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#1 on the bucket list finally bought: K43 AC44

Finally got my #1 off of the list. Picked up a Walther K43 AC44 (Jan '45) all matching panel cut "q" block off of GB last week. Was on a role after I picked up a BYF 42 K98 the week prior. Kept seeing prices going up and no sight of new surplus coming in so time to buy. Now my dilemma is that the k43 is all original w/ an un-sanded stock. I spent an extra 1k for an original rifle and now looking at it I don't know if I want to shoot it a whole lot since it is in the collector grade and K43s are known to be self destructive over time. I may end up spending another 2k+ for a Frankenstein shooter... Front sight is also a bit canted and I'm not sure if I want to try to correct it or just leave it as is. Suggestions?



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No, if this one is all original there’s no way I would shoot it. Original rifles are getting really hard to locate. A “panel cut receiver” is even harder to find. I was really fortunate to find one from a felow member here but they don’t come up for sale often.

Yes, I agree on getting one that has been jacked with and shoot that. But, get a shooter’s kit so you can preserve the shooter. It will self destruct eventually if you don’t.

Thank you for sharing yours with us. I had one report of yours as it was on Claus Espeholt’s serial number listing. It just had basic info on the rifle. PS: Yours is the second HIGHEST reported ac44 known. Only one other actually known after yours (K.43 ac44 #5545q). There is one other higher one but it was only reported, so not confirmed (K.43 ac44 #8172q). So yours has a little more prestigious.
 
Hmmmmm, shnavel.

I’m suprised I didn’t have this one listed before.

This photo would worry me:

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Especially after this statement in his narrative “Original unsanded stock.”.

And another:

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I am glad you found your way over here, I saw your post on ARFCOM (I asked about the 98k...), but I don't know much about G-43's, I only have one...

But, yeah, if this is good and all matching, I would not shoot it, not worth the risk! To hard to find, and if you break a matching part, or worse yet really kaboom it, its done.

These guys KNOW these, especially Tiger2tank....you can certainly get any questions answered and fully vet it if you'd like...
 
What is the concern?

The area at the recoil lug is one of the first places to look for evidence of sanding. When the corners are not crisp and have a “rounded” appearance, that suggests some sanding or steel wooling has occurred. The next area is the stamps in the wood. And, the next are the “mill marks” in the wood that occur during manufacture (look to see if present or not). It looks like something happened to the right side of the stock as the top portion is missing and you can see the receiver.
 
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Here is a spectacular example of an unsanded one:

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The photo is not mine and is on an ac45 d block rifle that belongs to one of the forum members here.

Here is one that doesn’t have the extreme wood mill marks and is on an early Gustloff G.43, but it’s a great example of the stock at the recoil lug that has not been sanded:

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And here’s one from another ac45:

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Thanks pzjgr!
 
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Tiger 2 Tank,
Thank you for the information. The stock does have some light mill marks in places. The most easily photographed is just aft of the sling slot in the stock. I took some additional photos of the receiver area of the stock. Not sure if the top 1/4" had broken off at some point but it looks pretty natural, not something that was done recently. The recoil lug area is sharper on the right side then the left side (with the gouge). There is a 8"+ section around the lug that looks like it has smoothness/oil/gunk from hands. There are also alot of handling marks on the stock as though it was tossed around in its life. It is definitely not a unissued rifle.

I sent Apfeltor an email a week ago and he will be out until later this week so I'm going to have to wait on the shooters kit a few more days. Go/No-Go gauges passed. Receiver/recoil rod are not peened. Just not sure what to do about the slightly canted front sight, if it is worth trying to straighten or not.


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Stock

I would agree with Tiger2Tank for sure there has been some sanding on the stock, and of course the piece missing on the right side. The seller should have acknowledged it in his description.
 
It’s got good stock mill marks at the butt area as you show. Looks like good side e/359 stamp too. My best guess is that she got knocked around and damage occured at the left recoil lug area and right upper area to the stock. Someone sanded the damaged areas down and repaired the upper right portion of the stock. Fortunately they left the rest of the stock alone. Probably what happened to the front sight as well. A repair to fix the front sight would be beyond most people’s abilities. You could be venturing into territory that could make a mess of the rifle.
 
Thank you for your thoughts Tiger 2 Tank. Stock has one more waffenamt on the grip. Other than that the only markings are scars. Who knows what the story of this rifle is, if it happened in 1945 or some time after. Its up in the air what I want to do with this one yet. I would like to shoot it a bit. Maybe once a year go through a magazine. But seeing how fragile that stock was when I took the rifle apart, I may have to go a different route.



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