After the fall of Belgium in 1940, the FN factory was taken over by the Germans and this pistol, the Browning Hi Power P-35, was produced under occupation. This example is WaA marked 140 as is one of the magazines. That magazine also has the serif U mark. This pistol takes 9mm Parabellum ammunition like the Luger and Walther P-38.
This weapon is an MP28/II machine-pistol designed by Hugo Schmeisser, based heavily on the WW1 era MP18/I. The MP28 was provided with either a 20 round box magazine or (later) a 30 round magazine. This one I picked up didn’t have a magazine with it but luckily the magazine for the Sten or Lanchester MP’s were almost identical so I’ll put a Sten mag into it until I can find an original MP28 magazine.
The MP28 was used widely between the wars and by the Waffen-SS and Polizei during WW2.
Here’s the latest acquisition, an MP41, manufactured by C.G.Haenel of Sühl. Haenel was a prominent small arms manufacturer. It was founded in 1840 and it’s demise dates to the end of WW2. In 1921 it hired a man, Hugo Schmeisser, who became their chief designer. There’s quite a story behind the design and manufacture of this particular MP but I won’t go into that here. This weapon was functional when I got it and unfortunately I was responsible for it’s demilling. Luckily it seems to have it’s original MP41 stamped magazine with it.
This is a cleaning and spares kit for the Steyr MP-34 machine pistol. It contains the usual suspects including the large return spring. You can see my example of the MP34ö here.
In 1938 the Waffen-ϟϟ, still not integrated into the Wehrmacht supply chain, contracted with the DWM company (Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken Aktien-Gesellschaft) to supply ammunition for their troops. These are some examples of empty brass head stamped for the SS, sourced from Eastern Europe. The TV stands for Totenkopfverbände.
This weapon is the Steyr manufactured MP34. Labelled the MP34ö by the Germans to differentiate it from the Bergman MP34, the ö stood for Austrian (Österreichisch). This weapon was very well manufactured and this led to its downfall since it made it expensive to build when compared with competitors like the MP38/40 or later MP43/44. It’s service life was limited to use by police units and later the Waffen-ϟϟ. There were a number of these that were exported to Portugal, some of the later ones were chambered in 9mm Luger.
I believe this to be one of those wartime manufactures as it has WaA189 stamps on the frame and bolt indicating it was manufactured in the Steyr-Daimler plant in Warsaw, Poland. The stock has the Portuguese crown stamped into it as well as the number 1942, which I assume is the contract year.
And finally, a couple of photos of it with an M95 Steyr bayonet fitted. In German service this would be correct. In Portuguese service these were fitted with a purpose made Mp34 bayonet.
This is a Walther PPK 7.65mm automatic pistol, manufactured in Germany by Walther in 1943 and issued as a police sidearm. The holster is marked Otto Sindel, Berlin, 1943. The two magazines are original to the pistol with matching serial numbers. The receiver and frame are marked Eagle N which indicates acceptance by the Wehrmacht post 1940 and the left hand side of the frame is marked with the Eagle and a C following, indicating police issue. This pistol was reputedly acquired in Normandy by a Lieutenant Stagg, adjutant of the Oxford Rifles, from the body of a German SS officer he had just shot. Well at least that’s the tale that came with it. However upon researching I discover that the Oxford Rifles didn’t get shipped to Europe until January 1945. This is not to say that Stagg could not have been in France in July 1944, just not as adjutant of the Oxford Rifles. This will provoke some further investigation.
Further snooping reveals a Major Kenneth Stagg, P38758, in the Oxford Rifles in 1945. He was born in 1899 which makes him 45 in 1944.
Remember Kids! Buy the item, not the story!
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