The MP40 ... Real Steel...

Post by 2sharp

While is was slowly rotting away in Kosovo i mentioned to Cerwyn that it was quite boring not to be able to handle my modelguns.

But that i had the idea of getting my eager paws on some of the confiscated guns and shoot some pictures and then get'em up here for joy and information purposes.

Due to Kosovo's declaration of independency our workload increased quite a lot so i just didn't have the time to take photos, but, just before we left i had the opportunity to take some pics.

So this will be the first post and i choose the MP-40 as it is quite popular here

I do not claim to be a good photgrapher or have very much knowledge about guns. So please don't take any information as 100% correct.

'nuff with talking, on with the guns!

Reference pages:
http://world.guns.ru/smg/smg33-e.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP40

This particular specimen was made at ERMA in Erfurt, indicated by the production code "ayf".

Left and right side:




Some more detailed pictures:

First pic is the back part of the receiver, where you can see the weapon model and manufacturers code and date?
Second pic shows the bottom of the receiver, the take-down knob and the trigger guard.
Third pic is the ejection port, weapon is slithglt tilted to the left. You can easily see the feeding ramp and the cut-out for the extractor.
Fourth pic shows the charging handle, not the it is possible to press this towards the receiver to lock the bolt in the forward position.


First pic is pretty similar to the last pic in the above series, but here the cocking handle is shown locked into the receiver.
Second pic shows the lower receiver and the take-down button has been pulled out.
Third pic is the back of the lower receiver, the sling loop can be clearly seen. Some numerical code, but it is hard to read.
Fourth pic shows the bolt and the firing pin, pretty solid firing pin in my opinion!


First pic is the telescopic recoil assembly with firing pin.
Second pic is the bolt from the bottom, you can clearly see the groove for the ejector. Also note the 2 holes on the cocking handle, they are for a small spring loaded ball-bearing and "locks" the handle in or out of the receiver as noted earlier.
Third pic shows front of the bolt, the extractor is shown as is the hole for the firing pin.
Fourth pic is top of receiver, you can see the trigger assembly and the take-down pin.


First pic, looking down the ejection port, the ejector can be seen.
Second pic, muzzle with the hook on the bottom of the barrel.
Third pic, barrel removed from receiver.
Fourth pic, front of receiver, not the 2 lugs to guide the barrel in the correct position.


First pic is the firing pin, as i said earlier it is a solid one!
Second pic i have pulled out the take-down pin and turned the upper receiver, i'm pointing to the trigger as it needs to be pulled to allow it to go back together
Third pic, bottom of the upper receiver, you can see the slots for the take-down pin and the trigger mechanism.
Fourth pic is of course the folding stock folded.


Just some additional pics

I only shot 25 pics, they should all be here.

Hope you liked it

Any ideas on improvement for the next gun featured just let me know!


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I need more model guns...

The holy quest for modelgun information and knowledge will never-ever end!!

Post by Doc

Only 67 years old and still in use ...... now that brings a smile to my face .

A thing of beauty.

nice Post ... criminal not to have fired it


DOC
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We need guns...lots of guns....

.... well anything mechanical that can kill people is interesting ...

Post by MadMike

Well, it will have to last a little longer as it was built for the Thousand Year Reich ...

No, serious. It is a real masterpiece, a good and sturdy design.
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"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by 2sharp

Doc wrote:

Only 67 years old and still in use ...... now that brings a smile to my face .
A thing of beauty.
nice Post ... criminal not to have fired it

DOC

Well... if it was up to me i'd shown you LOTS of firing performance.. darn those regulations..

Good point MadMike!

Post by MadMike

Please keep up the photos of various guns, I really enjoy these.

One thing I really like is that you are still interested in those Japanese modelguns, although you have high powered real assault weapons in arm's reach and can touch and handle such confiscated historical weapons.
_________________
"It's a hardball world, son. We've gotta keep our heads until this peace craze blows over."

Post by 2sharp

MadMike wrote:

Please keep up the photos of various guns, I really enjoy these.
One thing I really like is that you are still interested in those Japanese modelguns, although you have high powered real assault weapons in arm's reach and can touch and handle such confiscated historical weapons.

To be honest it makes it even more interesting with model guns
Being able to compare them and see hopw they have managed to copy and/or change the mechanism is very interesting.
Although we can be somewhat disappointed with bad firing performance of our model guns, i still find it quite impressive that they (Model gun companies) are able to re-produce guns so closely.
If i understood it right they won't have access to the real gun which they copy, that makes me even more impressed by their skill and dedication.
Oh, and model guns are just for fun, real guns are real guns and should be treated as such.
(not saying that model guns doesn't have their hazards and should also be treated with respect)
Time permitting there will be more to come

Post by Claymore

Great pics, there is just something about the mp40 that makes it stand out from other smg's. i was fortunate enough to get to fire one and it was a great gun to fire of course that was about 30yrs ago when all style of guns were still legal but i can still remember firing it, pity video cams did not exist then.

Keep these coming 2sharp please!

These are the first detailed photos of a real steel MP40 I have seen and I am more than impressed by how well both MGC and Marushin have reproduced it.

100% authentic is a term often used for models but apart from the firing pin... well the Japanese models are superb aren't they?

I would really like to see more posts and threads like this so we can see exactly how closely (or not) a modelgun copies the real steel original.

I am pretty envious too that you can get to handle a gun such as the MP40... Green with envy actually!

Great post mate, I really enjoyed that and I'll be checking out those photos again, and again and again...

Cerwyn
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Hobby collector of mainly WW2 era uniforms, headgear, field equipment and replica weapons.

Post by LDR

Very interesting photos!

What happens to these weapons? Are they destroyed?

LDR

Post by 2sharp



Thanks guys, i'm happy you liked them.

Most of them are destroyed, either cut up with a torch or simply blown up.

A small selection is kept to use as training aids/educational items.

Oh, just came to think of it, when i was in Bosnia in 1999 on an EOD (Explosive Ornance Disposal) unit we had quite an unique bar/mess...

Here: http://medlem.spray.se/the_bomb_bar/
Site is in Swedish but navigate around some and there will be a lot of photos
A VERY cool place, i wouldn't mind having it as my basement!
_________________
I need more model guns...

The holy quest for modelgun information and knowledge will never-ever end!!

Post by LDR

its a shame this 60 year old antique will be destroyed.

Post by 2sharp



I agree, totally. This was part of the reference collection so hopefully, hopefully it'll stay in Swedish hands even after we [as a nation] leave Kosovo.
Some interesting weapons has made it over here for training purposes.


_________________
I need more model guns...

The holy quest for modelgun information and knowledge will never-ever end!!