Third Party Press

Hungarian 43M

S

stephen

Senior Member
Looked at a rifle for sale today that has me confused. It has all Hungarian 43m features, bands, Bayo lug and top of receiver marked 43m, barrel with shield and no German proofs. But has receiver marked jhv on top and G98/40 on side wall. Is this correct?

Stephen
 
Pisgah,
Do you think this one might be one of those rumored to have been pieced/cobbled together in late 1944/early 1945 in houses and basements during the Siege of Budapest? I don’t know if there’s any validity to that story or not, but I’ve seen it stated by folks who are otherwise well informed. There is of course the problem of how it would have come west, if so.

Pat
 
If post war modified German receiver would have wartime German proofs? It had none. I could call the owner and find out see number and letter block, that would tell when it was made?
I do remember bolt, trigger guard, floor plate, butt plate and barrel were only numbered parts

Stephenu
 
Not a lot of documented history on the end of production there.

This is from the book " Dombrády Lóránd: A magyar hadigazdaság a második világháború idején (Hungarian War Industry in WW2), publ. Petit Real, Budapest 2003."




MAY44. Then 15th USAAF hit the industrial facilities of Danuvia. For safety reasons the machines were moved to caves and wine-cellars around Budapest. Production went on until DEC44 when the Red Army reached the place. This final time period is undocumented so we do not know an exact production figure. The machinery was packed up by the Russians and taken away as booty in early 45.
Click to expand...
 
Could it not be a German contract 98/40 receiver diverted to Hungarian 43M production and finished that way during wartime? That was done with G.24(t) marked receivers for Slovak Vz.24 production.
 
Pisgah has a point too, I'm simply offering the alternative. An examination of the piece might tell us more with respect to production / assembly date that could be definitive.
 
To comment any further we would really need to see good photos. German G98/40 and Hungarian 43M serial numbering patterns were completely different, so seeing how it is numbered would suggest an answer. Other than the numbering/proofing/marking, the two types of rifles differ in bayonet mounting and sling attachment. So, that suggests who actually intended to use the rifle.
 
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