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MG42 firing rate

Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 1:31 pm
by askhati
In a recent discussion with a fellow WW2 / German enthusiast, the topic of MG firing rates came up, and the figure of 26-30 RPS (rounds per second) was mentioned for the MG42. This took me quite aback, as I always had the figure of 1,200 RPM / 20 RPS in mind. Does anyone have info on these "faster" MG42's variants? The topic has really piqued my interest now!

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2015 5:19 pm
by shultz wuffenbach
Have read somewhere that with a different spring and bolt mechanism then they would fire at 1500 rounds per minute
usually in twin or quad anti aircraft mounts.....
totally devastating as that is a lot of lead in a second..........................

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 1:10 am
by ssparatrooper
The MG42 can with the addition of a special recoil intensifier indeed fire up to 1500 rpm it looks like a muzzle break from a tank! but i have never seen a photo of it actually in use the only reference i know of is in the MG34/42 collector grade book

also there is a plunger inside the bolt that comes in different versions that will effect the rate of fire as this is how the MG3 is slowed down

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Fri Oct 23, 2015 7:20 pm
by pepperpot
one of the re enactors from Deutschland I know was a feldwebel in the German tank core. His modified mg42 to the NATO version fired rounds up to 1500 RPM and also discharged over 250,000+ rounds. the mg still had all is waffenampt stamps on it.
graham

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 7:17 am
by askhati
So... not really much evidence of the ground-used models going over 20 RPS? I would love to see that 1,500 RPM muzzle booster, btw - please share a pic if you can!

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2015 11:42 pm
by ssparatrooper
http://www.firearmsworld.net/german/mg/mg42/mg42.htm

there is a picture of it on this page, right click the page and translate it

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:57 am
by askhati
Image

That is one ugly-ass muzzle break...

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Tue Oct 27, 2015 7:59 am
by pepperpot
and this
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_42

do a google search, most info is correct but NOT all
graham

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Wed Oct 28, 2015 7:52 am
by askhati
Wikipedia was where I went to check that my initial recollection of 20 RPS had been correct. All my reference books also back that up - hence the initial puzzlement over these rates of 25+ RPS. Will keep digging.

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 2:21 am
by DARIVS ARCHITECTVS
I owned an MG-42 for six years, an original in 8mm Mauser. With hot ammo it ran at 21 rounds per second. It ran a little slower with 1970's Romanian 8mm ammo.

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Sun Mar 10, 2019 12:23 pm
by Halle
DARIVS ARCHITECTVS wrote:I owned an MG-42 for six years, an original in 8mm Mauser. With hot ammo it ran at 21 rounds per second. It ran a little slower with 1970's Romanian 8mm ammo.

I do hope you didn't sell it !! :?: :o

Re: MG42 firing rate

Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2019 5:10 pm
by peiper1944
A German machine gunner who had served at Normandy
claims to have inflicted at least 2000 casualties using an MG-42 on
Omaha beaches, his knickname was "The beast of Omaha"

According to his memoir's he fired over 13500 rds until 15.30hrs,
it didn't say what time he started but apparantly wasn't very long
but reckons during that time he inflicted at least 2000 US casualties
using the 42.

Pipes