to allow longer shells might work?

Let us know what you find out, RichardS.

Post by **TOM R** » Sat May 14, 2005 2:53 pm

blanks guy where do you get that one "e german"?

Post by **Blanksguy** » Mon May 16, 2005 8:43 pm

Tom R,
I believe that what you are looking for is the East German Z-64 (or maybe the GFV-64) Belt-Loading-Machine with all of the addaptors/spacers that would go into the metal carry-can. I don't believe that you would want the large drum-collator that can mount on top of this belt-loader as it is heavy and about 2' across.

My only suggestion (because they are available over in Germany) is to place an ad in DWJ magazine over in Germany.....or contact an overseans vendor of military surplus. You could probably find a good/used one for about $200 complete.....maybe $250 with shipping?

I picked mine up about eight years ago from an overseas vendor that I new in old "West-Germany"........ who has pass away a few years ago. I do not have a contact for another presently.
I did however, send Bob Naess (of Black River Militaria) a copy of the manual for it several years ago. Possibly he may know where to locate another?

RichardS.