FG 42 Type 1

[lallop]

Is not very often that you get to play with one of these.. such an amazing piece of machinery.

not a replica but one of the fews that were ever made, serial around the 1500 area.

i hope you appreciate the pictures

[mauser9]

Awesome lallop! Sure was quite a design. Gotta read up more on the development. thanks for sharing.

[TheGoon]

Very rare indeed and quite the opportunity to shoot one aswell.

[Rescue190]

Wow!!! Great pick up. I have never seen one in person. Very nice piece of history. You are very fortunate to not have all the silly MG laws we do in the US.
John

[Martin Bull]

I have never seen one in person. .

Me neither. An incredibly rare firearm - many thanks for posting the pics here !

[vegetius]

We have a couple of them at work. I have always enjoyed taking them out for a few mags down range. I find closed bolt semi auto is fine but the full auto is not controllable enough to make it viable. The MP 43's are fine but nothing special to shoot I must admit, except when using a Krummlauf. We used to shoot the pattern rooms one but unfortunately that is now worn to a point that it cannot be used anymore!

[HARRY THE MOLE]

A friend of mine used to have a former Fallshirmjager member as a friend and neighbour, and the man was actually involved in the rescue of Mussolini. He used to reminisce about his time as a paratrooper to my friend Trevor, and they often discussed the various weapons used - a subject close to Trevor's heart, who is an RFD. His friend told him that he hated the Fg42 as a tactical weapon and much preferred the Kar98. He told Trevor that; 'there were too many bits sticking out of the gun which dug in to you if you were rolling on the ground'.

On the subject of automatic weapons firing from an open bolt, the Bren does just that and is also extremely accurate on full auto.

Cheers,
Steve

[vegetius]

A friend of mine used to have a former Fallshirmjager member as a friend and neighbour, and the man was actually involved in the rescue of Mussolini. He used to reminisce about his time as a paratrooper to my friend Trevor, and they often discussed the various weapons used - a subject close to Trevor's heart, who is an RFD. His friend told him that he hated the Fg42 as a tactical weapon and much preferred the Kar98. He told Trevor that; 'there were too many bits sticking out of the gun which dug in to you if you were rolling on the ground'.

On the subject of automatic weapons firing from an open bolt, the Bren does just that and is also extremely accurate on full auto.

Cheers,
Steve

Steve,

Wow, thank you, I was on an official visit to the IWM back around 1980/81 and met about 6 large hoods who when I got talking to them turned out to be Ex - Skorzneys Paras and were all there at Mussolini's rescue. In fact we were looking at a FG42 at the time and they said exactly the same thing! They also said that even then they were so rare nobody could get them and that actually the MP40 was far more use.

As for the Bren, I love them. However the weight and superb bipod make the difference. Having actually used an L4, (the 7.62mm Bren) in combat on a pinlel mount I can state from experience that its accuracy and effectiveness as a LMG was fantastic.

Yours Aye,
R

[norsk]

I have to go against the tide and say I have been pretty underwhelmed by the FG's I have handled and shot,even during the war they were nothing really that special.

The crazy prices that they sell for in the States must be a huge factor in the high regard these Rifles are held in. Beleive it or not there are more than a few on Sporting licences here in Norway,that was allowed if the FA function was removed.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I think that it is more likely the forum members with no military experience who are the most likely to fall in love with certain wartime weapons. The practicalities of using them in combat is better understood by former soldiers who have had to use similar weapons in actual combat.

Cheers,
Steve