Musketeen automatic rifle

[robert_sfl]

Another picture, regrettably the post card is not stamped.

[franzmaximilian]

As mentioned in an earlier post, the Madsen was also issued to the KuK army. A long debate arose on an Italian forum following the incredible number of different calibers used on this LMG. Madsen magazines has been found along the Italian front for at least four different cartridges:

Russian 7.62 x 54R

German 7.92 x 57

Austrian 8 x 50R

Danish 8 x 58R (only a few cartridges found on battlefields and positively identified. No magazine found, but only the Madsen could have been using that cartridge in the KuK Army)

A logistics nightmare!

I have a Madsen magazine for 25 rounds, found in the ice with 7 German cartridges inside (in an area where no German troops ever served). It's wonderful state is due to the fact that it was still heavily greased when found. It is also unbelievable how strong the spring still is.

Another peculiarity of this magazine is the fact that the last cartridge is soldered. It looks like a field work, given the poor quality of the soldering. Anyone has an idea which was the purpose of this arrangement?

[4thGordons]

Another peculiarity of this magazine is the fact that the last cartridge is soldered. It looks like a field work, given the poor quality of the soldering. Anyone has an idea which was the purpose of this arrangement?

I am well out of my league with the experts here and claim no knowledge of automatic weapons however my guess would be that the purpose of this was to ensure that the rounds stacked properly in the magazine when they were loaded. Because there would (effectively) be one round in the mag. then next one loaded would naturally fall into the correct place. The follower should ensure this but perhaps the experience of the gunner suggested not and that it was worth sacrificing one round per mag to ensure reliable feeding?

Alternatively the spring might have been considered a little weak and the last round failed to load or patially fed and caused a jam so the gunner decided to remedy this by braising it in place.

(ducks to avoid return fire!)

Chris

[Robert Dunlop]

'Vom Einzelschuss zur Feuerwalze'

Matt, great book. Thanks for the tip. Well researched, with lots of useful information. I see there are a couple of sections on the Madesen and the Musketen Bataillone.

Robert

[bmg17a1]

The cartridge soldered to the follower is very curious! Nothing comes to mind as a reason to do such a thing for any functional use with the Madsen. There is no need to place a 'dummy' round to affect the shape of the curve of the stacked rounds simply because either the mag is correct for that particlar curve or it isn't. The follower would also simply titl slightly to accomodate a case shape that was not correct for the mag.

One off the wall speculation might be that having the last round soldered to the follower would provide an erstaz empty mag bolt hold open device. When the bolt is cocked, the feed is open inside the magwell to accept the next round from the mag. The soldered round would move into the feed after the last loose round was fired and because it is fixed to the follower, the feed will not be able to close, preventing the bolt from going into battery when the trigger is pulled. This would indicate that the mag is empty. The only problem with this idea is that the mag feed would grip the soldered round requiring that the cockng handle be pulled back to release it and re-cock the bolt before a loaded mag could be inserted into the well. Not very efficient! seems that it is more efficient for the bolt to close on an empty chamber with the ususal recock and loaded mag insertion.

Maybe it was soldered there just for display purposes.

Round looks like an early round nosed 7.92 and also looks too short for proper fit in the mag.

Anyway, that's my take.

Bob Naess