swjXE numbers matching and all origional

yes agreed and invest in a bore store long rifle stock treated to inhibit rust and cushion the wood

very nice find thank you for sharing and thanks to all who have taught me something new

love this late war, last ditch, immediate post war assemblege

jack

Thanks again for all the replies, I ordered one of those bore store cases, Thx for the tip(only 16$). I'm going to follow your guys advice on punching the bore (carefully)! What do you guys think about that crack? Also, I might be way off base, but if the Steyr plant was last to be captured of the last 4 plants and the swjXE code was the last to be implemented and this rifle has the highest known serial number, does that make it the latest known Nazi built rifle?

redrider said:

Thanks again for all the replies, I ordered one of those bore store cases, Thx for the tip(only 16$). I'm going to follow your guys advice on punching the bore (carefully)! What do you guys think about that crack? Also, I might be way off base, but if the Steyr plant was last to be captured of the last 4 plants and the swjXE code was the last to be implemented and this rifle has the highest known serial number, does that make it the latest known Nazi built rifle?

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Its neat that it may be the highest number observed. Very cool rifle, would be the center piece of many collections.

redrider said:

Thanks again for all the replies, I ordered one of those bore store cases, Thx for the tip(only 16$). I'm going to follow your guys advice on punching the bore (carefully)! What do you guys think about that crack? Also, I might be way off base, but if the Steyr plant was last to be captured of the last 4 plants and the swjXE code was the last to be implemented and this rifle has the highest known serial number, does that make it the latest known Nazi built rifle?

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Last operating plant, and highest serial. Last rifle built by the nazis? Hard to really say as production wasn't linear.

CanadianAR said:

Last operating plant, and highest serial. Last rifle built by the nazis? Hard to really say as production wasn't linear.

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Personally, I would not touch that crack. As the rifle is now will be fine to almost any collector in the future if you ever sale it. With the small number known, I am guessing less than five(and I throw this number out there in hopes that the accurate number will come from the experts), folks will want it for big money and the crack will barely impact the value. The wood was not primo nor strong at this point in production. JMO. Putting RIG in the bore will not hurt it at all IMO and CLP would not be a bad choice it will just not last as long. I have RIG in bores untouched for more than 10 years without being touched and they are fine. It is very humid here.

Impossible to know when the last 98k was truly made. Steyr wasn't liberated until May11, and production wasn't going until the end. The Brünn II factory was liberated at the end of April, but the Russians took it so we don't see unfinished guns. We DON"T see unfinished Steyr guns either, but do see unfinished Gustloff- to me that shows they were still working when the factory was overrun (having unfinished parts around). For now this is the highest Steyr serial number, but I would not say it's the last made, there are more guns made after this one, at least serial numbered. No rifle this complete could be the last...but, if you want to say that I guess you could, but you should keep up with serial studies to make sure. I've owned the last bnz45 made at least 3 times.

Shame about the crack in the stock. I'm sure it was damaged from whoever was hammering on it. I say leave it alone as well, unless you know an expert wood repair guy you could do more damage.

mrfarb said:

Imagine that, you are the first to do it. Typical.

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Better he learns of it here than on the streets.

Well, thanks again to all of you for your input and advice. I'm going to take what you all have told me and try to research and educate myself further. It's been a lot of fun learning about this rifle though! Thx again.

Hello, do any of you guys know where I can get an original non-locking front action screw? thx

They pop up from time to time..I sold a few a while back and I've seen others for salel over the years, they are not super rare.
Keep an eye on E-pay..and Gunbroker but if I had one to give, it would be yours for free just because I like that rifle!

I have one I'll give you, PM sent. You want to make sure you get a real phosphate, late bnz one and not a postwar Czech one (even though technically they are the same, it would just "feel" better being a real one).

Thank you to everyone that replied and PM'd me! I took MrFarb up on his offer. You guys are great on this forum!!!!!

Was doing some digging on the older posts on the forum, this should really be in the pic reference since there are no swjXE's there.

Good call, pic stickied.