Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The second true MG 08/15 we have ever owned. This fine example of the legendary MG has a top cover nicely marked:
MG 08/15
GWF
ERFURT
1918
This complete parts set (except for the right side receiver plate) is fully BATF approved and perfect for the advanced collector. This fine example has all original matching serial numbered parts and is offered in fine condition with multiple German markings. The barrel is fully complete and operational. No parts are reproductions or even from another gun, amazing!
History of the MG 08/15-
A lightened and thus more portable version of the MG 08 by "stepping-down" the upper rear and lower forward corners of the original MG 08's rectangular-outline receiver and breech assembly was tested as a prototype in 1915 by a team of weapon designers under the direction of a Colonel Friedrich von Merkatzthe MG 08/15. The MG 08/15 had been designed to be manned by four trained infantrymen spread on the ground around the gun and in the prone position. To accomplish that purpose the MG 08/15 featured a short bipod rather than a heavy four legged sled mount, plus a wooden gunstock and a pistol grip. At 18 kg, the MG 08/15 was lighter and less cumbersome than the standard MG 08 since the MG 08/15 had been designed to provide increased mobility of infantry automatic fire. It nevertheless remained a bulky water-cooled weapon that was quite demanding on the quality and training of its crews. Accurate fire was difficult to achieve and usually in short bursts only. It was first introduced in battle during the French "Chemin des Dames" offensive in April 1917 where it contributed to the very high casualty count among the French assailants. Its deployment in increasingly large numbers with all front line infantry regiments continued in 1917 and during the German offensives of the spring and summer of 1918. The MG 08/15 became, by far, the most common German machine gun deployed in World War I (Dolf Goldsmith, 1989) since it reached a full allocation of six guns per company or 72 guns per regiment in 1918. By that time, there were four times as many MG 08/15 light machine guns than heavy MG 08 machine guns in each infantry regiment. To attain this goal, about 130,000 MG 08/15 had to be manufactured during World War I, most of them by the Spandau and Erfurt government arsenals.
- This product is not available for international shipping.
- This item is completely legal within the USA. International Military Antiques, Inc observes all Federal, State and Local laws. Everything for sale on ima-usa.com is completely legal to own, trade, transport and sell within the United States of America. Every display machinegun and machine gun parts set and gun sold by IMA, Inc is engineered to be inoperable according to guidelines provided by the US Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF).
Information pertaining to Maxim display guns:
taken from BATF ruling 2010-3 : https://www.atf.gov/regulations-rulings/rulings/atf-rulings/atf-ruling-2010-3.html
During the evaluations, complete, original models of Vickers and German MG-08 Maxim-type machineguns were tested and found to fire automatically more than one round of ammunition by a single function of the trigger. Additionally, a reference model of a Vickers-type machinegun was tested for function; first, by partially removing the right side-plate, and then after completely removing the right side-plate. Although the sample firearm was capable of firing one shot with a partial right side-plate, once the entire right side-plate was removed, testing demonstrated the sample was not capable of functioning without the right side-plate. Accordingly, it was determined that neither a Vickers nor any Maxim-type machinegun would be capable of firing with the entire right side-plate removed. Nonetheless, ATF has previously examined semi-automatic versions of the Vickers/Maxim firearm where the right side-plate has an approved block that prevents installation of machinegun fire control components. These semi-automatic firearms have been classified by ATF as firearms under the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), but not as machineguns under the GCA or the National Firearms Act (NFA).
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