MG42 vs. Yugo M53

[vik]

Hey I am new to the forum and new to the world of building and working on MG's. Are yugo Mg53 kits compatible with mg-42 kits, ie can they be interchanged, barrel, feed tray, top cover etc? Any help would be nice.

Also where is a good source for WWII mg ammo can's and belts, as well as, any and/or all other MG-42 parts.

Thanks in advance!

Vik

[drooling idiot]

Are yugo Mg53 kits compatible with mg-42 kits, ie can they be interchanged, barrel, feed tray, top cover etc?

pretty common question lately , guess we will be needing a definitive list of what works and what doesn't. until then
http://www.panzer46.net/mg42board/viewt ... ght=#33452

Welcome to the forum Vik , pull up an ammo crate you've got a lot of reading to do .

[Bil]

Vik-I read your post,and thought-cant he find anything?Sorry about that.I looked all over and couldnt find that answer,either.The 53 would make an excellant parts kit,as most of the parts are exactly the same.I will be corrected if wrong.I know there is a small differance in the gripstick,around the safety.The holes for the grips dont line up.also the markings on the safety ars differant.There may be more,such as calibres.I have several 53 for spares.Hope this helps or stirrs up more an swers. ---bil

[vik]

Thanks Bil, I appreciate your response and plan on buying an M53 parts kit. Glad you couldn't find an answer either I would have felt real bad about posting the question with the answer staring me in the face. Thanks again!

[vik]

Thanks for the help....yeah since last friday I have probably logged more hours on this site than I have anywhere on the internet during the wole of the year up to this point. I appreciate any and all help and llok forward to being more of a contributor and less of a question guy in the future.

[longhorn109]

Hi Vik,

I have both an M53 and Mg42, deactivated unfortunately, and I can tell you this:

*grip panels are not interchangable.

*butt stocks are not interchangable there is a sticky on this in the stickies section with

all the info on this.

*I have found that the full auto pistol grips don't swop well. I put my MG42 pistol grip on the

M53 and found that safety did not work. You could put the safety on but if you pulled the

tigger with it cocked it would fire. I know this is not a problem for s.a. as you use a different

trigger group. It would be interesting if anyone with a full auto could confirm this. Or are

mine just broken.

Thats all I can think of but it is late over here and I am tired. I am sure the big brains on the site will let you know if there are any other differences.

[drooling idiot]

VIK i combined your two threads on this into one.

OK everybody chime in here lets get all the info here and I'll make a stickie out of it.

MG53s don't have a WW2 anti-aircraft front mounting bracket on them
MG53s have a tab on the top of the barrel door
MG53s have different buffer thread pitch so they won't fit German buttstocks
MG53s have different grip panel mounting locations so they won't swap.
MG53s have the barrel door latch riveted on / German is screwed.
MG53s have different markings for the safety than German.
MG53s ..........................

what else can you guys think of ?

[Bil]

I think this would made a very good stickie,maybe even with pictures of the differant pieces side-by-side.Such as the dif. boosters,etc.I know some of the guys mix parts,so would know more.Looking forward to more info in one spot. ---bil

[vik]

Glad I posted a question that seems to have needed answering. Thanks for all the help guys!

[IMBLITZVT]

Ok so I have a bunch of parts... so how do I tell them apart?

Well in the stickies there are a few good links to telling the buffers apart:
http://www.panzer46.net/mg42board/viewtopic.php?t=1688

Top covers are pretty easy too. If it has a crest its Yugo. MG3 is 308 (difference size feedtray and cover)

Stocks I am still a little unsure.

Now is this correct:

German WWII MG42: Not marked on some smaller parts, Waffenamp (nazi birds) marked, and/or small lower case two or three letter code stamped in the part somewhere. Codes listed here:
http://users.swing.be/sw017995/waffenamt.htm\

Yugo M53: Rectangle/Square stamped with some kind of writing inside. Basically anthing with a squarish shape or may look like an "L" if only half of the stamp hit. I have also seen German WWII parts mixed with Yugo parts in top covers and bipods. Also if there is a longer small serial number on the parts.

German MG3: Usually pretty much unmarked except for a serial number with a "-" in it at least one time. Larger text but shorter number then the yugo parts.

Is this right???

Some other questions:

1. Can someone show the difference in the M53/MG3/MG42 stocks? It seems to me that the M53 is more angular on the back of the stock. I think I have an MG3 stock that looks like the MG42 stock but has a serial number inside. Can anyone say or show exactly how to tell. I also think I have a M53 stock and it looks fat and is painted black.

2. Sights. I think the Yugo sights have a polished surface on the face, where the WWII sights are all the same parked/blued color. MG3 sights only go to 1200m right?

3. I thought that the adjustable bipod was only German WWII but I got a yugo one last night. So I guess the only way to tell is if they have a bird or a square stamp? MG3 stocks have a only one piece stamped top, right? Like in this picture:
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y270/d ... /bipod.jpg

4. On the booster. Other then the booster hole sizes, has anyone seen any differences?

5. Are all the grip panels marked "PK" on the back or just the German WWII ones? The M53 are the redish ones right where the WW2 panels seem very dark brown/Black.

6. What do all the markings on the Trunnion mean? I can not seem to find anything on the codes.


So basically how do you tell MG42 vs. MG3 vs M53 parts apart? If there is already a thread on this info (I already looked in the stickies) please post a link to it. I need the most help on the stocks. Thanks guys!

[Bil]

IMBLITZVT-To keep JBaum from getting all twitchy-#6-trunnion-there is no trunnion,its the cam piece.The machined,2 pc part on the outside.The cam 'section' is the receiver part under it. The numbers on the cam piece are serial numbers,they should match each other.It is a 2 pc part that has both parts machined together,and should stay as a pair.When I learn to cut and paste,I will try to get a sheet together.I'm only allowed those little round-nosed scissors right now! ---bil

[IMBLITZVT]

trunnion-cam piece... ok

I was really talking about the other number marked on the cam...besides the serial number. I have several numbers stamped into mine. I will try to take a look at them when I get home and post what they are.

Thanks!

[IMBLITZVT]

You know I looked over the whole site and missed this thread. I guess it was right there in front of my face.

More questions. The rear sight pin. Is the german one the one with or without the retaining ring on the end? I am going to post some pictures later.

[Scuderia]

Is there a link to the buttstock buffer sticky?

[drooling idiot]

http://mg42.us/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=1688

[waffendude]

i may be wrong---but isnt the frt shroud a bit different---i think it has a different taper length ? ?
waffen

[drooling idiot]

yes, there were/are pictures of the two side by side on the forum somewhere. Not a big difference.

[jcmg42]

viewtopic.php?f=39&t=871

http://www.warrelics.eu/forum/firearms- ... iver-5791/

War relics may need a login but his receiver study is well worth the price (free registration).

[42rocker]

jcmg42

The topic that you refer to by searchandfind on that website is also on this website with a link in I believe to his website. A lot of GREAT information which ever website.

Also this was stated above
"""MG53s have a tab on the top of the barrel door""" as noted in Folke Myrvang's book mg34/42 one part c&d product run had a tab on the top of the barrel door. I don't recall that many tabs on m53's either.
This is a good old treat that we need to compare a few things with.

Later 42rocker