Russian archaeological team called “Yuri Gagarin” publishes on its YouTube channel videos of excavations of WW2 relics from the battlefields of the war. In several recent videos, they show how they retrieve many really well-preserved firearms and other items from a swamp. Even after being in the swamp for about 75 years, these relics are in amazingly good condition. Below is a set of screenshots of the most interesting weapons and other items shown in their latest videos.
Mortar shell
Note in what a good condition are wooden items and parts like rifle stocks, wooden boxes etc.
Below are images of a case with Degtyaryov machine gun magazines.
Note also how the leather items such as belts and pouches are preserved – almost in usable condition.
Next up are images of 7.62x54mmR cartridges retrieved from a Maxim LMG ammunition can. The canvas ammunition belt has disintegrated.
And a PPSh magazine loaded with 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridges.
Not too unusual that the rubber hasn’t suffered much, but still interesting to see how these guys pull out gas masks from the swamp.
Some grenades …
more ammunition…
an MP-40 magazine…
and a couple of PTRD-41 anti-tank rifles.
Last but not least, some Mosin-Nagant rifles with an incredible condition of the wood.
