Maxim MG08/15 Light Machine Gun .303 Conversion

German Maxim MG08/15 Light Machine Gun converted to use .303 inch British ammunition. The MG 08/15 Maxim light machine gun is a short recoil operated, water cooled, full automatic, belt fed weapon. The operating system uses a two part toggle lock connected by a hinge which is located between the breech block and a barrel extension. The entire barrel extension and breech block recoil inside receiver against the tension of a spring located under the separate cover outside of the left receiver wall. The cocking handle is located on the rear axis of the toggle lock and serves as both an unlocking member and a breech block accelerator. The feed system use non disintegrating belts made from cloth or tarpaulin with metallic alignment struts. Ammunition feed is from the right side. A muzzle booster with a conical flash hider is attached to the front of the barrel. The weapon is usually mounted on a metal bipod. The top cover is engraved with the serial number over J.P.SAUER & SOHN SUHL 1917. The gun has a remade metal pistol grip and wooden butt. The breech block is stamped 1813B and the feed block 5894. Overall painted green. It is complete with all parts and operational.

This gun was converted by William Maxwell Foster of Happy Valley, South Australia in 1940 for use by the Volunteer Defence Force. The MG08/15 machine gun is a lightened version of the MG08 machine gun while retaining essentially the same operating principles of other Maxim types. It was designed to provide greater mobility and to be handled by one man if necessary. The receiver was trimmed down, and a rather solid, awkward bipod was fitted. Water cooling was retained on most of these guns, though an air cooled version was also produced for aircraft. The guns were still operational as second line equipment in 1936 during the establishment of the pre Second World War German Army.