With a design that was based on the World War II era MG 42, the MG3 is a German general-purpose machine gun. Utilizing a recoil-operated automatic action, the MG3 also features a roller-locked bolt mechanism. Its origins can be traced back to 1958, when the MG1 was manufactured by Rheinmetall, a German automotive and defense company, as a variant of the MG 42 that was chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO. Several improvements were made over the coming years, resulting in numerous variations of the MG1, eventually leading to the MG3. It was introduced into service sometime in the 1960s and remains in service with the German Bundeswehr to this day as both an infantry and vehicle-mounted support weapon. It is rumored that the MG3 will soon be replaced by the HK121.
Yes, the MG3 itself is an impressive feat, but the German engineering truly shines through with the Feldlafette. The tripod features swiveling legs that collapse into a structure small enough to be worn as a backpack, which explains the inclusion of shoulder straps. It also includes a provision for the MG3 tripod scope.
The MG3 tripod scope is a periscope-style scope that was designed to allow users to engage indirect targets from a position of ground cover. As noted, the scopes are in good condition with fully functional adjustment dials and nearly perfect optics. To be perfectly honest, I am not too familiar with optics and there does not seem to be much information on these scopes available, which means that I cannot give you a more detailed description. They are, however, perfect for those interested in:
- German military surplus
- Collections
- MG3
- Much more…
