pitfighter
Senior Member
Watching these MP44 mag auctions -
Just curious has anyone here paid over $500 for a regular WW2 MP44 magazine - ?
(I own about a dozen mags and haven't, guess I have been lucky, I'm not particularly discerning or a particularly capable collector, either.)
They are not rare on auction or forum classifieds (easy to find in Europe, even England, and Germany), really only desirable if you own an MP44 (though I am sure a few collectors in non-gun countries require one or two in their collection.) and although I am not sure what the numbers are in circulation, there must be an enormous amount out there, as several manufacturers got in on the action in WW2 and just from what I have personally owned, seen and handled I would guess the surplus number of mags in the tens of thousands.
This may upset a few people, but even the MKB42 - MP43 markings aren't rare - in fact they're almost as easy to locate as the FXO MP44 mags, and turn up all the time. In the last few years folks have decided to add an $700+ price tag to them -
The prices being asked seem to be a case of a small number of collectors "jacking" themselves - please excuse the poor use of that term, but it describes it well, IMO.
Would like to hear others thoughts on this.
I know the replica magazines never quite got it right, certainly the two I have had were rotten, one doesn't fit the well, the other doesn't cycle well - I know there was a big surge in the price of the MP44 parts kits, based on folks buying them for instead of a 401K type investment. I know Brad Pitt used an MP44 in Fury. I know a transferable MP44 is $15K and up, so the chaps requiring spare mags for shooting guns are universally a little wealthier than average, so fleecing them a little might seem sporting enough, though once they have enough mags the buyers are gone again.
But when something is in such abundant supply, it still doesn't quite explain the price surge.
I probably have enough mags for my two MP44's and don't really need more, so it's not even from a frustrated buyer angle, but, it is interesting to me how the dollar numbers in collecting shift.
Anyway, thoughts and comments - thought it might be an interesting discussion really.
*The curious thing to me is that my two most reliable mags, the two that just don't cause issues with my rifle are the two 1001 Post-war German mags.
Some of my beat up old work-horses - these work for their living, so pristine finish isn't a deciding factor.
Just curious has anyone here paid over $500 for a regular WW2 MP44 magazine - ?
(I own about a dozen mags and haven't, guess I have been lucky, I'm not particularly discerning or a particularly capable collector, either.)
They are not rare on auction or forum classifieds (easy to find in Europe, even England, and Germany), really only desirable if you own an MP44 (though I am sure a few collectors in non-gun countries require one or two in their collection.) and although I am not sure what the numbers are in circulation, there must be an enormous amount out there, as several manufacturers got in on the action in WW2 and just from what I have personally owned, seen and handled I would guess the surplus number of mags in the tens of thousands.
This may upset a few people, but even the MKB42 - MP43 markings aren't rare - in fact they're almost as easy to locate as the FXO MP44 mags, and turn up all the time. In the last few years folks have decided to add an $700+ price tag to them -
The prices being asked seem to be a case of a small number of collectors "jacking" themselves - please excuse the poor use of that term, but it describes it well, IMO.
Would like to hear others thoughts on this.
I know the replica magazines never quite got it right, certainly the two I have had were rotten, one doesn't fit the well, the other doesn't cycle well - I know there was a big surge in the price of the MP44 parts kits, based on folks buying them for instead of a 401K type investment. I know Brad Pitt used an MP44 in Fury. I know a transferable MP44 is $15K and up, so the chaps requiring spare mags for shooting guns are universally a little wealthier than average, so fleecing them a little might seem sporting enough, though once they have enough mags the buyers are gone again.
But when something is in such abundant supply, it still doesn't quite explain the price surge.
I probably have enough mags for my two MP44's and don't really need more, so it's not even from a frustrated buyer angle, but, it is interesting to me how the dollar numbers in collecting shift.
Anyway, thoughts and comments - thought it might be an interesting discussion really.
*The curious thing to me is that my two most reliable mags, the two that just don't cause issues with my rifle are the two 1001 Post-war German mags.
Some of my beat up old work-horses - these work for their living, so pristine finish isn't a deciding factor.