Third Party Press

possible factory mismatch FNJ44

mauser99

Senior Member
I know big deal but, I bought this two weekends ago from an old timer along with 5 other bayonets. It had a frog on it so I didn't see the back side of the scabbard. Showed him it didn't match and bought it. When I was cleaning it up I slipped off the frog and noticed same maker scabbard and the numbers were only off a few. So possible mix up ? Who knows ? Not worth any more or less but neat just the same. Interesting Seam work on the scabbard and wood stocks on the bayonet. Blade is nice and will go good on my KM coastal Arty display Im working on..
 

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For what it's worth I have seen more than a few mismatched 44fnj sets, from just bit off like yours to completely off by a bunch. I'm guessing they left the factory together. Slash or Andy will know more of course!! :)


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I know its impossible to say. That seems more likely VS them getting mated up later on once issued.
 
Would certainly characterize this as a factory mismatch. A fairly common occurrence for several makers including Coppel especially in 1944. Very nice bayonet by the way .....
 
I'm assuming that the factory would ship a batch of these together in a crate to a depot/unit? It seems plausible that a batch could be issued together in the field and swapped around in a capture pile or something. It's just impossible to know. Cool piece though.
 
Personally i would not think its a factory missmatch as its early 1944 and all controlors were still at work, by 55/56 i would see possibility but this is 4 pcs outside, other way the last period on end of 1944 would it be possible, but there are too many matching pieces reported, what is interesting, possible under the b series stamp on scabbard could be a older letter stamp ? b.r.Andy
 
Personally i would not think its a factory missmatch as its early 1944 and all controlors were still at work, by 55/56 i would see possibility but this is 4 pcs outside, other way the last period on end of 1944 would it be possible, but there are too many matching pieces reported, what is interesting, possible under the b series stamp on scabbard could be a older letter stamp ? b.r.Andy

Yes, Andrej. There are many matching pieces recorded but there are also a number of factory mismatches in the data bases. And not just with Coppel. Examine the factory mismatches in Richard Abr. Herder's (clc44) early production as well. And yes again, the letter block stamping is interesting. All the more reason to suggest that this piece left the factory as seen here. My thoughts only ....
 
I more believe similar missmatches more about 1 or 2 digits are a unit missmatches, that could be realised in a small unit or when the GIs captured it or send back the piece home. There looks like wearing spures on scabbard , same as brass degree under scabbard hook so there was a frog on it for longer time. b.r.Andy
 
Interesting discussion and different thoughts on the subject. The orig frog was on this when purchased and there was no way to see the reverse. Once I popped it of I was able to see the code. That's when I suspected possible factory error . The odds being far greater they were mixed at the factory VS finding there way back together years later. It was bought from a guy who had no clue what it really was. "just German Bayonet"
 
Interesting discussion and different thoughts on the subject. The orig frog was on this when purchased and there was no way to see the reverse. Once I popped it of I was able to see the code. That's when I suspected possible factory error . The odds being far greater they were mixed at the factory VS finding there way back together years later. It was bought from a guy who had no clue what it really was. "just German Bayonet"

Should be easy enough to prove as time goes by. It is not likely only one set became 4 digits off. Watch for others in that range that are mismatched, or matched. If you find another, you can say with some confidence it left the factory like that. If you find one or more that are within a few digits that are matched, it is likely it was mixed later. I looked at the two I have, and one that is currently posted on ebay, but none were close enough serial-wise to help.
 
There was a dot44 rifle by a friend with the italic fonts of digits, one of the digit was 5571 on buttstock ring instead of 5671 as on all other parts, as the 5 and 6 digits are very close and the stamp was not extra clear, it could be that this is a real factory missmatch, as the piece looked never dissasembled, by bayonets and scabbard with different form of number as is 2 and 6 i would believe more its a user missmatch and not a factory missmatch,even in period of early 1944.b.r.Andy
 
People are human, humans make mistakes, factory original mismatches certainly exist. The problem is most people are risk adverse to taking any chances, while others truly believe the Germans were so anal that not one out of millions of pieces of serial numbered items ever left the factory not 100% matching, with a certificate signed by Hitler certifying it to be perfect......

Kind of like the "Stitch Nazis" in uniform collecting, insisting there IS ONLY ONE correct shade of field gray in uniform material ......
 

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Certainly, but as numbers of bayonets were added to Soldbuch, i would think the Waffenmeister would be reserial the wrong number to corect one, as there would be in future problem to match a scabbard and bayonet by the soldier. As no one known what was done with the bayonet and scabbard last 73 years, You couldnt clear clarify it as a factory missmatch. b.r.Andy
 

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