May 28 & 29, 2020 Extraordinary, Sporting, & Collector Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/28/2020
Three digit number (with no letter suffix) MP-40 with flat magazine housing manufactured by Steyr in 1941, as imported by “Inter American” of California as a Pre-86 Dealer Sample. Visible numbers appear matching on front sight hood, barrel resting bar, barrel, barrel retention nut, receiver, rear sight, lower receiver cup, trigger housing assembly, and both sides of swing-out shoulder loop. Bolt is mismatched 7235, and the early original to the gun flat magazine housing is unnumbered. End cap is marked "bnz 41" indicating Steyr manufacture, with Nazi proofs visible on other components as well. Barrel resting bar is a zinc casting. Grips are replacements from a much later manufactured gun and do not match the profile of this early pistol grip housing, but are completely tight and serviceable. A nice field expedient Waffenmeister type repair. No horizontal screw in forward slot of bakelite. No muzzle nut present. No sliding bolt locking safety, or its associated spring or ball-bearing present. Receiver tube does exhibit retrofit for MP-40 bolt safety lock. One post-War unmarked 32 round magazine is included with this gun. The flat housing MP-40 was the second transition MP-40 model after the ones which utilized the leftover MP-38 housings which had lightening holes in the sides. During use the flat “slab-sided” housing did not hold up as well to impact, and very soon the design was changed to the familiar corrugated mag housings. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish of gun is fair to good gray patina on receiver tube, magazine housing, lower receiver cup, and shoulder loop, as well as at the sling swivel points. Trigger housing and front sight hood also gray patina turning brown. Barrel, barrel nut, and recessed areas of trigger housing retain much more finish. Bakelite is very good with numerous handling marks with added hand inscribed initials, “MAS” on left side and larger “R.V.C.” on right side. Grips very good and solid with handling marks. Mechanics are crisp. Bore is very fine, shiny and bright. Bolt face is very good. This is a fully automatic only machine gun. Condition may not be high, but this gun is a nearly matching original early MP-40 which documents the components being used by Steyr during the early days of MP-40 production. By 1943, Steyr had produced at in excess of 63,000 more units, as evidenced by another MP-40 being offered in this same auction. It gives one pause to contemplate the true scale of Germany’s World War II production and logistics capacity. A great piece for the research minded FFL/SOT holding World War II enthusiast to take to the range and enjoy. THIS IS A NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT ITEM AND REQUIRES BATF APPROVAL PRIOR TO TRANSFER. THIS ITEM IS TRANSFERABLE ON AN ATF FORM 3 TO ACTIVE FFL/SOT DEALERS ONLY. JWK 2020-05-008