Hey guys I just bought my first G43 and upon inspection I found a crack on the bolt housing. Fortunately the crack doesnt go all the way through. Is it ok to shoot with a kit on it or should I get it repaired?
Cracked g43
- Thread starter Hchon3
- Start date
Tiger 2 Tank
Senior Member
I’m no expert or anything like that on the shootability of these rifles. But, that is fortunately a piece that can be replaced. I have no idea if it would be okay to shoot with it like that.
Cracks in that area are very common. I sold my G43 years ago because the rifles are so fragile to begin with. Mine had a crack in this area but it ran from the bottom of the bottom hole and is was only in the sheet metal, not the steel insert. I put a shooter kit on mine and shot well over 500 rounds with no problems but I knew that, crack or no crack, something somewhere would break on the rifle eventually if I continued to shoot it. There are some very knowledgeable guys on this forum so I guarantee that you will get a definitive answer eventually.
Rogerbutthead
Well-known member
I sent pictures to apfeltor and all he said was he could fix it.
Agreed. Unfortunately apfeltor is on back order till mid to end of this month. I will most likely send him the bolt housing to repair, and hopefully when he is done the shooters kit will be back in stock and he can send both back to me.
Cracked bolt housing
New to the forum but saw this post and I just got a ac44 k43 all marching but had a cracked bolt and cracked bolt carrier. Emailed apfeltor and he is short on his emails but fixed both for 125 a piece just got them back and he did an outstanding job. Well worth the wait for those fixed parts. Also check out Gewehr 41.com in Luray Virginia he does some of the same in restoring and repairing g41/43 k43 and is working on my stock now fixing duffel cut. Just me but I would get as many spare parts as possible before you can’t find them anymore. Frontline-Militaria our of Europe has a lot of g43 parts for sale if you are going to be shooting it often.
New to the forum but saw this post and I just got a ac44 k43 all marching but had a cracked bolt and cracked bolt carrier. Emailed apfeltor and he is short on his emails but fixed both for 125 a piece just got them back and he did an outstanding job. Well worth the wait for those fixed parts. Also check out Gewehr 41.com in Luray Virginia he does some of the same in restoring and repairing g41/43 k43 and is working on my stock now fixing duffel cut. Just me but I would get as many spare parts as possible before you can’t find them anymore. Frontline-Militaria our of Europe has a lot of g43 parts for sale if you are going to be shooting it often.
Rogerbutthead
Well-known member
When you buy spare parts, make sure to compare them to your originals.
I got burned on a few items I bought, threw in my spare parts can and when I pulled them out to use, found out that they had been bubba'd in one way or another. Specifically I recall an action cover that had been shortened and I didn't notice it for way too long to complain about it.
And most G43 sight hoods are fake out there, certainly I have proven unable to tell a real one from a fake one.
I got burned on a few items I bought, threw in my spare parts can and when I pulled them out to use, found out that they had been bubba'd in one way or another. Specifically I recall an action cover that had been shortened and I didn't notice it for way too long to complain about it.
And most G43 sight hoods are fake out there, certainly I have proven unable to tell a real one from a fake one.
Titan
Senior Member
That is not a crack in the middle, it is a seam, it doesnt go all the way through because there is a separate reinforcing plate on the inside. It does look like there is a small crack by one of the side holes though, which should not be there.
Make sure you use new recoil springs to fire, and another forum member made a good mention about the shooter kit, wise investment!
Titan
Make sure you use new recoil springs to fire, and another forum member made a good mention about the shooter kit, wise investment!
Titan
I will for sure compare any spare parts I get. Its unfortunate so many fakes are out there for anything WW2 German. I did notice that the crack didn't go all the way through but I wanted to play it safe and get it repaired. I sent it to apfeltor already with payment for his shooters kit and i have a complete new spring kit with new rods. Hopefully apfeltor will make all necessary repairs and ship everything back to me soon.
Not much more to add, but you certainly wouldn't have a catastrophic failure if firing.
I love these rifles, but as mentioned they have common breakages. The first one I owned I took to the range and within 5x shots I broke one of the matching locking lugs. I have since traded that rifle and have a nice collection of G/K43's, but they are gun room queens.
It is always a good idea to get a gas/spring kit and even to buy some spare parts or use non-matching locking lugs etc. when firing and luckily the part you have an issue with is a contracted part and is non-numbered to the gun (replaceable, but not cheap - worth repairing if you are going to shoot).
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