Hitler's Zipper: The MG-42 Universal Machine Gun
This video from Forgotten Weapons delves into Hitler's Zipper, the MG-42 Universal Machine Gun. It highlights the MG-42's development as a more reliable and manufacturable successor to the MG-34, emphasizing its use of heavy stampings to reduce reliance on scarce alloyed steels. The video points out the MG-42's significantly higher rate of fire (1500-1600 rpm) compared to the MG-34, its impact on ammunition consumption, and its effectiveness in providing suppressing fire. The presented example is identified as an early production Gustloff model with distinct features like a horizontal charging handle and an unreinforced wooden stock, likely captured from Rommel's forces in North Africa.











