G/K43 Late -War Walther Bolt Question (from Hitler's Garands Book)

I was re-reading part of Hitler's Garands and I had a question about what is written about the late-war Walther bolts. I can't figure out what he means when he writes on page 155:

"Walther began to make two elliptical cut-outs near the top/rear of the bolt sometime in late 1944. These were necessary for assembly/disassembly of the entire bolt group after the Type 4 bolt carrier (discussed below) was introduced, by facilitating the placement and removal of the action cover on rifles fitted with a bolt carrier without a holdopen latch"

For the heck of me, I can't figure out what he means. I have been looking at my complete late-war Walther bolt and can't figure out why they made the cutouts and why they would be necessary for use with the bolt carriers without a holdopen catch. Can anyone explain this and also why they made the cutouts on the bolt.

Thanks,
Eric

I think this is the answer to your question the bolt with the blue background is from 1944 "m" block and the bolt in red is from a 1945 "d" block.... notice the cutout on top ?

Thanks for the reply, but I know what the two bolts look like as I have examples of each in my collection. The question is why were the cutouts necessary for assembly/disassembly of the entire bolt group after the Type 4 bolt carrier (discussed below) was introduced, by facilitating the placement and removal of the action cover on rifles fitted with a bolt carrier without a holdopen latch.

Eric

hatrick said:

For the heck of me, I can't figure out what he means. I have been looking at my complete late-war Walther bolt and can't figure out why they made the cutouts and why they would be necessary for use with the bolt carriers without a holdopen catch. Can anyone explain this and also why they made the cutouts on the bolt.

Thanks,
Eric

Click to expand...

On the earlier bolts without the cutouts the bolt and bolt carrier needed to be in the most rearward, locked position in order to lift the bolt group out the rifle (open bolt position). Try removing the bolt group with the bolt carrier in the forward position, it won't work because you can't lift the back of the bolt housing enough to clear the back of the receiver to pull it out rearwards. The two cutouts in the bolt found on the late war models allow for removal of the bolt housing with the bolt closed. The cutouts add just enough clearance to pivot the bolt housing out of the receiver with the bolt still in place.

Have a cigar

GunKraut said:

On the earlier bolts without the cutouts the bolt and bolt carrier needed to be in the most rearward, locked position in order to lift the bolt group out the rifle (open bolt position). Try removing the bolt group with the bolt carrier in the forward position, it won't work because you can't lift the back of the bolt housing enough to clear the back of the receiver to pull it out rearwards. The two cutouts in the bolt found on the late war models allow for removal of the bolt housing with the bolt closed. The cutouts add just enough clearance to pivot the bolt housing out of the receiver with the bolt still in place.

Click to expand...

Have a cigar GunKraut..correct and a might clever solution the German engineers came up with I might add.