WilliM1940
Senior Member
Question on why this hasn't been given a permanent berth in the reference section? It appears that the follower on this rifle is replaced, but is the most complete original of it's type.
Early 1939 337
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WilliM1940
Senior Member
I am saying the follower is replaced due to the font change and the waffenampt stamp. I could be wrong on all of this, and if so, it is more important to showcase these examples as variations of original manufacture.
The Gustloff portion of the reference section is kind of spartan compared to the Mauser. For example, there was a question on an old K98k stock someone was going to use for firewood because he could not identify its origin. It carried a Kohler bayonet mount just like on the 1940 337 you photographed (which should also be in the reference section as there is no 1940 example). All the other metal matched accepted manufacturer code and WaA stamps for Gustloff. Because of the nose piece, it did not match what was accepted as the norm, which should have been an Astrawerke. That stock may be firewood now. So it is important that these variations be shown as original and not bubba fabrications. If these are not included in the reference section, at some point the pictures could be lost due to a site overhaul.
The Gustloff portion of the reference section is kind of spartan compared to the Mauser. For example, there was a question on an old K98k stock someone was going to use for firewood because he could not identify its origin. It carried a Kohler bayonet mount just like on the 1940 337 you photographed (which should also be in the reference section as there is no 1940 example). All the other metal matched accepted manufacturer code and WaA stamps for Gustloff. Because of the nose piece, it did not match what was accepted as the norm, which should have been an Astrawerke. That stock may be firewood now. So it is important that these variations be shown as original and not bubba fabrications. If these are not included in the reference section, at some point the pictures could be lost due to a site overhaul.
builttoughf350
Senior Member
Just out of curiosity what could this rifle go for on an auction ? I suppose it could be anyone's guess but I'm sure similar examples have sold so what did they go for ?
WilliM1940
Senior Member
This rifle has rarity, condition, and provenance going for it. Similar rifles are only 3. The two listed in the reference section, and one other. I would not be surprised if a doable price was upwards of 4000-5000. Maybe more.
Which is perfectly normal for such an early 337/39. While the number of stock matching (with clear markings) 337/39 rifles is low, there are a number known and all have e/46 acceptance. This changes very quickly either in the a-block of 1939 or in early 1940, for sure by the first block of 1940, - basically changing as the RR pattern does, I suspect the two patterns mirrored one another and so far the confirmed cases supports this...
The problem of narrowing this range down is a matter of finding a 337/39 a-block with a legitimate matching stock, there are none known with authentic matching stocks. (if the RR acceptance mirrors the stock acceptance then the change to e/749 would have occurred in the a-block, and it probably does, but with available examples, we can only say that for sure by 1st block of 1940 it was already e/749; also things like this, a waffenamt change, it usually intermingles for a time, which also suggests the change would have been during the a-block or 1939)
The problem of narrowing this range down is a matter of finding a 337/39 a-block with a legitimate matching stock, there are none known with authentic matching stocks. (if the RR acceptance mirrors the stock acceptance then the change to e/749 would have occurred in the a-block, and it probably does, but with available examples, we can only say that for sure by 1st block of 1940 it was already e/749; also things like this, a waffenamt change, it usually intermingles for a time, which also suggests the change would have been during the a-block or 1939)
