Stupidity...and it is far from "mint"

Im glad this auction is over so I can now post it and totally thrash, trash what has occurred here and the rifle itself

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=179104623

I intend to turn this thread into (eventually after Im done ranting) on what untouched wood on WWII german firearms look like so everybody prepare youre best wood pics and get them ready....

I just got back from out of town so Im not able to start on it just yet

My favorite part of the ridiculously over-the-top description : "It even has both trigger housing screws!" and that this is "quite a rarity"

Ahhh, the K43 rough, "untouched" wood......... I love it.

Beautiful BiO.

JM, subject to what Farb and Bruce may say, this is your forum and when to post auctions is left to your discretion, which I trust. I look at this site as more of our "clubhouse" than a large general site. That thing broke out past reality pricing (IMHO) on the same day that it was listed so there wasn't any auction find / sniping interfered with and certainly it couldn't be characterized as "advertising" :whoo:

Thanks for the vote of confidence Ham

BiO, now that is what Im talking about

Im hoping that those tempted to clean wood may read this and leave it alone, as well as those who are trying to bring some originality back to a nice stock that has already been cleaned, or may need cleaned like if was varnished, have a guide too

Im very skepitcal of most blonde stocks, to me, they should look like what BiOs k43 looks like....but there are true blondes

NOTE how the LOW spots like the waffenamts, some small nicks and gouges are LIGHTER than the wood surrounding them...

now look at subject duv44 G43, see the gouges, the waffenamts, how they are darker than the wood surrounding them? a sure sign of cleaning and/or sanding when the dirt particles got deep into small cracks, like around the recoil lug, which is in backwards by the way....the pores/grain is also the same way, dark...this is a total turn off to me....

now if a blonde stock is blonde, AND the low spots and waffenamts are light as well, well Id believe that it had never been cleaned

well there certainly can be times when the los spots get dirt too ....but note how on the subject rifle the waffenamts appear flat and washed out, with a "shadow"

but for me most of the time I want guns that look like BiOs

here are some pics of the duv, that sold for $7200 I wanted to add that price and the pics to this forum so they stay after the auction is deleted by gunbroker

Id go so far as to say that IMO, the wood is quite unattractive on this one

I hope some that can articulate better what Im trying to say will chime in and add pics, and anyone that disagrees too feel free

Here are some of my best attempts to show nice untouched german rifle wood

walther B block AC45

Highest serial recorded as of July 2010 (that I know of) BLM K43

QVE45 f block

see the wood in the sling cut out, and underneath the front band

a blonde, getting closer to what in my mind, mint may look like

ac44 G43

ok see how deep, and sharp the numbers, and proofs are?

these pics were not taken in good light, so Ill need to add pics in better light that show true characteristics

note the manufacturers logo in the one sling cutout...Ive seen it in two or thre other similar rifles, but none as clearly

OK one of only few Ive handled that actually had white wood unstained, dry, not much dirt or patina

about as close to mint as Ive gotten so far

walther AC45 d block

So how do we define "mint" then??

IMO the wood is one of the most important things to consider

mint \mint\, a.
Like new; in brand-new condition; unworn, as a coin recently
made at a mint[1]; as, he had a '53 Cadillac in mint
condition.

For a 60 year old plus item..one would expect it to show some natual age (darkening of the wood) and the metal should be like the day it was made.
I suspect most would accept a small dent/ding from poor handling over the years.

What happens to the stock (lets assume it is an unissued K43 taken from the factory) if it is stored "away" from the air (in a box, case etc.) since the war?? . The inside of a barrel channel (once the action is removed)....we all know, and love to see that that area typically remains like the day it was made, bright new wood, because it did not get the chance to oxidize much.

Now, that stock would be like new. We also need to take into account what part of the country the rifle comes from....the dry desert or a humid environment .

Just a few thoughts here.


OH, wonderfull looking rifles there too!

thanks Brian

K98 guys please feel free to show some wood, and I mean on guns, esp of some blondes

Your photos illustrate well what I call "mint". The auction K43 is far from mint- more like sanded and stained.

I'm routinely amused by the use of "mint condition" on auctions. In all the time I've been collecting, I've only seen 2-3 "mint" guns in person- most are "cleaned to mint" or "restored to mint".

I've also had trouble taking photos of "mint" rifles and posting the photos- for some reason, you really can't get a 2D photo to show "mint". The following bnz45 is one I have that I consider mint. It actually presents itself as brand new condition in hand, which it doesn't really do in photos for some reason.

I prefer another series of adjectives to avoid mint!

"mint" = perfect
********************
"minty" = near perfect,
"unissued" = unissued... like a Port M41
98-99% = near perfect

Here are a few Snipers , with untouched wood . Hope this is what your looking for .

Great pics yes that is what I picture in my mind as "mint" and also "untouched"

I was amused by that auction.

miles136 said:

Great pics yes that is what I picture in my mind as "mint" and also "untouched"

Click to expand...

John
I forgot to mention the AC45 in No#10 Post is an awesome looking Piece . I would love to own that one . What is a Price for a G-43 like this .

Dave Roberts said:

John
I forgot to mention the AC45 in No#10 Post is an awesome looking Piece . I would love to own that one . What is a Price for a G-43 like this .

Click to expand...

Using the subject auction for a frame of reference for my calculations, $5,671,345.67 .....approximately