Lot of MG ammo carrying items

[BodhiEtheridge]

Hello, these have sparked my interest and I would be happy to add them to my collection. I have very little knowledge on these kinds of items and would like opinions on their originality. The paint looks a little too new especially on the two ammo baskets in my opinion. The pictures aren’t the best so apologies for that.

These are the only images available.

Cheers,
Bodhi

[lebus12]

hello, Yougo paint?

[BrodieBartfast]

Hard to tell from the lighting, but if it’s a pea green colour it’s postwar Yugoslavian paint. They often painted over wartime drums, carriers and boxes, though.

Look for a maker’s mark. If you can find a three letter factory code or a WaffenAmt, they’re wartime German with post-WWII paint. If you can see ‘BK’ in a box stamped on them anywhere, they’re postwar Yugoslavian manufacture. The ‘BK’ is a Serbian military control marking.

Regards, B.B.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Thank you for the helpful replies, on the ammo box I can see a 41 and the faint outline of a WaffenAmt, as for the others I don't see any markings. From the images I think the paint is a sand tan colour. I probably will pass on these if they have been post war repainted though.

Thanks,
Bodhi

[BlackCat1982]

The gurttrommelträger should be marked on the end plate between the handle fixings (one of which I see is bent). If they were cheap I’d be tempted to buy them, paint them feldgrau and move them on for a profit?

[BrodieBartfast]

If you're careful, you can strip the postwar paint to reveal the original coat underneath. It's usually very well-preserved, too, in comparison to carriers that have been left with their original paint exposed for the last 70+ years.

I stripped back a Yugo-painted trommel late last year, with pretty good results. As long as you take care, you can restore these items back to their wartime appearance fairly easily.



Regards, B.B.

[HetzersGonnaHetz]

As said above, if the items themselves are wartime and you can get them for a decent price, the Yugo paint isn't too much of a problem; repaint them how they would have looked during wartime if you don't want to run the risk of removing paint and they'll be lovely display pieces that are still worth a few bob.

[BodhiEtheridge]

Last I checked the set costs around 220 USD, is that too much or a good price?

[HetzersGonnaHetz]

Is that for all items pictured?

[BodhiEtheridge]

I believe so, it doesn’t say otherwise.