byf 41 LZA 2 rework

Hambone · Mar 19, 2011

Original factory parts reused except bolt, firing pin, barrel and handguard. Stock is e/L, handguard is laminate but is numbered to match and the LZA / Luftamt reworking facility. Untouched piece with a nice original untouched sling. Barrel was gunked up with dried grease. A brushing and about 10 ballistol soaked patches and the shine about blinded me, perfect bore.

Hambone · Mar 19, 2011

more pics . . .

Gerard · Mar 19, 2011

HB, great rifle. Never saw one before. The font is the give-awy for the replaced parts? Were these taken off the field from rifles that needed repair?

Hambone · Mar 19, 2011

Hello Gerard,
The Germans repaired and rehabbed their rifles just like every other country. Depending on the nature of the repair, it could have been done by a field level unit armorer, depot/HZA/LZA facility. The latter invariably show the stamping/inspection of the facility, in this case, LuftZeugamt 2. It was a Luftwaffe issue rifle to begin with (hence the e/L stock). So, that inspection on the new barrel tell us this, as well as the different font on the added parts.
Cheers,
HB

D-K · Mar 19, 2011

This is a nice rifle. Is the bolt body salvaged (ground-renumbered-reblued) or is it a factory spare? It looks like the former.

jack944 · Mar 19, 2011

Rare stuff

Ham,

This hits a homerun on the luft and luft rework front. I request a sticky and a pic of the top of the receiver.

:thumbsup:

Hambone · Mar 19, 2011

DK, looks salvaged to me too, and polished. Thanks Jack. Here is a receiver pic:

Gerard · Mar 19, 2011

Hambone said:
Hello Gerard,
The Germans repaired and rehabbed their rifles just like every other country. Depending on the nature of the repair, it could have been done by a field level unit armorer, depot/HZA/LZA facility. The latter invariably show the stamping/inspection of the facility, in this case, LuftZeugamt 2. It was a Luftwaffe issue rifle to begin with (hence the e/L stock). So, that inspection on the new barrel tell us this, as well as the different font on the added parts.
Cheers,
HB

Thanks HB, much appreciated, really nice rifle. I would assume these are not that common with the HZA/LZA inspection stamp. Thanks for sharing.

Bob in OHIO · Mar 20, 2011

Very nice...
I especially like the walnut stock on a byf 41 which I am looking for.
If I saw this at a fun show, I would ponder that bolt.
Clearly not factory MO font, so then I can get myself into trouble.
This rifle is a good one to learn from! :hail:

jack944 · Mar 20, 2011

You are right

Bob in OHIO said:
Very nice...
I especially like the walnut stock on a byf 41 which I am looking for.
If I saw this at a fun show, I would ponder that bolt.
Clearly not factory MO font, so then I can get myself into trouble.
This rifle is a good one to learn from!

You are right on Bob about ID'ing the bolt font. This one separates the men from the boys.

mauser99 · Mar 20, 2011

luft rework

I like reworks as well. I found farb a 42/40 rebarrel with the more common luftampt/4
test proof. It was all MO less a few small parts. Looked like basicly a rebarrel. It was a heer rifle to start.

Hambone · Mar 20, 2011

It's mostly an "holistic" approach to reworks and repairs. Many of them are simply a subjective judgment call. There is a great deal of risk involved and certainly not all agree. Most won't mess with them. Reworks, repairs, oddballs like this have been my main area of interest for some time.

Loewe · Mar 20, 2011

I agree very much with your thoughts on reworks, salvages (Steyr & Brno 1944 recycled receivers), depot builds etc.. there is a good degree of risk in these rifles, but they are also the most interesting rifles we study.

Just the sheer number of variations, the numbers of different facilities, individual armorers, time frames, circumstances under which they did the repairs complicate the assessment of each rifle very much.

I think the most difficult thing regarding this assessment process is our inability to trend study these different variations. Normal production you can trend what is most common to a manufactures production, not so with reworks as they vary so widely due to facility, time and individuals doing the work.

This is a very nice example Craig, probably the nicest on file!

mrfarb · Mar 20, 2011

mauser99 said:
I like reworks as well. I found farb a 42/40 rebarrel with the more common luftampt/4
test proof. It was all MO less a few small parts. Looked like basicly a rebarrel. It was a heer rifle to start.

Yes, a nice one. When I get time I will take photos and post them.

Hambone · Mar 20, 2011

Thanks guys. Paul, was LZA 2 Posen? I remember reading that in your MRJ or on one of your posts. Guys, Simson has contributed huge amounts of info on the HzA/Wehrkriess depot system. It is because of him and and MRJ subscription that I know what "Su" and "Kru" and "Jt" etc., mean :hail:

Loewe · Mar 20, 2011

Yes Luftgaue II was HQ in Posen, - thanks for the plug!

I will attach a map, and I fully expect all the copyright protection for my picture, of this non-copyright item!

Just kidding.. the picture is of a map out of a US Army study, therefore has no copyright protection. Typically researchers and collectors attribute where they get things, and that is all that is required in this case.

Loewe · Mar 20, 2011

BTW- As you can see the map only shows the Luftgaue and Luftgaukommandos (these controlled schools, installations & units in their areas, much like the Wehrkreise system) within Germany and the protectorates. It doesn't include the Luftgaukommandos that operated in the theaters of operations. These controlled ground operations, airfields, units etc in the zones of operations.

The Luftwaffe also had several ordnance schools, though none specifically mention small arms specialties, most being flak related (many of these were in LG/4 incidentally)

Hambone · Mar 20, 2011

Tks Simson. took it out of the stock today:

Loewe · Mar 20, 2011

Awesome! I was going to ask but I thought you might have it in the safe already.. not to mention I get called a BC whore when I do.. not that it hurts my feelings much as it certainly has some truth to it!

BTW- what is the full code? I see the ERMA logo, the lot (235) and either 38 or 39, which is the date, but what is the steel maker?

It should be either Dö or Ru, both are known from this period.

ERMA made ordnance spares only 1937, 1938 & 1939, - so far documented. Most by far are 1939 dated lots. This circle EE logo was used only in 1938 & 1939, mostly 1939.

Err, correction- there is one 1940 dated "EE" ordnance spare, on a superman commercial build.

Hambone said:
Tks Simson. took it out of the stock today:

Hambone · Mar 20, 2011

I took those pics for you, it needed doing, because without barrel whoring how would we ever know? :hail:

It's 38 and Ru.

byf 41 LZA 2 rework

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