My Dad has a WWI water cooled (Big Barrel) machine gun with ...

My Dad has a WWI water cooled (Big Barrel) machine gun with "1917" stamped on it. It lays on the ground(On a bipod) and comes with attaching ammo cannister that even has the canvas bullet belt inside. All is in pristine condition. It was supposedly brought home by my Grandfather after WWI. I'm not sure of the brand and have never found any picture that looks exactly like it on the net. Does anyone have any idea what it is and what its worth? It is mine as long as it can be picked up, but I live 1800 miles away. I wanted to get tickets to the antique Roadshow to have it appraised, but i dont know if its worth all the trouble to drive home and back to get it. Any help will be greatly appreciated!

that's not enough information...any hint on the nationality?. There were several water-cooled heavy machineguns converted for the light MG role by the last years of the war, by both sides. Could be a Spandau/15 (the most famouns instance of a HMG converted into LMG), but it also could be any water cooled MG of the conflict that was converted for the LMG role...


anyway any weapon of that time in good condition is worth a lot nowadays. Can't give you exact figures because I'm not really into the world of purchasing old weapons, but still WW2 weapons are highly priced by collectors, an original WW1 weapon in good condition (and if it's a MG much more), won't be cheap, for sure.

After extensive research online, I'm 99% sure its a Maxim MG 08/15 with bipod, side cannister, and canvass ammo belt. I've got my sister going to my Dad's house in the next few days to go down to the basement and take some pics. Its in excellent condition and probably DEWAT; at least thats what my father was told (No firing pin and the barrel filled w/cement). This also could have been the story my Estranged Grandfather told my Dad in order for him to take it, 45 years ago. We used to play "Army" with it in the 70's. It may or may not be registered. If it was, its probably with the old BATF. I have heard horror stories of registered owners of DEWAT's losing there proof of registry and the BATF losing their copy also. This is such a part of family history I don't want to give it up. Rather than ask the BATF questions formilly, if I get it, I may have to just keep it in my basement on display in my Theater room. I think we need some gun control laws, but this is ridiculous. Inoperative relics like this should NOT be in the same class as an Uze; its crazy.
As we are tracing my estranged Grandfathers history back, he was in France around the time of Sgt. York. Its a longshot, but typical of his life, if this was somehow connected to that incident. I do know a few of these were captured in the offensive. But I have also heard there are alot of these around, although I have yet to find an actual complete one, never mind the condition and accessories of mine. Any light shed on any of the things I've mentioned here would be greatly appreciated. Thanx!

so, it was a Maxim/15, after all .

Well, can't tell you much more than what you've said. The LMG version of the MG 08 was around since 1915 and in mass use since 1917. there were a ton of them around in the 1917 battles and it was extensively used in the 1918 german spring offensives...to track down where and how that particular weapon was captured is really really complicated just by the details of the weapon itself...

I'd say I agree with you too. Weapon regulations are really OK from my point of view, but for inoperable guns of historic value are rediculous. Ditto for airsoft "weapons", btw. and I agree with you too, that Machine gun is something worth keeping and to pass on within your family .