Has Anyone Started A Snail Drum Serial Numbers Record?

[ithacaartist]

Originally Posted by Dick Herman

My guess is that the trommel magazines were serial numbered in sequence of manufacture. I am always amazed how many of these magazines are numbered in the mid 700,000 range. One of my Bing Brothers trommel magazines is 745537. If there were close to 3/4 of a million made, why are these magazines so "rare."

Eric,
Your last posted picture showed the MP18 with the snail drum magazines. I did not recognize what uniforms the soldiers are wearing. Perhaps these weapons and magazines were used up in the post WWI period.

That's my 2 cents.

Dick, I searched the term "Marila" seen on the two cans of whatever visible in the pic. The marila is a flower native to Mexico and down into South America. I'm guessing this may be the uniform of some South American country that would have received MP18s. The Spanish pre-war connection is not to be ruled out, though.

I'm not a uniform or insignia guy, but the 3-pointed insignia on the epaulet, the configuration of the hats, and the distinctive, non-ribbed pockets with extra-pointy flaps might be clues to their origin...