FAC Posted June 9, 2025 Report Share Posted June 9, 2025 For a sophisticated WWII machinegun collector or a capable gunsmith – a fully-tranferable French World War II 7.5 mm Aircraft machine gun, MLE 34M 39. This is a belt-fed machine gun, one of a batch that the French made in 1939 by modifying their Mle 31ground gun, which had a side-mounted drum instead of the belt feed system. The base of the Mle 1931 drum pivot shaft is visible on the receiver in the photograph showing the belt feed system opened. The Chinn book on machine guns explains how this design started off as the Mle 1924-29. It was improved into the Mle 1931. A photograph of the Mle 1931 ground gun with the side drum is in the photos, taken from JEAN HUON‘s French-edition version of his book on the MLE 1924M 29. There is considerable commonality in these three models of the French 7.5 mm machine gun: the 1924-29 magazine-fed ground gun, the Mle 1931 drum-fed ground gun and the Mle 34-39 belt-fed aircraft gun. Main spring and belt advance are missing. The advance may be made from a Vickers or Maxim advance, as the guide slot grooves are the same size. All serial numbered parts match! If you collect French machineguns, Aircraft machine guns, or want a project based on a well-made, machined, French wartime machine gun, this could be interesting. Fully transferable, includes one drum and an extra original barrel. Both barrels have excellent rifling. This receiver could also be used to assemble a Mle 1931 parts kit into a rare, fully-transferable machinegun. This exact machine gun, serial number 990, is featured in JEAN HUON’S book. See page included in gun photos. If you can read French, you may be able to learn more about this example. The man I purchased this from in 2011, told me that this machine gun was taken from the wreckage of an aircraft that crashed in Colorado during the war years. Apparently, the French must have had some of their aircraft in the US for training or modifications. $17,000. shipping $100. Visa or MasterCard OK for 3% additional. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FAC Posted September 4, 2025 Author Report Share Posted September 4, 2025 bump Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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