Böker MG-42 Damast Dagger 121506DAM

Raw materials and production time had increasingly become critical and decisive factors in the course of the war. Therefore, the Army Ordnance Office was looking for a successor to the MG-34, which was already convincing in its function, but took up too much time and material due to its complex production. The new MG was also to serve as a standardised weapon for light, anti-aircraft, airborne and aperture purposes. Since the central task was not to improve the product but to optimise the manufacturing process, a proven specialist in mass production rather than a weapons expert was commissioned with the new design. The choice fell on Werner Gruner, a mechanical engineer at the Johannes Großfuß metal and lacquerware factory. Gruner was presumably assisted in the development by experienced gun designers. The consistent use of sheet metal stampings instead of milled parts and the omission of accurateness in non-functional details made it possible to build a weapon that was even more reliable than its predecessor, while significantly reducing production time and costs. Almost trouble-free function and firing accuracy in all weather conditions, the change of hot-shot barrels within seconds and a cadence of 1,500 rounds per minute (25 rounds/second) established the MG-42’s reputation. A brake in the form of additional mass in the breech cavity made it possible to reduce the immense cadence to 700 rounds/minute and thus the ammunition consumption. A roller shutter controlled by a cam made these impressive technical characteristics possible. In a slightly modified form, the MG-42 is still the standard MG of the German armed forces today as MG 3. Rare originals from the Second World War fetch between USD 40,000 and USD 60,000 at Rock Island Auctions.