The best book on the MG34 and MG42 is by Folke Myrvang, published by Collector Grade - but it's out of print and really expensive. So what are the other options? Well, both Osprey and Schiffer Military have much smaller books on the MG34 and MG42. So I bought copies of both to see how they compare.

Both books are 80 pages, and essentially the same price (Schiffer $25; Osprey $22). The Osprey is softcover, and the Schiffer hardback.

In the content, however there is a significant difference. The Osprey book (written by Chris McNab) focuses on the story of the guns. How they were developed, how they were used tactically, and how they performed in various different environments. It includes a bunch of first-hand accounts from people both using and facing them, and lots of battlefield stories.

The Schiffer book (by Luc Guillou and Eric DuPont) focuses on the technical and collector side of the guns. It also describes their development and use, but has a much more detailed explanation of the mechanical functioning and covers markings, production timelines, and evolution of different parts (like buttstocks, barrel jackets, and bipods). It has more illustrations, although fewer of them are vintage battlefield photos.

Both books are book and worth their asking prices, but have very different approaches to the topic. I have not made similar comparisons on other Schiffer/Osprey pairings though, so I can't say if this is consistent across the two publishers' series.

Osprey "MG34 and MG42 Machine Guns":
https://ospreypublishing.com/us/mg-34-and-mg-42-machine-guns-9781780960081/

Schiffer Military "German MG34 & MG42 Machine Guns":
https://schifferbooks.com/products/the-german-mg-34-and-mg-42-machine-guns