Richtkreis 31

[Reichpapers]

Here is another one of my fine MG related purchases. Now, I'd love to tell you what it is...but I honestly don't know...I saw it in Myrvangs book, but never bothered reading into it as I never thought I'd find one. It was used in some capacity by the heavy MG crews (MG on Lafette) for sighting in the gun or figuring direct and indirect fire...how I don't know yet....it was also used by artillery crews for their guns...It is one of the three uglies...for me that means the second of three optics that I have to mortgage my house to get....next Lafette optics for the 42...RK31 pics:

[TOM R]

looks neat, though if it is as expensive as you make it sound then it ain't that neat

[Reichpapers]

Not terrible...costs no more than a parts kit...oddly enough the periscope cost more that the optic.

[JBaum]

The Aiming Circle:

Do you remember high school algebra? When you know two angles and the length of one side of a triangle, you can determine the lengths ot the other two sides. This is what the Aiming Circle was used for. The distance between the MG and the Aiming Circle was carefully measured. Then both the MG telescopic sight and the Aiming Circle would determine angles to the target, or targeted area. With a little math, the range could be determined very accurately, and a table was drawn up showing all ranges for the chosen targets. Exact range to a tree, for instance, wasn't needed, but the little clearing just in front of it could be a few meters less, so they'd range the tree. This is one of the uses of aiming stakes. The red and white short poles would be place somewhere that needed ranging, but didn't have landmarks to fix on. The idea what to put the stakes where the approaching enemy wouldn't see them until it was too late, such as on the far side (from the enemy) of some bushes. This way, ranging would be known without alerting the enemy. If I were walking along the path in German controlled territory and saw some aiming stakes here and there....... RUN, Run long and hard!

Picture the base of a triangle. The right corner is the MG. The left corner is the aiming cirlce. The distance between the two is 155 meters. The inside angle from the MG to the target is 67 degrees, the inside angle from the aiming circle to the target is 83 degrees. Doing that math, and theat means that the range from the MG to the target is 310.2996 meters. Simple! hahahahaha

The aiming circle periscope was especially useful for keeping the user under cover while he was observing the action. He could signal the MG squad which target to shoot at while keeping the MG out of sight behind a treeline or hill. The MG didn't need to be placed in a direct line of sight this way. With their range data, they could sit behing the next hill and give indirect fire to the targets as they're called out by the observer. This would be one of the times the deckungswinkelmesser would be used, to deteremine the angle needed to overcome the close cover or hillside, and shoot into the valley beyond it. The range plates on the Lafette tripod gave the necessary data for knowing the elevation settings to get the range needed, and the stops on the Lafette elevation adjustment knobs prevented shooting into the dirt or over your intended target by limiting the elevation settings that could be made.

The Germans were also keen for shooting over their own troops, providing cover fire for the friendly forces while they kept the MGs so far back that the enemy couldn't destroy them. A very effective tactic, which the deckungswinkelmesser and the aiming circle were required for.

Hope that wasn't too much BS. The German's tactical capabilities were superior in their day to everyone else. The U.S. only won through sheer numbers of men, and our production capacity, which in the best of times was still limited in Germany by their lack of resources.

[TOM R]

sounds like a complicated, over engineered, unneccesary p.o.s. (no offense)

[Reichpapers]

What happens when you didn't do the math.

[Reichpapers]

Thanks for that bit of info JBaum....that is my eventual goal...to have all the equipment necessary to be able to accuratly set everything up with all of the tools.....Just wonder what I will still need

Have
Lafette 42
Deckungswinkelmesser
Richtkreis 31 w/Tripod
Entfernungsmesser 34
Lafette optics w accesories
JBaums manuals

Need
Ranging stakes
??

[JBaum]

Complicated? not really. Every person in my high school algebra class could do the math. No magic is involved, and Einstein I'm not. The math to do it this has been around since surveying started centuries ago, and you don't even need a calculator to do it.

Over engineered? naw, it is a precise measuring instrument, but far less complicated than the stuff surveyors used at the time, and that equipment isn't complicated either.

Unnecessary? Well, you probably would have a different opinion if it were you who could hide behind a hill and shoot the enemy without your ass in the air waiting for a bullet. The Germans used it very effectively in WW2, and the U.S. has equivalent pieces of equipment that they used for the same purpose right up to the time they went with GPS and computer fire directors.

P.O.S.? If that's your view of German engineering in use in a combat setting, perhaps the Browning 1919A4 would suit your tastes better than an MG42. (no offense).

It was just a tool to do a job more effectively. Nothing more. Some people use wind meters when they shoot to accurately compensate for windage. Some people hold the sight a little off and take their best guess. It isn't a p.o.s. if it works, and it did.

[JBaum]

Reichpapers:

I'm sure you could make an acceptable adapter to fit one of the wooden tripods that are for sale on ebay. So long as the aiming circle can be leveled, it will do its job. Original tripods are as nuts for price as the rest of the equipment. You should be able to get what you need as a tripod for $30 or so.

Ranging stakes have been on ebay a few times in the last year. Expect to pay $300 for a nice set. The optics are usually aroung $800.

Compared to the $40,000 for the MG42 itself, the optics are very modestly priced.

[Reichpapers]

I'm definatly going with an original tripod....Though I noticed the one in Myrvangs book is smaller than the ones that go with the scissor binocs....RANGE STAKES????? I have been looking for them....hope they show again.

[Reichpapers]

Well, I updated my first post....I now have a tripod for it. The nice part of the story is that it is the same tripod in the picture...I emailed the guy who won the tripod a week before I won the RK31 auction....he initially bid on the tripod because he planned to bid on the RK31 too...he gladly turned over the auction to me...Very very nice gentleman.

[Reichpapers]

Since I think this is way cool, below I posted the Richtkreis with reticle illuminated by the below battery box and cable (pics attached):

[ak47dennis]

That’s cool ( I like potato’s too :P )

[Schnee]

....

[Reichpapers]

Those pieces rarely if ever show up for sale....great pics.

[Reichpapers]

( I like potato’s too :P )

few would get that joke....

[perro]

while technically not for the MG here is the COLT / ZEISS equivalent for the 1928 colt


if you learn some basic trigonometry, its fairly simple to figure one of these things out as jbaum describes


VERY cool piece of gear there!!

[TOM R]

triginometry :l++

[Reichpapers]

Does it come with the ability to light the reticle?