Most likely this has been covered extensively, so apologies for this query, please point me to existing threads etc. My question is in regards to attribution from factory to unit. In the rework and depot build portion of volume II I saw the records of rifles sent from MO to the depot at Munchen. Is there data showing which factory set rifles a particular unit? After seeing references to many ax coded rifles going to the Eastern Front my assumption is this is perhaps based on shipment data, but have not yet found it. Thank you in advance!!
Factory to Unit rifle attribution/records
- Thread starter bowietx
- Start date
flynaked
Repo Field Gear Collector
Will, I think there is very limited info available in this regard, we were just talking about this at SOS actually. Sometimes on rare occasion you can ID makers in photographs that give some indication on issuance, eg. I saw a picture of a Luftwaffe formation standing at an airfield in 1943 with brand new looking rifles, the entire row appeared to be Menzel stocks which are easily recognizable, so likely an entire line up of bcd 43’s. If I can find the picture one of these days I’ll post it. I don’t know how many documents exist listing this info but I recently found four of them, so they are out there.
Yes, you can find documents that show depots, and even a few that show specific units, but generally there is no way. Meaning, units didn’t have records of every maker of every rifle. Look at Soldbuch entries, some show maker and serial but no suffix, no maker with serial and suffix, etc. record keeping was not that specific.
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Gentlemen,
Thank you greatly for your inputs, would love to see the referenced photos!! My thoughts were that they probably didn't exist but the depot records in the book gave me hope (LOL). That said, these days each rifle is held by an armory, issued by serial number and tracked throughout. I was hoping there was at least initial issuance records that would connect shipments to depots and then from depots to units. On that note, was output solely tracked by numbers of rifles produced per month or was any more specificity available? Are there any records of depot issuance to units? Did US units in the pictures of them with piles of K98s keep a record of captured rifles? In this manner perhaps the units that surrendered and the rifles surrendered could be identified? Is the attribution of "ax" rifles to the Eastern front based on the dearth of these rifles now? Of interest, tracking some of the battlefield dug rifles when able to see markings on the videos gives at least an idea of there final place of usage. This subject is of great interest to me and appreciate the information!!
Thank you greatly for your inputs, would love to see the referenced photos!! My thoughts were that they probably didn't exist but the depot records in the book gave me hope (LOL). That said, these days each rifle is held by an armory, issued by serial number and tracked throughout. I was hoping there was at least initial issuance records that would connect shipments to depots and then from depots to units. On that note, was output solely tracked by numbers of rifles produced per month or was any more specificity available? Are there any records of depot issuance to units? Did US units in the pictures of them with piles of K98s keep a record of captured rifles? In this manner perhaps the units that surrendered and the rifles surrendered could be identified? Is the attribution of "ax" rifles to the Eastern front based on the dearth of these rifles now? Of interest, tracking some of the battlefield dug rifles when able to see markings on the videos gives at least an idea of there final place of usage. This subject is of great interest to me and appreciate the information!!
