While Grazing Old German WW1 Postcards

cirelaw · 07-11-2013, 12:26 PM

I came across this interesting vintage~~~Eric

alanint · 07-11-2013, 12:34 PM

One could almost mistake the binoculars in the officer's hand as a bottle of beer!

cirelaw · 07-11-2013, 01:20 PM

You are right! I bet he wishes it was!!

DavidJayUden · 07-11-2013, 03:30 PM

Staged photo? No booster on the front of the Maxim makes it a pretty reliable single shot. Never shot a belt fed auto with my nose practically against the spade grips either.
Don't mind me, I'm just bloviating...
dju

cirelaw · 07-11-2013, 03:59 PM

What is a "booster"?

DavidJayUden · 07-11-2013, 04:17 PM

Kind of like a muzzle break, but it actually uses the burned gas pressure to push back on the barrel muzzle, which cycles the lock, advances the belt, etc. The barrel actually travels fore and aft with each shot.
There is also a "fusee" spring on the left side that can be adjusted for tension which will make the gun cycle faster or slower.
In the winter they had to fire a few shots to get things working properly.
dju

alanint · 07-11-2013, 06:39 PM

It does look staged and the gun is mounted on the "Sokolov" mount, (note the wheels), rather than the typical pressed steel "sled mount".

David is right that the muzzle booster is missing and would normally be in place to both center the barrel in its travel and create backpressure to help reliability, (Maxims CAN be fired without the booster, but it is a sloppy exercise and will eventually lead to water jacket leaks, as the bouncing around of the barrel breaks down the asbestos twine, which helps seal the forward end of the water jacket).

Here are some nice pics of a Maxim 08 in correct, battlefront regalia.....

http://www.militaryfactory.com/image...urrentPic=pic1

cirelaw · 07-11-2013, 07:45 PM

You never cease to amaze me!! I agree it has to be staged. Every one is posing! Great site you referenced. You never cease to amaze me! Thank You!

alanint · 07-11-2013, 08:03 PM

Thanks, Eric!

The version you see with the buttstock and bypod is actually a Maxim 08/15. These were issued with a "drum", which consisted of a "reel" you would wrap the cloth belt around, (not unlike our attempt to mimic the MG34-MG42 with the M1919-A6 in WW2!!).

The Maxim 08/15 was for years, (and still somewhat today) the "entry" gun for the Title 2 collector into the "beltfed" category of medium machineguns.

You could buy one for about $5,000- $6,000 for years when Turkish 8mm ammo was $95 for a 2 spam can crate of 1,875 rounds, delivered. I've watched perhaps millions of rounds run through these guns over the years and they simply soldier on......

mrerick · 07-11-2013, 09:10 PM

Disease claimed 1/3 of the lives on both sides... Spanish Flu, etc...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties

MikeP · 07-11-2013, 11:41 PM

Training or even a firing range.
Lots of folks who never bothered to do their service misunderstand he concept of training.
It never stops. They might get to limber and unlimber that rig a hundred times or so just to get good at it for when things get real.
I had an 08 in high school. it had a cobbled up ground or trench mount.
It had no booster, but actually fired pretty well.
I only had an old US belt of some kind and we would cram 8mms into it and it would fire 10-15 shots without jamming up.

DavidJayUden · 07-11-2013, 11:57 PM

You could buy one for about $5,000- $6,000 for years when Turkish 8mm ammo was $95 for a 2 spam can crate of 1,875 rounds, delivered. I've watched perhaps millions of rounds run through these guns over the years and they simply soldier on......

I bought 2 of those 2000 round crates and still have most of one of them. Understand that you have to pay real money for 8mm these days...

And 08/15's are still the most affordable guns of that type. Maybe $8500'ish now?

dju

cirelaw · 07-12-2013, 08:55 AM

What type of license is required to own one?

