German FG 42 Type I Museum Quality Replica Non-Firing Automatic Rifle by Shoei of Japan Original Items

Replica Item: The FG 42 (Fallschirmjägergewehr 42, “paratrooper rifle 42”) is a selective-fire 7.92×57mm Mauser automatic rifle produced in Germany during World War II. The weapon was developed specifically for the use of the Fallschirmjäger airborne infantry in 1942 and was used in very limited numbers until the end of the war.

It combined the characteristics and firepower of a light machine gun in a lightweight form slightly shorter (but considerably bulkier and heavier) than the standard-issue Karabiner 98k bolt-action infantry rifle. Considered one of the most advanced weapon designs of World War II, the FG 42 influenced post-war small arms development, and many features of its design, such as general shape, stock style, gas-rotating bolt operation (itself copied from the Lewis gun) and sheet metal and plastic construction were copied by the US Army when they developed the M60 machine gun.

Japanese company Shoei manufactures the highest quality, most accurate machine gun replicas on the market today. However, their FG42 has been out of production for many years. When the original came to the market the retail value was $2500. Now that no more are available these have become nearly impossible to find, additionally legally deactivated original FG42s are never encountered and the one that did emerge in the UK in the early 2000s sold for over $30,000.

This example is serial # 1261, with a 20 1/2″ barrel. This replica is not capable of being fired. The rifle is made of metal parts which are in excellent condition and have very little to no handling wear. The top of the receiver plate is marked “fzs“, similar to the original German markings. The wood forearm and metal buttstock are excellent and the rifle features a black plastic pistol grip. Other features include flip-up front and rear sights, a folding bipod and a spike bayonet and magazine.

This is a quality 1:1 scale copy of the FG42 paratrooper Type 1 machine gun popular with modern re-enactors. Shoei manufactured these replica guns to be an exact copy and to be disassembled and operates the same as the original. These are all steel, everything moving as needed, fully cocking when the charging handle is pulled back, and trigger to fire the bolt forward. The best of the best in replica dummy firearms which has now become a collectible in its own right.