Original Item: Only One Available. This is an incredible inert example of the legendary German Maxim Maschinengewehr (Machine Gun) 08 or MG 08. We usually on see these once every few years, and now we once again are able to offer one. This genuine German WW1 MG 08 water-cooled Maxim machine gun was "The Grim Reaper" of the First World War.

It is built using mostly original parts using BATF compliant left and right steel side plates, which are double thickness to prevent intact internals from being installed. That makes this a 100% legal display Machine gun, totally legal to own without a license of any kind.  The barrel on this example is live and has not been altered, and the bore is in very good condition, showing a bright finish with clear lands and grooves. The crank assembly is still inside, and there is a lock attached to it, which is mostly intact, except that the protrusions that engage the cams have been ground away. Included with the display gun is a great high end replica trench mount, which fits it well.

This lovely example is marked M.G.08 on the top cover, and the production information is marked on the fusee cover on the left side of the display gun:

Spandau Arsenal, known in German as Gewehr und Munitionsfabrik (Gwf.) Spandau during the WWI period, the center for development of military small arms for Imperial Germany from the Industrial Revolution until 1919. They manufactured many long arms during the 19th and early 20th centuries at the their location, which is today part of Berlin.

The top cover and rear sight are marked with serial number 1578, while the top cover latch is marked with shortened number 578. The top of the spade grip is however marked 2876, and the feed block 8053 / b, so this was definitely a gun that was serviced at arsenal, probably multiple times. Many of these came out of Turkey, where they were kept in service long after they were obsolete. There are lot of other markings and proofs on this example, typical of WW1 German production. 

The included high end replica trench mount is really great, and really brings the display piece together. These were sometimes called a fortress mount, and they may also have been used in German Zeppelins. They are described in Dolf L. Goldsmith's seminal work, The Devil's Paintbrush (Sir Hiram Maxim's Gun), 2nd Edition, page 174. It correctly attaches to the display gun, and can be rotated back and forth. This would be perfect for mounting the gun as part of a trench display.

 This is a complete and fully BATF compliant inert non-firing display non-gun built using dummy side plates. The top cover can be opened to inspect the interior, and it properly closes and latches in place. The crank still moves correctly and is attached to the spring, so it returns to the rear position. The rear sight is fully functional, and there is also an anti-aircraft rear sight mounted, though the front spider sight is not present.

It has been over 100 years since of the conclusion of WWI. A terrible conflict that lasted 4 tortuous years and destroyed the manhood of Europe. It only concluded after the entry of the United States in 1917 to tip the scales to the Allies favor ending at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

With a 1917 date, this gun and most likely the mount were almost certainly used in the conflict. Perfect for advanced collectors, ones this nice rarely come to market. Ready to be the centerpiece of your German WWI collection!

History of the MG 08-

The Maschinengewehr 08, or MG 08, was the German Army's standard machine gun in World War I and is an adaption of Hiram S. Maxim's original 1884 Maxim gun. It was produced in a number of variants during the war. The MG 08 served during World War II as a heavy machine gun in many German infantry divisions, although by the end of the war it had mostly been relegated to second-rate fortress units.

The Maschinengewehr 08 (or MG 08) - so-named after 1908, its year of adoption - was a development of the license made Maschinengewehr 01. It could reach a firing rate of up to 400 rounds per minute using 250-round fabric belts of 7.92x57mm ammunition, although sustained firing would lead to overheating; it was water-cooled using a jacket around the barrel that held approximately one gallon of water. Using a separate attachment sight with range calculator for indirect fire, the MG 08 could be operated from cover. Additional telescopic sights were also developed and used in quantity during the war.

The MG 08, like the Maxim gun, operated on the basis of short barrel recoil and a toggle lock; once cocked and fired the MG 08 would continue firing rounds until the trigger was released (or until all available ammunition was expended). Its practical range was estimated at some 2,000 metres (2,200 yd) up to an extreme range of 3,600 metres (3,900 yd). The MG 08 was mounted on a sled mount (German: Schlittenlafette) that was ferried between locations either on carts or else carried above men's shoulders in the manner of a stretcher.

Pre-war production was by Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken (DWM) in Berlin and the government arsenal at Spandau (so that the gun was often referred to as a Spandau MG 08).