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Dust cover malfunction

Fresh

Member
Shot my G43 for first time today, after installing the shooters kit.

After 1-2 rounds the bolt carrier was get stuck to the rear , hung up on the dust cover.
So I removed the dust cover and, it shot fine after that.
Is this common?

This dust cover is the sliding auto one. Should I replace it with one of the reproduction ones or ?

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Nope, mine did that with the first shot I fired, locked back and scared the shite out of me....

A friend helped me figure it out, a judicial gentle whack with a rubber mallet fixed it.

Solution, I never fired that or any other G-43 I have owned ever again.

Not worth the potential damage. I've shot at least a dozen different types of semi-auto rifles, and a bunch of full auto. It doesn't shoot any different, so why take the chance...
 
My G43 has the automatic dust cover that attaches under the bolt carrier. Had this happen to mine as well, took the dust cover off and it functioned fine after that.
 
Nope, mine did that with the first shot I fired, locked back and scared the shite out of me....

A friend helped me figure it out, a judicial gentle whack with a rubber mallet fixed it.

Solution, I never fired that or any other G-43 I have owned ever again.

Not worth the potential damage. I've shot at least a dozen different types of semi-auto rifles, and a bunch of full auto. It doesn't shoot any different, so why take the chance...

Well for one I don’t buy guns to sit in a safe to look pretty, I shoot them ever so often.
 
Fresh I completely understand that but I have a G41 sitting in my safe right now that's all matching and I wouldn't dream of shooting it. As much as I want to it wouldn't take much to break this firearm with taking it out for some range time. Plus I don't want to take a high investment firearm and cut the value in half of one broken part.

Now I do shoot my original all correct 1944 made M1 Garand rifle at least twice a year. But the M1 rifle is a whole different animal compared to these types of rifles.
 
Dust covers were problematical on these Guns, Just remove them for shooting. That's what I do.

I own seven G/K43's, two of them are shooters the other five I don't shoot. The parts are simply too expensive and hard to find to replace.
 
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Well for one I don’t buy guns to sit in a safe to look pretty, I shoot them ever so often.

Thats fine, people can do as they see fit with their guns...I just choose not to shoot some...I've heard too many horror stories of guys with beautiful matching G43, and they kaboom them...ugh, I shudder just thinking about that.

Easiest fix if you are going to shoot it, remove the cover while shooting as others have said.

Be careful what ammo you shoot it with, I would not use Turk, or anything else that is known to be hot...these guns are not built for it....
 
It was a problem for the soldiers in WWII as well. They simply removed the cover as suggested above. The automatic dust covers were problematic to the point that there was a directive for a field modification; basically taking the front tab that connects to the bolt carrier and cutting it off at the end. Essentially making it into a manually free floating dust cover.

There’s no way I would shoot any of mine either. These rifles were made when sabotage was rampant, the metals used weren’t the strongest as called for when designed, modern ammo is not the same as the ammo used in WWII which cause the rifle to basically beat itself to death. There’s a whole host of things that play against these rifles today when they are fired. Now, getting a “shooter rifle” (mismatched or poor finished one) that has a shooter’s kit installed would be the best way to go if you want to shoot one. But, by the time you get a shooter and a shooter’s kit, you still have quite a bit of money tied up in one.
 
People that shoot rare rifles with shitty ammo often get what’s coming to them. People that shoot rare rifles roll the dice and sometimes lose. Unless you can afford to destroy your g43, and you’re okay with destroying it, don’t shoot it. For reasons that I can’t comprehend the Germans couldn’t make a full power semi auto worth a crap, despite literally having dozens of different designs to work from.
 
For reasons that I can’t comprehend the Germans couldn’t make a full power semi auto worth a crap, despite literally having dozens of different designs to work from.

The G/K.43 was actually a decent design. It needed a little more refinement but they also needed to get the rifle out. By design, this rifle is better than the M1 Garand in my opinion. But by manufacture (sabotage, poor metal material that had to be used, short cuts here and there), it wasn’t. I personally think they should have scrapped this rifle and went primarily with the Stg.44. But, that’s a whole different story.
 
As stated, just remove it and keep off if you intend to shoot it. I leave them on the looking guns but remove on shooters. The folks using them often removed them for the reason. They are not easy to replace and cost a bit so why risk damage.
 
People that shoot rare rifles with shitty ammo often get what’s coming to them. People that shoot rare rifles roll the dice and sometimes lose. Unless you can afford to destroy your g43, and you’re okay with destroying it, don’t shoot it. For reasons that I can’t comprehend the Germans couldn’t make a full power semi auto worth a crap, despite literally having dozens of different designs to work from.

With rifles like the MP44 and the FG42 coming online what was the point. I think if the war went on for another year the K43 would have been phased out anyway.
The G41/G/K43 was a compromised mediocre design from the start, nothing was ever going to change that. As much as I like to collect them they are what they are.

On a side note 1st place to start with a shooter is to replace all the springs with a wolf K43 spring set. 90% of these rifles have worn out spring sets in them.
 
Nope, mine did that with the first shot I fired, locked back and scared the shite out of me....

A friend helped me figure it out, a judicial gentle whack with a rubber mallet fixed it.

Solution, I never fired that or any other G-43 I have owned ever again.

Not worth the potential damage. I've shot at least a dozen different types of semi-auto rifles, and a bunch of full auto. It doesn't shoot any different, so why take the chance...

With the G/K 43, that is the safest bet IMO. The risk benefit analysis is just too much against shooting one. Most folks will not shoot a M1911 or A1 and the risk/benefit analysis is way more in favor of shooting and no harm. Values on ordinary examples of each are close.
 
Thats fine, people can do as they see fit with their guns...I just choose not to shoot some...I've heard too many horror stories of guys with beautiful matching G43, and they kaboom them...ugh, I shudder just thinking about that.

Easiest fix if you are going to shoot it, remove the cover while shooting as others have said.

Be careful what ammo you shoot it with, I would not use Turk, or anything else that is known to be hot...these guns are not built for it....

Using Privi PPU 198gr. Brass cases non corrosive. Seems to be good to go.

Also have the shooters kit with the smallest gas hole rob sells, and all new springs installed. That would mitigate the risk of its beating itself to death.

I don’t plan on shooting it every range session. Just for certain occasions.

But for the most part this one will sit in my wall and look pretty.
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If you must have one get a manual, Sarco has them for sale. On the auto once they're bent even a little bit uhh Good luck. Take it off the receiver just like Dave said, and good shooting.
 

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