G/K43 20 round magazines

Does anyone have any examples of G/K43 20 Rd magazines to share? Images? Info? Yes, I’ve seen Espeholt’s webpage and that same information (same image I think) is found in Darrin Weaver’s “Hitler’s Garands” but I’m looking for more info and/or photo examples.


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Here is a link to Leon Despain’s website where he has photos of one:

http://lmd-militaria.com/page471.html

This one in the link is a converted MG13 mag., when and who did it, we may not know.

There is a 20 round magazine that Germans, during WWII, appeared to make. I have seen a few (with good provenance), and they look like an extended standard 10 round magazine. Not just 2 magazines welded together.

They all have been blued, with no markings on them. The one I looked at seemed to have the same fit and finish as an acw type of blued mag, in my opinion. The spring did seem to be 2 standard springs joined together.

It would appear that the Germans were looking at a 20 round mag and made a handful of them, we may never know.

Brian, there was a rusty relic-condition 20 Rd magazine on gunbroker a couple weeks ago that was claimed to be a G43 magazine. I’m sure several members here saw it. Supposedly it was acquired by the seller in the Ardennes area of Belgium (just adds to the story[emoji6]). The overall condition was terrible and quite hard to distinguish from an FG42, ZB26, or Bren magazine with the pics provided but there was enough detail in the pics to place doubt that it is any of those three. For that reason, and my curiosity, I acquired that relic and although similar to the FG42, ZB26, or Bren magazine it is clearly designed in the feed area and the follower identically to a G43 magazine, which is quite different in design than the FG42, ZB26, or Bren magazines. Prototype? Maybe. Something else? Maybe. At this point I’m just trying to do some research and to possibly use electrolysis to neutralize the rust. I’ll post some very detailed pics when I’m a little more convinced that it is in fact a G43 magazine.


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Brian Kowalski said:

This one in the link is a converted MG13 mag., when and who did it, we may not know.

Click to expand...

I didn’t even think about it saying “adapted to fit”. Well darn, thought I had one for you to check out.

Brian, this is the one I talked to you about this past weekend in Louisville.

Thank you! That is it.

Is this an example of a correct one?

Tiger 2 Tank said:

Is this an example of a correct one?

Click to expand...

I believe it is a real one. I bought this many years ago at the MAX show. At the time, Paul Viens who was a very knowledgeable G/K43 collector, examined it and was convinced it was a legitimate 20 round mag.

Well, it is an example of one that is typically accepted as original....blued with no markings.

Ok, that’s neat that it’s blued. I didn’t catch that looking at it.

Thank you for those pics, Peter S. The very rust encrusted relics I picked up, a 10 Rd and a 20 Rd, have been positively identified as both being original FG42 Type F (1st model) magazines. So, no 20 Rd G43 magazine for me.


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I have two of the converted MG13 mags.
One was from Keep Shooting and is obviously a fake G43 Mag but did function flawlessly.
The other has aye markings and is pictured here. I have no idea if a legit conversion or blatant fake.

The G43 20 round magazine pictures in the above post does look good. Only odd part is no markings.