NIB MG-34 | 7.92mm Portuguese Contract | Why Would Germany Export MG-34s in 1944???

  We’re back in Europe for business and paid a visit to a collector with an extraordinary selection of extremely rare firearms. Here is an original MG-34 that is New In Box. It is in absolutely pristine condition, and the manufacture and finish quality is outstanding. The bluing is quite nice! This example was part of a number of new MG-34s that were shipped to neutral Portugal in late 1943 and early 1944. At first glance it seems surprising that the Germans were still exporting MG34s in early 1944 even as the war had decisively turned against them and they were desperately needed by their frontline troops. The trip itself from the factory to Portugal at this time would have been perilous to say the least as the axis was under constant aerial bombardment at this point in the war.  However, one of the reasons Germany exported them is that Portugal paid for them in tungsten ore, which Germany desperately needed for their war effort, where the situation for the Germans had gone from bad to worse, particularly on the eastern front. Germany apparently needed tungsten even more than they needed MG-34s. 

The box is marked M/944, because the Portuguese designation for the MG-34 is the Metralhadora m/944. 

The shipping box contains a number of interesting items. The spare barrels are the top right-hand side of the box. Each barrel is housed in one of those green tubes, which are clamshell-style cases and have their own individual slings for transport in the field. It ships with the rear stock detached and the detached stock can be seen just below the rear of the rifle. The bipod as well as the “Caderneta” (Log Book for tracking number of rounds fired, etc..) are also included along with the anti-aircraft sight which I can’t see in this picture but it should be in there.

These Portuguese-contract MG-34s were mostly placed into long-term storage which is why they are one of the few sources for new-condition MG-34s.