Maschinengewehr 42

Although the MG 34 had very excellent qualities, it was simply too expensive to produce and too delicate for its task. Therefore by 1940 the Mauser designers were thinking of a simpler substitute, even though a complete production facility for the MG 34 had already been established to meet the enormous demand. The 9mm MP 40 sub-machine gun demonstrated the feasability of simplicity and low cost in production, thus the developers made the decision to use new production processes with as little machining as possible alongside new operating schemes. These new mechanisms were obtained from various sources. A lesson learned from the MG 34 was that feed could be improved. Captured Polish designs indicated that a totally new and radical breech locking system could be used. The Mauser designers also used ideas from Czechoslovakia, in addition to their own. It was within this plethora of inspiration that the MG 39/41 was born. After a battery of trials and tests with the MG 39/41 came finally the legendary Maschinengewehr 42 or MG 42, which is still one of the best of its type.
The MG 42 initiated and applied rapid mass-production techniques to the machine-gun on an unprecedented scale. Previous designs tried using some simple sheet metal stampings and manufacture short-cuts to facilitate production, but few survived the wear and tear of combat. The MG 42 also used many metal stampings for the receiver and the barrel house that had an effective barrel-change system. This was crucial because the MG 42 had a high rate of fire that sounded liek tearing linoleum. The peculiar noise was produced by the simple but reliable locking mechanism of the gun. The system, which was derived from several sources, used two locking rollers shuttling up and down along an internal ramp. In the forward position the rollers fixed the breech securely by mechanical power, and the ramp was allowed to release the locking. For feeding ammunition an arm on the bolt was fitted to lead the ammunition belts across into the receiver easily but also efficiently. Unlike the MG 34, the MG 42 used only the 50-round belts.
ALl these innovations merge to produce an extremely efficient general-purpose mechine-gun, and the MG 42 could also be attached to different types of mounts and auxiliary components. The MG 42 first saw action in Russia and North Africa in 1942. Afterwards it appeared on every theater of war but was usually assigned to front line troops only, for, like the Walther P38, the MG 42 succeeded only in complementing the one it was designed to replace.
The Mauser team, not satisfied with having produced a superb machine-gun design, went on to develop the MG 45 with a higher rate of fire. The end of the war curtailed the program, for the time being, but the MG 42 is a living legend that still serves in many armies today.

Click on one of the thumbnails below to view the full picture.
	Technical data and/or diagram of Maschinengewehr 42.
	MG 42 waiting invasion as part of a fortified position on the Atlantic Wall, complete with ammunition belt loaded and spare barrel at the ready by the ammunition case.
	An MG 42 for use in the light machine-gun role, with a bipod.
	An MG 42 for use in the heavy machine-gun role, with a tripod.

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