{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-maschinenpistole-40-mp40-leather-sling-with-waffenamt-marking-dated-1941","title":"Original German WWII Maschinenpistole 40 \/ MP40 Leather Sling with Waffenamt Marking - Dated 1941","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is totally original German WWII manufacture, and was taken off an MP 40 in the 1980's from a Government Sale of Machine Guns. Complete and absolutely original.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sling is still a bit dusty from storage at IMA for over 30 years. \u003cspan\u003eThe sling still bears an original Waffenamt marking and is coded \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ecxb \/ 1941\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for manufacture by Moll Lederwarenfabrik, in Goch, Rheinland, Germany. Above this is a Waffenamt inspection mark.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe sling comes complete with just TWO holes to the other end of the sling with its original steel \"collar button\" in place, and the original keeper loop is intact. The leather \"scratch guard\" on the back of the buckle is unfortunately half present, and the leather overall is in good condition, with a bit of cracking due to age. This particular sling was made smooth, so it does not have any type of cross-hatching.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a highly desirable accessory for any original MP40 display gun or parts set, which now command quite a price on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReady to Display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory of the MP40\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Maschinenpistole 40 (\"Machine pistol 40\") descended from its predecessor the MP 38, which was in turn based on the MP 36, a prototype made of machined steel. The MP 36 was developed independently by Erma Werke's Berthold Geipel with funding from the German Army. It took design elements from Heinrich Vollmer's VPM 1930 and EMP. Vollmer then worked on Berthold Geipel's MP 36 and in 1938 submitted a prototype to answer a request from the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office) for a new submachine gun, which was adopted as MP 38. The MP 38 was a simplification of the MP 36, and the MP 40 was a further simplification of the MP 38, with certain cost-saving alterations, most notably in the more extensive use of stamped steel rather than machined parts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt was heavily used by infantrymen (particularly platoon and squad leaders), and by paratroopers, on the Eastern and Western Fronts. Its advanced and modern features made it a favorite among soldiers and popular in countries from various parts of the world after the war. It was often erroneously called \"Schmeisser\" by the Allies, despite Hugo Schmeisser's non-involvement in the weapon's design and production. From 1940 to 1945, an estimated 1.1 million were produced by Erma Werke.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31128811405381,"sku":"ON10702","price":275.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/products\/ON10702__01.jpg?v=1595581875","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-maschinenpistole-40-mp40-leather-sling-with-waffenamt-marking-dated-1941","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}