Depot build, blank receiver

Thanks again for sending it my way Gage. It's such a dang mystery/puzzle to be solved.

I've been thinking about this one quite a bit and wonder if there is enough information to form an opinion on date range or assembler? Paul covered the barrel fully (I'm glad I was able to determine it was a very early Steyr ordinance spare) after seeing his other rifle with an even earlier Steyr spare wondered did they show up more often/only at a specific wehrkreis? Is the font remarkable enough? Two distinct variations of the numeral 2 (with and without serif). The serif shows on the rear band and floor plate. Is that significant? How about the mix of ordinance spares itself? Does the fairly heavy use of Imperial leftovers indicate anything? I would guess those would be used earlier rather than later. Does the original maker of the trigger, sear, bolt release of floor plate release button give any clues as to who might have assembled this? The Astra parts are early enough they still included the e/1 but that doesn't drop off until what, 1943? so that's not a huge help. Finally rear band being e/77. Most likely the rear band is 1938ish Erma but is it possible it came from Radom? If it were Radom then the rifle could not have been assembled before those parts started being absorbed into the system. Sorry if this seems rambling but I don't have the bible available to me and it really started my brain spinning. Interesting rifle in any case.

heavy_mech said:

Sorry if this seems rambling but I don't have the bible available to me and it really started my brain spinning. Interesting rifle in any case.

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It is boggling my mind as well, being mostly a bSw/Gustloff snob I find all the mixed usage of parts/proofs interesting to say the least. WHO built these things ?? LOL. I keep hearing Neil Diamond singing "Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show" picturing armorers in a truck traveling from one manufacturer to another for parts and assembling them on the fly.


Thanks for the input folks. It helps clear the fog.

3458/e went through a thorough rebuild, far more than the re-barrel I initially stated. It passed through Königsberg, has all the typical signs from this important HZa, - it along with Spandau and Cassel/Kassel (name change 1926-27?) were the main ordnance shops of the Republican era.

Naturally I do not own this rifle, but will post some of its pictures for this discussion. It really is an exceptional example and for a rework is an impressive rifle, typically rifles like this do not survive matching.

heavy_mech said:

I've been thinking about this one quite a bit and wonder if there is enough information to form an opinion on date range or assembler? Paul covered the barrel fully (I'm glad I was able to determine it was a very early Steyr ordinance spare) after seeing his other rifle with an even earlier Steyr spare wondered did they show up more often/only at a specific wehrkreis?

Click to expand...

Two important angles

Very interesting to see. And two barrel lots earlier than mine.