Norme · 07-12-2013, 09:10 AM

Here's a similar post card from my collection.
Regards, Norm

alanint · 07-12-2013, 09:43 AM

Mike,

Nice toy for a highschooler. I'm guessing this was pre 1968 in a rural community, where wartime souvenirs like this were not uncommon nor did anybody care that you had it. I remember one of these with sled mount displayed out in front of a rural Vermont Post Office years ago. It was clearly a live gun and simply chained to a flagpost with a dogchain you could snip with garden shears! I'm sure it is no longer there.

David, yes, MG08/15s are still the cheapest belt fed out there. Your price is about right today. Be careful with what you have left of that 8mm, if it is from the last batches that came in. There were bad batches, (mostly the ones that came in either khaki or blue bandoleers). Look for cracked case necks and some overloaded ammo. I would not fire any of that stuff today other than in a bolt gun. I routinely blew the topcover open on my 1919A4 with this stuff. We used to keep a foot-long length of 2x4 around and a small sledge. It is a perfect mandril for pounding a Browning top cover back into shape!!

Eric, no special license. If your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer is signing, all you need is his signature on a Form 4 to own any of these full auto guns, silencers, etc. If your CLEO is not signing, you can purchase through a corporation or better these days a trust.

DavidJayUden · 07-12-2013, 10:21 AM

The ammo I have is in the blue bandoliers, but I'm not certain that Turkish is correct. Maybe Chech, Romanian or Yugo? Anyway, I've already been thru a bit over a case with no problems. Course I haven't shot my Maxim in about 4 years now. Too many toys, too little time...And the world is getting smaller, with houses springing up where they really do not belong.
Every now and then I hear about an 08 surfacing, but no doubt never registered, so I finally calm down, come to my senses, and stay way, far away from it.
But then have you seen what a parts set brings these days?
dju

07-11-2013, 12:26 PM	#1
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	While Grazing Old German WW1 Postcards I came across this interesting vintage~~~Eric Attached Thumbnails

07-11-2013, 09:10 PM	#10
mrerick Super Moderator - Patron LugerForum Life Patron Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Eastern North Carolina, USA Posts: 3,920 Thanks: 1,377 Thanked 3,135 Times in 1,518 Posts	Disease claimed 1/3 of the lives on both sides... Spanish Flu, etc... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties __________________ Igitur si vis pacem, para bellum - - Therefore if you want peace, prepare for war.

07-11-2013, 11:41 PM	#11
MikeP User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: ILL Posts: 686 Thanks: 36 Thanked 452 Times in 198 Posts	Training or even a firing range. Lots of folks who never bothered to do their service misunderstand he concept of training. It never stops. They might get to limber and unlimber that rig a hundred times or so just to get good at it for when things get real. I had an 08 in high school. it had a cobbled up ground or trench mount. It had no booster, but actually fired pretty well. I only had an old US belt of some kind and we would cram 8mms into it and it would fire 10-15 shots without jamming up. Attached Thumbnails Attached Images

07-12-2013, 09:10 AM	#14
Norme Always A Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Colorado Posts: 2,417 Thanks: 226 Thanked 2,607 Times in 933 Posts	Here's a similar post card from my collection. Regards, Norm Attached Thumbnails

07-11-2013, 12:34 PM	#2
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	One could almost mistake the binoculars in the officer's hand as a bottle of beer!

07-11-2013, 01:20 PM	#3
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	You are right! I bet he wishes it was!!

07-11-2013, 03:30 PM	#4
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Staged photo? No booster on the front of the Maxim makes it a pretty reliable single shot. Never shot a belt fed auto with my nose practically against the spade grips either. Don't mind me, I'm just bloviating... dju

07-11-2013, 03:59 PM	#5
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	What is a "booster"?

