Hi Peter
And you are 100% correct. I sent the pics to a buddy of mine who put them up on gunnutz.com and the answer came back as "firing-pin/recoil-spring assembly for an MP-38/40".
Good eye.
The Museum fellas will be glad to hear that. We had a long and varied conversation about this item on Friday and ended up having no idea!!
regards
Darrell
*Geoff, please feel free to delete my off topic posts as it's clear it has nothing to do with a PIAT.*