Photo of SS men in Russia

[Witt]

Here is the one photo from a set of four I was able to get of two SS men in Russia. This is a posed photo of them in a firefight with their MP-40s. You can note a built-up wooden wall behind them, a cross made of sticks, and a door but no building. Interesting to know the backstory there.
In the other photos they stand with machinepistoles, and stick grenades tucked under their belts. We know the Oberscharführer on the left is named Siegfried as the reverse notes it is him and a friend in Russia, 1943. Both are veterans of the east; his comrade wears both iron crosses, the IAB, and the black wound badge.

[BlackCat1982]

It would be interesting to know the opinion of anyone who has fired a live MP40. I recall reading somewhere that to hold the magazine at the bottom, as seen above and fire the weapon ran the risk of jamming a round in the breech? But I'm not sure whether this is true or an urban myth. Perhaps you can post the rest of the set Witt to place more context to the sequence?

[Witt]

Yes I have also read of apparent jamming problems stemming from using the magazine as a grip. Not sure what the proper way to hold it was or if that was taught. From pictures I have seen it held like this, by the bottom of the magazine, before as have I seen it held near the top of the magazine, by the magazine well, and by the lower receiver where the butt of the stock is folded.

Here are the other three photographs of the set. Only the one that I received showed them in what I believe was a mock firefight. In these they are standing leisure wherever it is that they are. The MP40s are being held in a multitude of ways in these other shots.








On a side note there were also feed malfunctions from bad magazine springs. This happened on Crete to some men from the Sturm Regiment carrying the MP40. It likely also happened to other regiments upon landing as many magazines had been loaded many weeks prior in Germany. Stress relaxation had occurred in the springs making them weak to feeding succeeding rounds into the chamber. Some were stripped in the olive groves and men found claim to mausers that no longer had owners.

[BlackCat1982]

Nice mix of equipment, namely felt boots or ankle boots. Not sure what the white pouch is on Siegfrieds belt is. Thought at first it was a fur hat, but it looks more like a pouch? Both men have the look of Alte Saltze. I wonder if luck stayed with them?

[Rescue190]

In general off, hand is on top. The Mp40 is very controllable and fairly nice to fire. Mainly due to the size of the round. Even a Full Auto Glock is not terrible to shoot.
John

[HARRY THE MOLE]

It isn't an urban myth about the the Mp40 jamming if held incorrectly. If using the magazine as a grip, the firer more often than not, will unintentionally pull the magazine backwards - which could lead to jams. The same happened with most magazine fed smg's if the stick magazine was used as a grip.

Cheers,
Steve

[Adrian Stevenson]

I have fired the MP40 live on the range with the Army. I held it via the receiver as intended. It was pleasant to shoot. It pulled up to the right. We were shooting at a three man target at 200m. The same day I shot the PPSh41 and PPS43. The Soviet guns with their crude compensators did not climb as much. We shot short controlled bursts. It was a great day!