07-11-2013, 04:17 PM	#6
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	Kind of like a muzzle break, but it actually uses the burned gas pressure to push back on the barrel muzzle, which cycles the lock, advances the belt, etc. The barrel actually travels fore and aft with each shot. There is also a "fusee" spring on the left side that can be adjusted for tension which will make the gun cycle faster or slower. In the winter they had to fire a few shots to get things working properly. dju

07-11-2013, 06:39 PM	#7
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	It does look staged and the gun is mounted on the "Sokolov" mount, (note the wheels), rather than the typical pressed steel "sled mount". David is right that the muzzle booster is missing and would normally be in place to both center the barrel in its travel and create backpressure to help reliability, (Maxims CAN be fired without the booster, but it is a sloppy exercise and will eventually lead to water jacket leaks, as the bouncing around of the barrel breaks down the asbestos twine, which helps seal the forward end of the water jacket). Here are some nice pics of a Maxim 08 in correct, battlefront regalia..... http://www.militaryfactory.com/image...urrentPic=pic1

07-11-2013, 07:45 PM	#8
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	You never cease to amaze me!! I agree it has to be staged. Every one is posing! Great site you referenced. You never cease to amaze me! Thank You!

07-11-2013, 08:03 PM	#9
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	Thanks, Eric! The version you see with the buttstock and bypod is actually a Maxim 08/15. These were issued with a "drum", which consisted of a "reel" you would wrap the cloth belt around, (not unlike our attempt to mimic the MG34-MG42 with the M1919-A6 in WW2!!). The Maxim 08/15 was for years, (and still somewhat today) the "entry" gun for the Title 2 collector into the "beltfed" category of medium machineguns. You could buy one for about $5,000- $6,000 for years when Turkish 8mm ammo was $95 for a 2 spam can crate of 1,875 rounds, delivered. I've watched perhaps millions of rounds run through these guns over the years and they simply soldier on......

07-11-2013, 11:57 PM	#12
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	You could buy one for about $5,000- $6,000 for years when Turkish 8mm ammo was $95 for a 2 spam can crate of 1,875 rounds, delivered. I've watched perhaps millions of rounds run through these guns over the years and they simply soldier on...... I bought 2 of those 2000 round crates and still have most of one of them. Understand that you have to pay real money for 8mm these days... And 08/15's are still the most affordable guns of that type. Maybe $8500'ish now? dju

07-12-2013, 08:55 AM	#13
cirelaw Lifer Lifetime Forum Patron Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: PORT ST LUCIE, FLORIDA Posts: 12,216 Thanks: 6,209 Thanked 4,138 Times in 2,176 Posts	What type of license is required to own one?

07-12-2013, 09:43 AM	#15
alanint User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Marco Island, Florida Posts: 4,867 Thanks: 1,685 Thanked 1,917 Times in 1,193 Posts	Mike, Nice toy for a highschooler. I'm guessing this was pre 1968 in a rural community, where wartime souvenirs like this were not uncommon nor did anybody care that you had it. I remember one of these with sled mount displayed out in front of a rural Vermont Post Office years ago. It was clearly a live gun and simply chained to a flagpost with a dogchain you could snip with garden shears! I'm sure it is no longer there. David, yes, MG08/15s are still the cheapest belt fed out there. Your price is about right today. Be careful with what you have left of that 8mm, if it is from the last batches that came in. There were bad batches, (mostly the ones that came in either khaki or blue bandoleers). Look for cracked case necks and some overloaded ammo. I would not fire any of that stuff today other than in a bolt gun. I routinely blew the topcover open on my 1919A4 with this stuff. We used to keep a foot-long length of 2x4 around and a small sledge. It is a perfect mandril for pounding a Browning top cover back into shape!! Eric, no special license. If your local Chief Law Enforcement Officer is signing, all you need is his signature on a Form 4 to own any of these full auto guns, silencers, etc. If your CLEO is not signing, you can purchase through a corporation or better these days a trust.

07-12-2013, 10:21 AM	#16
DavidJayUden Patron LugerForum Patron Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 4,047 Thanks: 578 Thanked 1,414 Times in 887 Posts	The ammo I have is in the blue bandoliers, but I'm not certain that Turkish is correct. Maybe Chech, Romanian or Yugo? Anyway, I've already been thru a bit over a case with no problems. Course I haven't shot my Maxim in about 4 years now. Too many toys, too little time...And the world is getting smaller, with houses springing up where they really do not belong. Every now and then I hear about an 08 surfacing, but no doubt never registered, so I finally calm down, come to my senses, and stay way, far away from it. But then have you seen what a parts set brings these days? dju