337 1939 all matching

mrfarb · Jun 10, 2012

Rearranging the safe this weekend I figured I would take better photos of this one for the board. A gentleman posted this on the forum asking questions about it. I ended up buying the rifle from him. This is one of the toughest codes to find in matching trim. This one has actually been reworked, having the barrel replaced at some point. Wrist proof looks like Hr 6 under a loup. The barrel was the only thing changed, everything else is original on it. Fits right in my oddball collection of wierdos that I have. Stock and handguard numbered inside and matching. Rifle is mostly inspected with E/46, where later rifles use E/749.

don w · Jun 10, 2012

Hey Farb,
That is some rare sweety you got. Congrats on being the new care taker.
I notice the "l" making on the receiver. When did Astrawerk begin using it ?

And what's the proof on those locking screws ?

thanks,
don

Loewe · Jun 10, 2012

What a wonderful rifle, super hard to find, and early too! The Backboner 337/39 is fully matching, 2562, but not as nice as this one apparently, finish wise anyway.

Hardly any 337/39 exist original-matching, three or four at most anywhere near "original", and I think 2562 is the only one pretty much factory matching (by its datasheet). It had a BSW e/4 stock though, some of the early rifles have BSW components, even a few BSW/39 receivers have been found e/749'd.

Regarding the Hr depot, several rifles have been documented from them, probably Hannover, all seem to be early rifles, one Gew.98 and one S147G, but possibly they stopped working rifles due to Magdeburg being more active later? The Wehrkreis was very important, Magdeburg apparently heavily involved with tanks, but they found time for rifles too as many have been recorded from that depot.

I agree, this rifle is about as close as you will come to "rare" in regards to the Kar.98k, which hardly applies to the vast majority collectors like to call rare or scarce. Most are condition rarities if even that, this one is both.

Loewe · Jun 10, 2012

Usually the screws are unmarked, but early rifles often have waffenamt e/18 or e/4 acceptance, which e/4 is of course BSW leftover components, while e/18 is either Dresden or Elsterwerda, which is odd because Elsterwerda is not part or connected to Dresden. Probably the small components like screws, which were the specialty of the two main firms there (Elsterwerdaer Schraubenfabrik C. Winter & Phönicia Werke AG, both specialized in screws before the war- by their advertising anyway) were sent to Dresden for inspection or the inspector covered both areas, Elsterwerda not being very far from Dresden, or very important. It was just a few miles north of Dresden.

All the Saxony Group came on line working for Gustloff Werke in 1938, not all were from Saxony, but most were, - they were all in the general area around Weimar, which like Erfurt, was a great place to form a state owned rifle factory. Situated in-between the highly industrialized areas in Saxony, easily the third most industrialized area of German after Berlin and the Ruhr, and the otherside, to the west is Thüringen, Germany's rifle making Mecca. You have access to sub-contractors and skilled labor on a large scale.

don w said:
Hey Farb,
That is some rare sweety you got. Congrats on being the new care taker.
I notice the "l" making on the receiver. When did Astrawerk begin using it ?

And what's the proof on those locking screws ?

thanks,
don

RyanE · Jun 10, 2012

Not something you see everyday! What is the date on that Sauer barrel? 0,2 marked under the wood?

mrfarb · Jun 10, 2012

Here are some more photos with the finer points. :thumbsup:

Hambone · Jun 10, 2012

Very cool, all around :thumbsup:

THunter · Jun 10, 2012

Farb,

Thanks for taking the time to take pics and share this with us. This is the first time I've seen a 39' 337 'up close'.

I think the E/46's are super neat, overall a really interesting rifle reguarding the mix of WaAs and subcontractor markings. First time ive seen a WaA46 marked stock!

When it was rebarreled did it keep its original rear sight components?

mrfarb · Jun 12, 2012

Here are images of the rear sight components. I don't recall ever seeing an "a" marked component but I never really paid much attention to these. See the Simson E/76 inspected sight spring.

jlj · Jun 12, 2012

Have #1925, bolt and prob. some other m/m parts. Has the a marks on the rear sight parts also. JL

vaughn99 · Jun 12, 2012

Hello,

only other a (A) marked part i have see are rear sight barrel bases. sweet rifle!!!!

later
vaughn

mowzerluvr · Jun 12, 2012

Love it. Thats my "grail". I have one, though very much a m/m. Have two e/46 stocks and several e/46 proofed spare parts I managed to accumulate over the years knowing they were for this early transition rifle from bSw to 337. I have seen a few parts with the "a" on them. I know I have a firing pin or two with it and if I can dig it up, I have a bolt that has an "a" marking near the front lug.

mow.

Loewe · Jun 13, 2012

Nähmatag (a) is known for rear sight components, all 4 main components of the rear sight. Nothing else so far (except ML report, I will check KenH article on Gustloff and see if he has seen bolt components from them).

I agree, this is a very fine rifle.

Turbo Archie · Jun 13, 2012

Never seen the a marked parts, That's a first for me..

..

mowzerluvr · Jun 13, 2012

Great.. of course. Did more digging, the firing pin appears to be more of an upper case "D" than a lower case "a". And the bolt I distinctly remember having the lower case "a" on the front lug with the split in it. No mistake, but, can't find the bolt to save my soul. Must have sold it on a rifle or something. Figures I don't have proof of it. I knew it was unusual and had it set aside. Must have put a mismatch together to sell off for cash and forgot all about why I had it set aside.

mow.

Loewe · Jun 13, 2012

Just checked Ken's article, components listed all have to do with the rear sight, he lists the rear sight base, ramp, bar, slide-scale, lock. They certainly could have done bolt components, pre-war advertising shows machining and stamping-sheet metal parts.

So far i have not seen anything except rear sight components but new information is discovered all the time.

mowzerluvr · Jun 13, 2012

Ok, everyone officially has my permission to disreguard anything I say anymore... seems I have been out of the loop so long my mind is gone..lol. I did have the foresight to write down about the bolt I have been talking about and it was a lower case "n" that was on the lug, not an "a". Sorry for all the nonsense.

mow.

Loewe · Jun 13, 2012

Dave, not saying you are wrong, they could have made bolt components, I just haven't seen one yet and it isn't in Ken's article, - which was 1999, so that could have changed since then.

There was overlap in the contract, several firms made the same component, Elite also made r/s components for instance. Astrawerke seemed to have made most of the bolt bodies, with Köhler making most of the bits, but several firms helped with sleeves and cocking pieces (b, m, n)

vaughn99 · Jun 13, 2012

Hello,

I could have sworn i had an a (A) marked triggerguard, I'll dig it up and make sure and if so post any pics.

later
vaughn

Loewe · Jun 14, 2012

V, You sure it wasn't a "d"? Pretty much only Gebr. Brehmer made TG's? If the waffenamt is e/221 then it is Brehmer, if e/18 you might be on to something. Gebr. Brehmer was an old company, relatively, 1870's and before.

337 1939 all matching

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