The Russian Mosin Nagant Forum

Can someone tell me the difference between these and the original German helmets? I want the stahlhelm look for display, but I don't want to pay the price for something that's not practical. I understand the paint is different as well as the liner, but shape wise and exterior wise they are identical and built on the same machinery correct?

they had another sale acouple of weeks ago and I ordered another one. I plan on leaving it the was it came .pant looks good with a well used dirty liner. it does have the finn split pins in it that are almost to small.

I love going to the IMA website. Problem is .... every time I do, I waste about an hour looking at all their Junk!!!


It's like going to "the Finish Junk Yard" at
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~junkyard/m28_30parts.html

Darryl

dolk wrote:I love going to the IMA website. Problem is .... every time I do, I waste about an hour looking at all their Junk!!!


It's like going to "the Finish Junk Yard" at
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~junkyard/m28_30parts.html

Darryl

Gee thanks, it's bad enough I knew about the IMA site, and have spent too much time browsing on there, now I have another site to browse. CINC Household ain't gonna be happy! LOL..........

Mine looks exceptional for the price, paid the extra money for a hand select and looks to be well worth it (wanted a darker green first of all) I thought the rivets were supposed to be a silver color, are painted rivets normal?

Rivets were normally painted, but over time the paint wore off them. Look at WWII german helmets, you can see some where almost all the paint is worn off, and some that are still painted.

ffuries wrote:Rivets were normally painted, but over time the paint wore off them. Look at WWII german helmets, you can see some where almost all the paint is worn off, and some that are still painted.

Thank you! I prefer them painted so it was a nice surprise!
Might have to get a brown or grey one now

Joekopec1 wrote:

ffuries wrote:Rivets were normally painted, but over time the paint wore off them. Look at WWII german helmets, you can see some where almost all the paint is worn off, and some that are still painted.

Thank you! I prefer them painted so it was a nice surprise!
Might have to get a brown or grey one now

Helmet collecting is like gun collecting it's addicting.

My little helmet collection so far.....

Ground Helmets:

WWII German M-40 with Heer decal
East German M56/76 
East German M56/76 with netting
Czechlosovakian M53
WWII British MK II
Swedish Civil Defense M37
US Kevlar woodland camo used in Bosnia by me
US Kevlar chocolate chip camo used in Desert Shield/Storm by me
US Kevlar with tri-color desert camo used by me in Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom
US Kevlar woodland camo used for training exercises by me
US Kevlar with desert MARPAT used by my son
US Kevlar painted black used for training exercises by my son
US M1 WWII just picked up
US M1 Vietnam era with woodland camo and netting and WWII liner used by me until switching to Kevlar

Flight Helmets:

US HGU-55/P with MBU-12/P mask
US HGU-39/P with MBU-5/P mask
US SPH-4 helicopter helmet
Chinese TK-1 pressurized high altitude helmet

ffuries wrote:

Joekopec1 wrote:

ffuries wrote:Rivets were normally painted, but over time the paint wore off them. Look at WWII german helmets, you can see some where almost all the paint is worn off, and some that are still painted.

Thank you! I prefer them painted so it was a nice surprise!
Might have to get a brown or grey one now

Helmet collecting is like gun collecting it's addicting.

My little helmet collection so far.....

Ground Helmets:

WWII German M-40 with Heer decal
East German M56/76 
East German M56/76 with netting
Czechlosovakian M53
WWII British MK II
Swedish Civil Defense M37
US Kevlar woodland camo used in Bosnia by me
US Kevlar chocolate chip camo used in Desert Shield/Storm by me
US Kevlar with tri-color desert camo used by me in Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom
US Kevlar woodland camo used for training exercises by me
US Kevlar with desert MARPAT used by my son
US Kevlar painted black used for training exercises by my son
US M1 WWII just picked up
US M1 Vietnam era with woodland camo and netting and WWII liner used by me until switching to Kevlar

Flight Helmets:

US HGU-55/P with MBU-12/P mask
US HGU-39/P with MBU-5/P mask
US SPH-4 helicopter helmet
Chinese TK-1 pressurized high altitude helmet

That's a good collection! I was thinking of getting a m1 or or cheap comblock helmets, but the shape of "German" or German contracted/copies, look so striking compared to the rest.

I'd love to get a ww1 m16, but they are a tad expensive.
Looks like IMAs Finn cache is the best option for me right now.

Joekopec1 wrote:

ffuries wrote:

Joekopec1 wrote:

ffuries wrote:Rivets were normally painted, but over time the paint wore off them. Look at WWII german helmets, you can see some where almost all the paint is worn off, and some that are still painted.

Thank you! I prefer them painted so it was a nice surprise!
Might have to get a brown or grey one now

Helmet collecting is like gun collecting it's addicting.

My little helmet collection so far.....

Ground Helmets:

WWII German M-40 with Heer decal
East German M56/76 
East German M56/76 with netting
Czechlosovakian M53
WWII British MK II
Swedish Civil Defense M37
US Kevlar woodland camo used in Bosnia by me
US Kevlar chocolate chip camo used in Desert Shield/Storm by me
US Kevlar with tri-color desert camo used by me in Southern Watch and Enduring Freedom
US Kevlar woodland camo used for training exercises by me
US Kevlar with desert MARPAT used by my son
US Kevlar painted black used for training exercises by my son
US M1 WWII just picked up
US M1 Vietnam era with woodland camo and netting and WWII liner used by me until switching to Kevlar

Flight Helmets:

US HGU-55/P with MBU-12/P mask
US HGU-39/P with MBU-5/P mask
US SPH-4 helicopter helmet
Chinese TK-1 pressurized high altitude helmet

That's a good collection! I was thinking of getting a m1 or or cheap comblock helmets, but the shape of "German" or German contracted/copies, look so striking compared to the rest.

I'd love to get a ww1 m16, but they are a tad expensive.
Looks like IMAs Finn cache is the best option for me right now.

Keep your eyes open there are deals to be found here and there!

It is tempting to buy one, but I can't get started on another collection / addiction. Did some of them come with the German Decals still on them?

Joekopec1 wrote:Mine looks exceptional for the price, paid the extra money for a hand select and looks to be well worth it (wanted a darker green first of all) I thought the rivets were supposed to be a silver color, are painted rivets normal?

your rivets look like german and not like the finn rivets

dou44 wrote:

Joekopec1 wrote:Mine looks exceptional for the price, paid the extra money for a hand select and looks to be well worth it (wanted a darker green first of all) I thought the rivets were supposed to be a silver color, are painted rivets normal?

your rivets look like german and not like the finn rivets

I agree with you there. The question I have though is it a M40/55 or a WWII German M40 helmet? Look for markings on the inside lip of the helmet. WWII helmets were repainted and had new liners installed postwar.

dou44 wrote:

Joekopec1 wrote:Mine looks exceptional for the price, paid the extra money for a hand select and looks to be well worth it (wanted a darker green first of all) I thought the rivets were supposed to be a silver color, are painted rivets normal?

your rivets look like german and not like the finn rivets

I'm not seeing any markings inside the helmet could there be any under the liner?

Lack of markings means post war made helmet.

ffuries wrote:Lack of markings means post war made helmet.

Gotcha! Nontheless it's a very fine helmet for a good price!

I did read that some of the helmets had markings removed because they could not sell them intact. either way they are still made on original equipment just like the originals

I wish to own a helmet for my M1891/1930 rifle. It would complete my combat loadout.