Third Party Press

ar 43 "L" block

Gerard

Collector /Militaria Dealer
Another recent addition. I don't think we have one like this in the pic reference. A really clean (I mean REALLY clean) ar 43. Comments welcome, enjoy. :biggrin1:
 

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more photos...
 

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still more..
 

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Internal stock and handguard numbers. Stock shows letter block. Bolt in another FN subcontract (what a surprise), e/140 and M1 marked.
 

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I really like that one. I am a fussy collector but I do like the continual quality put into crafting that weapon even into 1943. Wood, metal, and finish all are superb.

mow.
 
About time !!

Glad to see you stopped looking for tan cleaning kits and posted some rifles ! :laugh: I was lucky enough to have This one and the others "in hand" @ the allentown show. His pictures dont compare to up close. This rifle is as nice as one can hope to find in any year code combo. Ar 43's come in a few flavors and this one is very close to the one I owned an near new. This one uses a Mauser berlin receiver and an f/n bolt which is pretty standard in 43. The variant I had was an astrawerke subcontracted type coded 'ar'. But otherwise they are identicle. This was a great find ! Congrats...:thumbsup: Added. my ar43 was in the 'f' block.
 
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Yes, talking about holding out... two nice rifles in 24 hours!

I was going to ask about the acceptance on the bolt, saw the e/140 striker, but MB is a really hard rifle to find anywhere near this nice 1941-1943. Worse, it ain't all that easy to find a matching bolt either. MB went to sterile marking as harsh as did dou, and others, and largely only serialed parts, including bolts. Leaving off acceptance patterns, including on the bottom flat of the bolts. What is the exact acceptance on this FN bolt, under the bolt flat? Just an elongated stick eagle over WaA 140?
 
Simon,
yes, it's the typical undetailed eagle over "140", the raised square on the bolt (don't know what it's called) is also marked "M1". The barrel is interesting, it has a small "cr" over a "4" and then the code? "ap".

Gerard

Yes, talking about holding out... two nice rifles in 24 hours!

I was going to ask about the acceptance on the bolt, saw the e/140 striker, but MB is a really hard rifle to find anywhere near this nice 1941-1943. Worse, it ain't all that easy to find a matching bolt either. MB went to sterile marking as harsh as did dou, and others, and largely only serialed parts, including bolts. Leaving off acceptance patterns, including on the bottom flat of the bolts. What is the exact acceptance on this FN bolt, under the bolt flat? Just an elongated stick eagle over WaA 140?
 
f/n bolts

there are a couple way to 'id' an f/n bolt. The Ml on the rear locking lug is one. Also there is sometimes an X or an S in the bolt root area under the serial number. Not all f/n bolts have the e/140 waffenampt. It seems they were lacks later on in production.
 
I assume by what little I know about these rifles that ar's were not marked on the right side of the stock?
 
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I assume by what little I know about these rifles that ar's were not marked on the right side of the stock?

at least for 1943. Not sure which years are stock marked. I think this stock is void of all exterior marks. But, if they are an ar receiver assembled at Oberndorf, then they have a standard Mauser stock, marked appropriately.
 
The "ap" is the lot, near the end for them, I think "as" or "at" were the last recorded. The other marking is, I think "ar" over ".4" but it is a hard marking to find with much clarity. It represents MB as the finisher of the barrel and starts in late 1941, though the barrels do not show up on rifles until early 1942.

Probably part of the rationalization efforts started in mid-late 1941, (Steyr's logo start around this period too) that eventually led to the shake up of makers- and MB getting out of the rifle business, going MG42 etc..

Took awhile, but these rationalization efforts started to show results when businessmen were involved in the process and idiotic compensation-contract rules were modified to "encourage" efficiency through profit. The nazis had tried numerous methods to put the economy on a war footing, all geared from a political or bureaucratic perspective. Under Dr. Todt they came up with a real solution to the problem of production, which was enacted under Speer (who took full credit), - which was to include the leaders of industry and experts in fields in the decision making process and encourage efficiency through standardization and simplicity (though retaining high quality).

These rules set down, with Hitler's direct participation and authority, created a more streamlined production cycle, moving and focusing smaller, less efficient makers to other fields (many, like BSW Suhl, were piddling in half a dozen fields), - like MB and Gustloff Suhl to the MG42, later Sauer to MP44 and components, while gearing the most efficient and high capacity makers, like Brno, MO, and the great assemblers and large state owned conglomerates, where profit was never a consideration (and where slave labor could be more readily utilized), like Steyr and Gustloff Weimar to focus on the rifles.

Your rifle is a good example of all this, the end of MB production, where simplicity of markings has become standard, but right before most of the crude expedients were begun.

Simon,
yes, it's the typical undetailed eagle over "140", the raised square on the bolt (don't know what it's called) is also marked "M1". The barrel is interesting, it has a small "cr" over a "4" and then the code? "ap".

Gerard
 
Great Rifle Gerard the that is a Very Unique look about it .
Most anyone would be glad to add that to their collection . Best Regards
 

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