WWII German 8cm Mortar

[Hohenstaufen]

I'm looking to see if there is an affordable way to make a correct WWII German 81MM Mortar to use for reenacting.  Does anyone have any suggestions or plans or parts.  I'm sure I couldn't afford a real German 8cm mortar if I could even find one. Let me know what everyone thinks.

Thanks

[Soldat21]

Your best bet is to get a demilled Russian 82mm mortar. They aren't TOO hard to find for sale (compared to a German one). They are practically the same design...you can repaint it if you wish. The soldat in our unit that owns one uses a black powder charge to propel his projectiles (PVC pipe). I am sure you can make a rubber projectile if you wish.

[Hohenstaufen]

I had heard that the Russian 82mm was close.  Do you know of anywhere that has any for sale right now?

[Soldat21]

Not at the moment, sorry. You might want to check out gun shows.

[M1Tanker]

I wouldn't say the Russian 82mm is close, but it was well used by the Germans.  Even the German 8cm rounds could be fired in the 82mm tubes.

Here are a copy of pics for ya.

Early German 8cm


Later German 8cm


My Russian 82mm (8,2cm Granatwerfer 274(r) German captured designation)

[Hohenstaufen]

Nice setup, I hope to have something like that in the near future.  Do you use it at events or is it just for display??

[M1Tanker]

It has been hauled to many events...the key is finding 4 or 5 guys willing to help you hump it and the tube.

[Fallschirmyeager]

Very Cool!

Did you make the ammo crates for it or did somebody make them for you?

We're looking for a couple for our Unit.

Thanks,

[M1Tanker]

I bought an original and just copied it.  I made 3 crates big enough to hold the plastic rounds we use.  All you need is a table saw and a dado blade to make them.

[Otto Juhl]

Do you have pics of your rounds??

[drall60]

I have a short US Army WMV file showing US troops how to use a German 8 cm. Mortar, the last comment on the movie was " This mortar will give good service with US forces".  I would suggest using a US mortar bipod and baseplate only, with a new barrel made from 4140 seamless tubing, if you have a touch hole it is a muzzle loading cannon. The ATF considers any reuse of a barrel or breach of a weapon orriginally built as a destructive device to still be a destructive device. If you build a muzzle loading cannon yourself it has never fired explosive rounds and never was designed to be used as such then you are like the CW artillery units. Regarding the ATF, I do not care what some agent has told you on the phone, or even if you have a letter, if they tell you it's ok and you still violate the law, you can be arrested. Use caution and get a copy of the regulations from your local ATF office.

[navalgunneriraq]

anyone know what the mirror is on the ra-35 sight for the mortar is used for?

[Sturmkatze]

I have a short US Army WMV file showing US troops how to use a German 8 cm. Mortar, the last comment on the movie was " This mortar will give good service with US forces".  I would suggest using a US mortar bipod and baseplate only, with a new barrel made from 4140 seamless tubing, if you have a touch hole it is a muzzle loading cannon. The ATF considers any reuse of a barrel or breach of a weapon orriginally built as a destructive device to still be a destructive device. If you build a muzzle loading cannon yourself it has never fired explosive rounds and never was designed to be used as such then you are like the CW artillery units. Regarding the ATF, I do not care what some agent has told you on the phone, or even if you have a letter, if they tell you it's ok and you still violate the law, you can be arrested. Use caution and get a copy of the regulations from your local ATF office.

F-the touch hole! Make your rounds w/ a foil cover over a firing charge. Put a auto diesel (liek a Mercedes) glow plug in the bottom. Run that to a battery in a wooden box. Guess what, droppee the round in, goes off like the real thing, no legal probs.

Ain't reenactin' fun? BTW, that was YERGEN'S idea and it works really well.

[holz21pz]

 I believe there is one more for sale, asking price is about $3000USD though.

[kestrel]

Don't know what unit it was, but there was a german mortor at the Goshen Ostfront 2009 event. It was only part of the unit, and they only brought one, but it was awsome hearing those rounds shoot off. Though there was no explosive in them, so no bang when they landed. I think they said they had three! Wish I could remember their unit.