miles136
Well-known member
There is no difference between the two, it was simply a change in nomenclature by the German military during WWII.....
G43s are usually earlier made rifles (1943 to 1944), and K43s are, generally speaking, rifles made later in the war (1944 to 1945)....the use of manufacturing short cuts or later style parts is not related to rifle designation....
"G" means/meant "Gewehr" or "rifle", and "K" means/meant "Karabiner" or "carbine" (and "43" is the year the model was adopted for production : 1943)
Interestingly (at least to me) rifles with receivers marked "G43" can be found all the way until the end of production despite the official name change...this was due mainly to the use of receivers that had been made earlier in the war, as manufacturers (mainly Walther) utilized whatever parts were available, including these receivers that were not previously used, to churn out as many rifles as possible
The first rifle pictured below is a Walther produced rifle that was made very late in the war and uses a "G43" marked receiver
The second is a scarce rifle that has both the G43 and K43 markings on the receiver....it is also made by Walther and was likely produced early in 1945...these "dual marked" rifles have thus far only been found made by Walther in the no letter block of 1945
The remaining photos show typical receiver markings : Walther code "ac" 1945 dated K43, Walther code "ac" 1944 dated G43, Berlin Lubecker code "qve" K43, and Gustloff code "bcd" G43
G43s are usually earlier made rifles (1943 to 1944), and K43s are, generally speaking, rifles made later in the war (1944 to 1945)....the use of manufacturing short cuts or later style parts is not related to rifle designation....
"G" means/meant "Gewehr" or "rifle", and "K" means/meant "Karabiner" or "carbine" (and "43" is the year the model was adopted for production : 1943)
Interestingly (at least to me) rifles with receivers marked "G43" can be found all the way until the end of production despite the official name change...this was due mainly to the use of receivers that had been made earlier in the war, as manufacturers (mainly Walther) utilized whatever parts were available, including these receivers that were not previously used, to churn out as many rifles as possible
The first rifle pictured below is a Walther produced rifle that was made very late in the war and uses a "G43" marked receiver
The second is a scarce rifle that has both the G43 and K43 markings on the receiver....it is also made by Walther and was likely produced early in 1945...these "dual marked" rifles have thus far only been found made by Walther in the no letter block of 1945
The remaining photos show typical receiver markings : Walther code "ac" 1945 dated K43, Walther code "ac" 1944 dated G43, Berlin Lubecker code "qve" K43, and Gustloff code "bcd" G43
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