Matching BYF 44 “c” block

CLG · Oct 8, 2019

Here’s my BYF44, not uncommon but still nice. Looks carried a good bit but otherwise hardly fired at all. I’m told the stock date being present is a very late feature for the ‘c’ block. The barrel code is hard to get in one photo but it is 43 D300. FN bolt as is not uncommon with these.

jbmauser · Oct 8, 2019

Absolutely fantastic example! I think the barrel is 43 R 300. Just poorly struck. It would fit in with other c block barrel codes. I'm assuming there is a weld seem on the bottom of the upper band?

Thanks for posting!

CLG · Oct 8, 2019

More photos....

heavy_mech · Oct 8, 2019

CLG said:
..the stock date being present is a very late feature for the ‘c’ block.

I didn't see that in any of your photos? Looks to be a very nice, clean example! Congrats!

I see it now. Tuesday, February 22nd.

CLG · Oct 8, 2019

Yes, there is a weld on the bottom of the front band and the band spring is milled, not sure when they switched to stamped springs. Here’s another photo of the stock date:

flynaked · Oct 8, 2019

jbmauser I'm assuming there is a weld seem on the bottom of the upper band? [/QUOTE said:
Don’t forget the top of the band too they are just nicely dressed on top, you can see porosity in the weld seem and file marks, at least on the two I’ve had.

Nice rifle thanks for posting!

CLG · Oct 8, 2019

Actually the weld on the front band is pretty good. I’m always surprised at the overall quality of early 1944 MO rifles, especially considering how the cosmetics declined over the next few months. I’m curious when blued bayonet lugs appeared and what the inspection mark on the firing pin is on the opposite side from the serial number.

heavy_mech · Oct 8, 2019

CLG said:
..what the inspection mark on the firing pin is

Hard to tell but it looks like it might be e/26. Armorer replacement? Spare part stocks pushed into production?

CLG · Oct 8, 2019

Based on the serial number font it would seem the firing pin is original but the e26, which I think I can see too, might well indicate replacement parts used in production. Considering the production numbers, they could well be short of some parts from time to time.

flynaked · Oct 8, 2019

CLG said:
Actually the weld on the front band is pretty good. I’m always surprised at the overall quality of early 1944 MO rifles, especially considering how the cosmetics declined over the next few months. I’m curious when blued bayonet lugs appeared and what the inspection mark on the firing pin is on the opposite side from the serial number.

Sorry for the confusion, I was just rhetorically talking about these bands. The tops of them are welded too, really hard to photograph but I tried anyway. In hand you can see the line of porosity and file marks across the top from dressing the weld.

CE43 · Oct 8, 2019

Gorgeous rifle.
Thanks for posting it.
Ray

jbmauser · Oct 8, 2019

e/26 parts from MB show up here and there during 44 production. Take down discs, rear sight components, etc. First firing pin I've seen but few people post those things so it's probably not that unusual. Milled and stamped band springs are mixed in production at this time. There's quite an overlap in the use of the two types.

jbmauser · Oct 8, 2019

flynaked said:
Sorry for the confusion, I was just rhetorically talking about these bands. The tops of them are welded too, really hard to photograph but I tried anyway. In hand you can see the line of porosity and file marks across the top from dressing the weld.

Clay, do you have pics of the inside of one of these bands? The only loose one I have here shows zero signs of welding on the top, outside or inside. I'm just curious if there's a visible seam on the inside like there is on the bottom of these bands or if they were carefully dressed to hide that on the top.

I know you have a loose one of them to look at. :googlie

flynaked · Oct 8, 2019

Jeremy, even harder to photograph but there is. I don’t have the other anymore to compare but I recall it showing the same.

jbmauser · Oct 8, 2019

Wow, they really finished those welds well. I'm going to have to pull some of my byf44's and inspect them carefully.

Hambone · Oct 8, 2019

CLG, congrats, very nice byf 44 :happy0180:

Thank you for sharing it.

One thing I'd recommend though (and it took me awhile to learn this): the beauty of that rifle would stand out better on a better background, such as a USGI blanket. It almost blends in with that table top

CLG · Oct 9, 2019

Thanks, point well taken. Will try to avoid a ‘grey blanket’ tho! I have a few ready to post photographed on my workbench but I’ll use a better backdrop for the rest.

I’ll take a look at the inside of the front band but I’m pretty sure it’s one piece stamped and welded. I wonder if the bands that look welded top and bottom are actually bands damaged in the stamping process where the acute fold for the barrel required some touch up work for splits and the like. It would be so much harder to make a two piece band especially considering the Germans metal forming abilities.

flynaked · Oct 9, 2019

This is very likely, and you see such rework on other complex stampings from the time. All interesting little details!

jbmauser · Oct 9, 2019

I have one loose and 3 on rifles. None showed any signs of welding. I thought maybe on one I could see some porosity along the top but there is zero signs of welding on the inside.

I think the theory that some were cracked on manufacture and required repairs is a good one. Maybe a high failure rate was the reason these bands show up in a relatively narrow time frame with somewhat limited use during that period.

flynaked · Oct 9, 2019

That would seem to support it then! Rather thick gauge for stamping, so I could definitely see it cracking at that radius depending on some factors, probably why only some show rework, thanks for looking Jeremy! Not the same situation, but come to think of it, I’ve seen factory repairs to stamped rear bands in the area of the deep draw for the sling loop too. German stamping technology for the time is incredibly fascinating!

Matching BYF 44 “c” block

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