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Title:	GUN, MACHINE -  U.S. MACHINE GUN T24 .30 SN# 9693
Maker/Manufacturer:	SAGINAW STEERING OF GM
Date of Manufacture:	1943
Eminent Figure:
Catalog Number:	SPAR 3070
Measurements:	OL:118.7CM 46 3/4" BL: 53.3CM 21"

Object Description:

U.S. MACHINE GUN T24 .30 SN# 9693
Manufactured by Saginaw Steering Gear of General Motors, Saginaw, Mi. - Unsuccessful attempt by Saginaw Steering Gear and Aberdeen to convert German MG42 to fire U.S. caliber .30. Feed mechanism had not been properly installed. Gun also frequently clogged. Equipped with flash hider. Receiver cover won't close.

Markings:
Receiver cover: CAL. 30 T24 LIGHT MG/MFD. BY SAGINAW STEERING GEAR DIV./Line hard to read - UNDER SPOTS INSPECTION? (etched on).
Charging handle: WaA/9693.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 2 November 1950.

Notes: "The Germans produced a light weight machine gun which was characterized by the large number of stampings used in its construction and its ready adaptability to mass production. A specimen of this weapon, the MG42, was fired at Aberdeen Proving Ground in February 1943. A report of its general characteristics was forwarded to the Ordnance Office with the opinion that it offered opportunities for study with a general view to improving manufacture of American guns.
Although the weapon possessed many characteristics not viewed with favor by our using arms or by the Ordnance Department, it was believed to have many desirable features. It represented a great departure from the manufacturing processes required in the production of the German MG34 previously manufactured.
It was thought that if certain pieces of the mechanism were altered the weapon could be easily produced by American methods of manufacture. This development would proceed concurrently with that of the T23 machine guns, and would provide an alternate approach to the light machine gun problem.
A search was made for a facility to undertake the development, and in July 1943 a contract was placed with the Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors Corporation for the development of two models of the T24 machine gun and complete drawings of the models. The contract price for this work was $25,400.00.
A captured German MG42, belts, and ammunition was made available for study, function firing and metallurgical examination by the facility. Considerable difficulty was experienced in firing the captured weapon. The gun was taken to Aberdeen Proving Ground where study showed the difficulty had been caused by excessive head space in that particular weapon.
Saginaw Steering Gear Division sublet the contract for the drawings, and many of the parts. The drawings were completed in June 1943. Serious defects were found in some of the parts and these required considerable reworking, but the gun was first fired 1 October 1943. It was unsatisfactory, and difficulties continued until February 1944 when the gun was fired at Aberdeen Proving Ground.
The tests conducted at Aberdeen Proving Ground in January and February 1944 were quite discouraging. Gun functioning was satisfactory during 100 rounds fired in two- and three-round bursts. Ten failures to eject one failure to feed occurred during 300 rounds fired automatically. Three failures to feed resulted when 300 rounds were fired in intermittent short and long bursts.
A 10,000-round endurance test was started but numerous malfunctions were encountered. Various combinations of components from both guns as well as from a German MG 42 were tried in an effort to improve operation, but attempts failed. After 1,483 rounds had been fired, the test was suspended. A total of 50 malfunctions, principally failures to eject, were reported during this testing. An intensive study on the cause of the malfunctioning experienced with the two models of the gun were made by the Division. This study disclosed that the primary reason for the failure of the models was because the receiver had not been lengthened sufficiently to allow the differences in length between the German 7.92-mm service cartridge and the American caliber .30, M2. Another factor was that the rear lugs on the bolt body had not been formed far enough to the rear to allow the bolt sufficient space to recoil completely behind the ejection port in the bottom of the receiver. The receiver yoke wd to interfere with the cartridge guide plate by nearly 1/4 inch.
The cocking handle had been made too short and caused interference with the bolt during the recoil stroke.
Changes in some of the parts by careful hand filing and fitting, and substitution of German parts in minor instances improved the action of the guns to a great extent. Both guns fired more than 200 rounds without malfunctions during the latter part of this study.
It was concluded that extensive redesign of the guns could be necessary to overcome the inherent defects in the receiver and bolt mechanism, and that since the weapons did not meet many of the required characteristics, further development should not be made. Both models of the guns were sent to Springfield Armory where they were placed in the museum for reference and historical purposes." - Record of Army Ordnance, Research & Development, VOLUME 2, SMALL ARMS AND SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION, BOOK 3, MACHINE GUNS AND RELATED ITEMS, SPECIAL WEAPONS. Office of the Chief of Ordnance, January, 1946.

"In 1943, the United States Ordnance Department obtained two German MG42 machine guns. After careful study of the weapons it was determined that they had several desirable features, most notably their quick change-change barrels. One undesirable characteristic was the weapons high cyclic rate that exceeded 1,050 rounds per minute. A contract was issued to the Saginaw Steering Gear Corporation to convert the two German MG42 guns to the U.S. .30 caliber cartridge, and decrease the rate of fire. Due to a lack of progress with the conversion, the Saginaw contract was terminated in December 1943. The parts and guns were then shipped to the Springfield Armory for completion of the project. The converted German weapons were designated as the T24.
The converted MG42 weapons were shipped to the Aberdeen Proving Ground where they were tested from 24 January to 12 February 1944. The T24 weighed 27 pounds and had an overall length of 46.875 inches. The rate of fire was variable from 500 to 600 rounds per minute. During the testing the weapons were very sensitive to dirt, and the shoulder stocks were found to be uncomfortable. It was also discovered that the weapons lacked reserve power and were not dependable in extreme field conditions. Based on the Aberdeen test it was decided that further development work on the German MG42 was unwarranted." - Iannamico

References:
Iannamico, Frank. HARD RAIN: HISTORY OF THE BROWNING MACHINE GUNS. Moose Lake Publishing LLC. Harmony, Me. 2002.