Manufactured in 1918. A licensed copy of the Maxim Gun, the MG08 was a mainstay heavy machine gun with German forces leading up to and throughout World War One, used to great and brutal effect in the trenches, where the belt fed ammunition and water cooled barrel could maintain a volume and duration of fire unmatched by manually operated weapons. While changes in strategic doctrine devalued water-cooled guns in the Weimar years, the MG08 still had a niche in fixed fortification defense, not fully retiring until the end of World War II. Blade front and folding ladder rear sights, with the manufacture marks and date on the receiver cover and a round deflector plate mounted behind the flash hider. A mount for an optical sight (sight not included) is installed on the left sideplate above the tension adjustment device, pair of checkered "spade" grips and a "butterfly" thumb trigger at the rear, the latter with an attached lever for deactivating the thumb safety. Added to the bottom rear corner of the left sideplate is the "bullet" logo of Charles Erb, noted restorer of NFA items. A steel "sled" field mount is included, along with two extra barrels, a leather barrel case, and a spare bolt.

Very fine, with 85% plus arsenal blue and 60% green paint finish on the water jacket and field mount. The jacket shows a number of dents and dings, and both the jacket and mount show wear and flaking. Moderate pitting is present on the recoil booster assembly, with the other blue components showing minor spotting and handling marks. Grips show some light scuffs and dents. Mechanically excellent. NOTE: This weapon is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 479.