Developed prior to World War II by Heinrich Vollmer of Mauser, the MG34 machine gun was a mainstay tool of German infantry forces through the full duration of the war. A machined steel beast, the 34 was a very versatile weapon, suitable for vehicle use, support fire from a sturdy folding tripod, or in rapid tactical movement from a bipod or fired by the shoulder. While later models were more efficient, banking heavily on stamped components and simplified designs to speed production, the MG34 was never fully retired. This example has a receiver and barrel housing manufactured by Steyr in 1941, wartime code "bnz", with mismatched number parts from multiple sources. Folding blade front and ladder rear sights, with an adjustable flash hider at the muzzle, a folding bipod, and "bnz/41/4837" on the rear of the barrel housing. A pair of ribbed grip panels are installed on the grip, which is fitted with a safety switch and a dual-mode trigger unit. The buttstock is wood, and a leather sling is attached. Also included with the grouping is a double drum "saddle" magazine (note: not compatible with the installed top cover), a pair of side-mount belt carrier drums with transport frame, and a length of canvas feed belt, along with a 1943 dated German language manual, a set of 1968-vintage sales/shipping paperwork from noted NFA dealer J. Curtis Earl, and 1968 vintage transfer papers.