Following the invasion of Russia, it quickly became evident that the double stack/single feed MP magazines—designed with minimal tolerances—were highly sensitive to failures caused by Russian dust and dirt. When carried around or stored in vehicles, MPs accumulated considerable amounts of dust and debris. If the weapon had to be used unexpectedly and had not been cleaned properly, this often resulted in stoppages in the feeding system. In most cases, the MP would fire a single shot and then jam, as the next cartridge failed to load correctly. This severe issue reportedly led to numerous casualties.

During the magazine’s design and development, the effects of extreme friction caused by a mixture of fine dust particles and evaporated weapon oil had not been fully considered. As a result, the arms industry had to respond with urgent solutions.

Two key solutions were implemented:

1. Dented or Ribbed Magazines – Introduced from 1941, these featured grooves or “channels” that allowed dust and dirt to escape more easily.
2. Magazine Cleaning Brush – A specialized tool designed to clean the interior of the magazines effectively.
   

On August 21, 1942, an announcement was published in the 695th Allgemeine Heeresmitteilungen (General Army Notices) addressing countermeasures to prevent malfunctions in the MP38 and MP40.

Three corrective actions were introduced:

1. Installation of a safety retracting handle.
2. Introduction of a magazine cleaning brush.
3. Adaptation of the magazine design.

This page focuses on the magazine cleaning brush, so the translated announcement from 695th “Allgemeine Heeres-mitteilungen” related to Part 2 is as follows:

As from the 21st of August 1942 the cleaning brush for the magazine of the MP38 and MP40 was originally registered with “Gerät Nummer” 2902 (Equipment number). With the introduction and of the new D 97/1 Gerätliste (Equipment list) of 1-7-1943 which replaced the one from 1939 the cleaning brush received a new number; 1031.

The magazine cleaning brush for the MP38 and MP40 was also included in the official D167/2 “Einzelteile” (part list) manual (part nr. 115) and the “Unterrichtstafel” (instruction table) UT 112.

Regarding the use of the cleaning magazine brush the translation of description in the D167/1 Manual is as follows:

This last sentence in this section is in fact a very remarkable note; it was strongly suggested in an official print NOT to oil the magazine as this could lead to stoppages.

The shape of the brush is not round as one would expect. The dimensions are rectangular and have the same measurements as the MP38 and MP40 Magazine. Length of the entire brush is about 9 cm. The magazine brush was to be stored inside the magazine loader, which was then placed in the small loader pouch located in the left ammunition pouch."

The cleaning brush for the MP38 and MP40 magazine is nowadays an extremely rare accessory.  Unfortunately I have never been able to uncover the factory that produced these brushes as the brush is not coded in any way. If you have more information regarding this cleaning brush please email me.

Reproduction MP40 Magazine Brushes

Reproduction MP40 magazine brushes are unfortunately widely available today. They look and function much like the originals, making them a practical option for cleaning or display.

While great for reenactors and collectors, it’s worth noting that reproductions may have slight differences in materials or markings compared to originals. If authenticity matters, double-check before buying!