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Byf 43 Letter Block question

tshorter

Member
I recently picked up a byf 43 but I'm not sure what this letter block code is. It almost looks like two individual stamped backward J's, or almost a U but they are not connected at the bottom.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks,

byf 43 Letter Code.jpg

byf 43 Bolt.jpg
 
Looks like LL, probably a byf43 receiver used in 1942 production, as by 1943 there were no double letter blocks and Mauser went to 5 digit.
 
So would this be a very late 1942 assembled rifle?

I was researching the letter blocks used by byf in 1943 and found the same, that's why I was wondering how the rifle could have a two letter code.

I'll post some more pictures when I get a chance. It looks like an unmolested rifle with minimal wear, no import marks and all matching except the odd thing is the stock channel is numbered on less (7911). The rifle is numbered 7912 everywhere else including the upper handguard. I'm guessing it could have been misnumbered at assembly?
 
late byf42

Yep very late 42 or early 43 production using byf 43 roll marked receiver.
Neat variation.
 
Yep very late 42 or early 43 production using byf 43 roll marked receiver.
Neat variation.

Was there a slight 'roll over' where '43 receivers were used continuing the '42 numbering? It sounds like that's what I'm reading. Do you know how long they continued into '43? A week? Couple weeks? Seems it could have been chaotic.
 
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It began in the ff-block and becomes the norm by the kk-block (all known kk-LL blocks are byf/43's), - strange thing is it starts so much earlier in the ff-block, seemingly skips three whole blocks (gg-hh-ii) and then takes over. Of course I have only a flicker of a sampling compared to what was made, but to the degree it is complete it is consistent. 7912 LL is the highest rifle serialed in the byf/42 range that I have recorded, a modest jump from the earlier high, though "The Book" states 7996 LL is known.

I agree these are neat, I also think these rifles, probably from the late ff-block on were made in 1943. No way to prove it though, trend characteristics do not change in any meaningful way late 1942 through 1943 and WMO was a prolific barrel producer so barrel trends offer no reliable data to speculate over...

Do you know how long they continued into '43?
 
This 1942/43 transition rifle with serial number "7912 ll" is the highest rifle that I have recorded too.

I assume these rifles were made still in late December 1942, the stock completion date code of an earlier "ll" block and other examples lead me to this assumption. It would be very interesting to know the stock completion date code from this rifle with sn "7912 ll". I guess the stock was completed in week 51 or 52 and has a code like "Ha 5 51 42" behind buttplate.

Regards,
Stephan
 
Thanks for everyone's input. I was on the fence about purchasing this rifle, glad I did now.

I will remove the buttplate tonight and see what is there.
 
I removed the Butt plate and found the date of Ha 2 51 42.

So 2nd to last week of Dec.42? What does the Ha 2 mean?

byf 43 Stock Date (2).jpg

byf 43 Butt Plate (2).jpg
 
Thank you very much for the data.

The "Ha" is the abbreviation for the laminate supplier and 2 (day) 51 (week) 42 (year) means December 15, 1942. I was off by three days with my estimation.
 
Current thread

This rifle was likely assembled in early 1943 even though the date code states 2nd to last week of 1942.
In my estimation the final assembly of the rifle could be days or weeks after the stock was completed.
A more practical range would be 1-3 weeks after stock completion. I believed earlier that it could be months but my
assumption is likely incorrect.

I would appear that some letter blocks were completed in early 1943 as Paul surmises.
 
Current thread

This rifle was likely assembled in early 1943 even though the date code states 2nd to last week of 1942.
In my estimation the final assembly of the rifle could be days or weeks after the stock was completed.
A more practical range would be 1-3 weeks after stock completion. I believed earlier that it could be months but my
assumption is likely incorrect.

I would appear that some letter blocks were completed in early 1943 as Paul surmises.
I know this is an old thread but if of interest....

I recently acquired a byf 43, serial 8716ff. Stock date is 2 48 42 placing it in November of 42. Strong chance assembly was completed in late 42 very early 43?
 

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I know this is an old thread but if of interest....

I recently acquired a byf 43, serial 8716ff. Stock date is 2 48 42 placing it in November of 42. Strong chance assembly was completed in late 42 very early 43?
That would be Tuesday, November 24th so if Bruce's theory (1-3 weeks) this would likely still be in late '42. Early/mid December?
 
That would be Tuesday, November 24th so if Bruce's theory (1-3 weeks) this would likely still be in late '42. Early/mid December?
Hello Mech (and others, if/when present),

So there's consensus that the four digit, double letter codes carried from '42 on '43 receivers was a confirmed practice for this run, correct? So I'm assuming there's a parallel production of 5 digit serials for the '43 contract occurring in early '43. I guess I wonder whether it could be confirmed that a '43 like mine could have actually been assembled in late '42? A possibility I find pretty interesting, and it makes the rifle kind of a neat tangible side note on production at that time for MO.
 
Well I'm certainly not the expert but I can't imagine they'd wait until 1 Jan or even 30/31 Dec to start producing '43 roll marked receivers? Given the pace of assembly at MO at the time I could certainly see how different parralel lines were assembling '42 and '43 marked receivers side by side. I'll be interested to hear others thoughts on this.
 
Well I'm certainly not the expert but I can't imagine they'd wait until 1 Jan or even 30/31 Dec to start producing '43 roll marked receivers? Given the pace of assembly at MO at the time I could certainly see how different parralel lines were assembling '42 and '43 marked receivers side by side. I'll be interested to hear others thoughts on this.
Total tangent but speaks to what makes this all so cool to me...

I have a 4.2 mil serial correct Garand from the Korea era that establishes the new springfield run for that War. Neat on that level but it's also a Tooele Utah re-arsenal in '64 in prep for Vietnam (probably for distribution to NG so the front line M-14s were free to travel). Using the codes to decipher the "boots on the ground" activity occurring at the time, even in the factories, is way too much fun!
 

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