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Modeling in General
General discussions about modeling topics.
holding an mg 38/42?
godfather
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Canada
Member Since: June 26, 2002
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Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 11:47 AM UTC
I was wondering if it likely that a soldier would hold an mg 38 or 42 like a rifle, i.e., the butt braced against the shoulder?
muchachos
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Ontario, Canada
Member Since: May 21, 2008
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Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 12:32 PM UTC
I cant say definitively it was never done, but the soldiers were trained to either use the heavy tripod for the MG 34/42, use the bipod in a prone position, or, if necessary, to use it firing from the hip, in assault position. I'm not sure about the position with the loader holding the MG over his shoulder - not saying it wasn't done, just I don't know.

SCOTT
gremlinz
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Hamilton, New Zealand
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Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 08:15 PM UTC
Can it be done ? Yes.

Is it likely ? Depends on the situation and the shooter I guess. The MG42 is bloody heavy and holding at the shoulder is hard on the left arm ( if you're right handed ). Also the shooter would need to be experienced to deal with the recoil.

My assumption would be that if you didn't have to you wouldn't. German gunners were trained to fire from the hip in an assault using the bipod as a forward grip ( not because you needed to hold the gun down but because the front end gets hot ).
MrMox
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Aarhus, Denmark
Member Since: July 18, 2003
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Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 08:28 PM UTC
Having fired a mg3 (successor to the mg42) from prone, standing from hip, standing from shoulder with barrel resting on wall etc. my conclusion is, that anything but prone or in 3-foot is only for closeup use, as accuracy is affected without a good hold.

firing from the hip is not that bad, upwards recoil is more or less absorbed by the weigth of the gun, but it has a very strong tendency to move to the right. - but if you start sprying your target from left, then all targets on a range will recieve hits from 50 m.

Standing without a good rest will make you sway and your hits go up and down.

Did I mention its funny shooting it - its a hell of a gun!

Cheers/Jan
elph
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Seoul, Korea / 대한민국
Member Since: November 13, 2005
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Posted: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 - 10:43 PM UTC
Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW9gVEYCfqY " TARGET="_blank"> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW9gVEYCfqY
Emeritus
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Uusimaa, Finland
Member Since: March 30, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - 01:19 AM UTC
Here's another one. MG42 fired from the hip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp0FbdrsIGM
Tarok
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Victoria, Australia
Member Since: July 28, 2004
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Posted: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 - 10:00 AM UTC

Quoted Text

Having fired a mg3 (successor to the mg42) from prone, standing from hip, standing from shoulder with barrel resting on wall etc. my conclusion is, that anything but prone or in 3-foot is only for closeup use, as accuracy is affected without a good hold.

firing from the hip is not that bad, upwards recoil is more or less absorbed by the weigth of the gun, but it has a very strong tendency to move to the right. - but if you start sprying your target from left, then all targets on a range will recieve hits from 50 m.

Standing without a good rest will make you sway and your hits go up and down.

Did I mention its funny shooting it - its a hell of a gun!

Cheers/Jan



Very interesting info, Jan. All good things to know when positioning a MG'er.

Good stuff! Always good to hear first hand experience,

Rudi
whoopsydoo
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South Australia, Australia
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Posted: Friday, January 22, 2010 - 07:07 PM UTC
It would be difficult (holding/firing an MG42) without support. I would also like to see results of a survey of MG42 number 2's - how many are now deaf?!!

As for awkawardness, in 1940 my uncles' AIF battalion (2/27) in the ME set up an AA section using Boyes at rifles. Uncle Frank said he always seemed to tick the Sergeant off and was made to carry the damned thing! Strangely, they NEVER EVER saw an enemy aircraft - even directly overhead!! (selective vision) -who'd want to fire a .55in weapon from the shoulder, while standing up?
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