Middle Band "Oddity?"

[niffy1963]

Have had this 1939 K98 Code 47 in the family for about 65 years. Haven't disassembled but all numbers which are visible are matching. Question is, the Middle Band appears to be mounted wrong. I was thinking perhaps it was a replacement put on "upside down" but it is clearly stamped with the 47 code and the first two numbers of the serial number (and perhaps the second two on the other side of the swivel)? Maybe an armorer disassembled for whatever reason and reassembled wrong? Or were some manufactured this way. Can't find any pictures showing it mounted this way. Any help or insight is greatly appreciated. If this picture isn't good, happy to post more.

 

[NMarshell]

The most likely reason is that someone disassembled the rifle and just slipped the band on backwards. You can easily correct this.

 

[bob32268]

Middle band question

From the pic it looks like someone disassembled the rifle and put the middle band on "backwards". Simple fix: remove middle band and do a
180 degree turn on to put sling swivel on the left side (non-bolt side) of the rifle.
Tks.
bob32268

 

[bigwagon]

There is zero percent chance an "armorer" did that. Somebody reassembled the rifle wrong after it entered the civilian market post-war, plain and simple. There is nothing odd or mysterious about it. It's actually pretty common to see people make that mistake.

 

[bnz41john]

There is zero percent chance an "armorer" did that. Somebody reassembled the rifle wrong after it entered the civilian market post-war, plain and simple. There is nothing odd or mysterious about it. It's actually pretty common to see people make that mistake.

+1. Spot on answer


John.

 

[niffy1963]

Thanks

Much appreciated. Wanted insight from folks more familiar than I before I went and did anything unnecessary.

From the pic it looks like someone disassembled the rifle and put the middle band on "backwards". Simple fix: remove middle band and do a
180 degree turn on to put sling swivel on the left side (non-bolt side) of the rifle.
Tks.
bob32268

 

[CLG]

I would add, be very careful compressing the band spring when removing the front band. You can very easily damage the stock on the other side.