The changes began early in 1942, the Hitler decree occurred in a series of incremental steps to get the problems solved with the least intrusion as possible, - starting before the Russian Campaign, February 1941 (
this was a crisis before the ill-advised Russian odyssey, the May 1941 decree was rather stern and this was before Russia also) and really didn't get resolved until December 1941 when Hitler finally acted authoritatively (
stepping on the military, which only he could have done).
So, it took a little while to work down to the actually factories and the rifles (it was armaments wide, rifles were not the focus), but generally in the c-block we see the first real signs of JPS implementing this program or directive. Bolts first show up lacking the bottom flat acceptance, general waffenamts for in-house production (Suhl wide) start to drop, leaving only sub-contract parts having them or due to assembly, barrels lag naturally, they have a longer path to the rifles, but by the g-h blocks you start to see meaningful changes. By the e-block serialing of the barrel drops, (
though earlier rifles are known SRO, these are later production serialed in earlier ranges, probably rifles that failed or went back due to some serious problem, - they are rare but several known in the first block and b-block) and from there it, the change, becomes more typical across the board.
I had 616/e from 2014 recorded, but it is nice to see better pictures!
*** band changes began very early in 1942, solid milled can be in the first block, though one must always view first block rifles as a whole, take all the features into consideration before you attribute them to the actual first block. Many rifles in the first block of any makers production run are often not what they seem, - they are later rifles masquerading as an early rifle. This is as true for Imperial rifles as NS era rifles.
**** Lastly, while it was tedious to photograph something we already knew to be true, it is the only way to overcome the tendency of most reports to be "simple" (
or rather not meant to serve research, most resources are from auctions where the seller hardly cares to take photographs of blank spaces, or too ignorant to know the absence of markings is almost as important as markings); for instance, we have several dozens of rifles in the early suffixes JPS/42 with parts that we do not know how they are marked, because although the parts match, the owner/seller didn't take photographs, was it because they are blank or he didn't chose to look there? Having this picture of a blank underbelly of the bolt handle serves my research because if I every verify rifles around it I will have it clearly recorded in datasheets and pictures, which 7 rifles around it I have no picture of the lower flat.
Anyway, just wanted to explain why I asked you to take the extra picture, - most matched bolts show neither the lower flat or the back stem. Even rifles that do have waffenamts (or should) are not typically shown, - accuracy in one or two rifles can lend credibility to general observations. Hell the whole global climate "business" / "industry" is built around the concept of extrapolating a series of factoids (
daisy chaining superficial and trivial facts into one huge calculation or hypothesis, one that is very self-serving for the politicians, bureaucrats and the "people" who are employed in the "industry") into general arguments.
As an interesting comparison of markings, this is my all matching ce 42 "e" block....not as nice as the "n", but completely matching and shows more markings than the "n"...
Oh, and it has a milled "H" rear band as opposed to the speed milled on the "n"...
PS, Paul, don't think I posted this one before...the barrel code on it is S50381 41 DS...
Super Sauer Rifle . Sauer quality from begin to end of war is impeccable IMHO
