Hercules
Senior Member
I agree with that. It is the overall impression of the rifle as I stated above as well as checking under the butt plate.
Bcd4 Long Side Rail #84930
- Thread starter CanadianAR
- Start date
It’s possible there is a marking exclusive to LSR, someone needs to do a broad study with people to actually participate by disassembling and photographing.
And I agree you have to look at the sun of the parts, as well as accepted serial number ranges. Cause they really seem to show up in chunks.
Hercules
Senior Member
I have tried to find a specific marking. I have taken several apart. Several more LSR rifles than I have posted here. I have not found one yet.
Georg, I have found that most LSR snipers fall in a serial number range. Most before about 20k before the roller over in 1945 are likely a unfinished rifle. And most after about 4K-6k after the roller over in 1945 are unfinished. Everything in between with a thickened side wall receiver was more then likely finished.
As Brian pointed out, the over look of the stock is critical. Does the cut out look correct, does the stock have a checkered pattern imprinted in the wood, is it the correct stock/time frame, is nothing else on the rifle messed with? When all these check out and the rifle is in the serial number range (along with a thickened side wall) I believe it’s good.
As Brian pointed out, the over look of the stock is critical. Does the cut out look correct, does the stock have a checkered pattern imprinted in the wood, is it the correct stock/time frame, is nothing else on the rifle messed with? When all these check out and the rifle is in the serial number range (along with a thickened side wall) I believe it’s good.
One thing I would use to determine if the LSR was an original Gustloff LSR , would be does it have a matching Long Key Safety or not . I have yet to see a Gustloff LSR with Regular Safety that I believe to be original . I have seen a number of these and there is always something wrong with the these PW Bubba conversions . I am in no way saying this is the tell all way to determine originality just one more thing to look at .
Yes it is interesting that Mauser continued to number stocks while Gustloff did not.
In general, I think long side rails are easy to authenticate. The only tough ones are Three hole rifles that people finish into snipers. Three whole rifles tend to have everything except the base attached. As I mentioned above, most finished snipers seem to fall into a general serial number. Outside that general serial number range it seems the only way to authenticate one is with a legit matching mount.
In general, I think long side rails are easy to authenticate. The only tough ones are Three hole rifles that people finish into snipers. Three whole rifles tend to have everything except the base attached. As I mentioned above, most finished snipers seem to fall into a general serial number. Outside that general serial number range it seems the only way to authenticate one is with a legit matching mount.
Hercules
Senior Member
Yes. You don't see many three hole rifles. I have only seen a few and unfortunately I had seen the one that got drilled and in my opinion ruined. It was posted in another thread not long ago. It seems the three hole rifles are more rare than the original finished LSR Snipers. I don't think many people give the three hole rifles their due regard. I don't have one. I should have bought the one that got ruined. I was holding out for a different one at the time. There was something about the bolt.
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One reason I bought my 3 hole rifle was to save it from becoming an LSR. Mines not the early type 3 hole which I feel are test runs before production started and issued as normal k98k rifles, rather the later type which is an actual unfinished LSR with key safety. They’re rare because every single one that has popped up over the years was converted into a “sniper”. There are also rejected 3 hole receivers used in the mg barrel program, every single one of those I have seen are now “snipers”. There was one at the sos.
MrB
Member
These marks are hard to capture accurately with a camera. Could this be the mark on your stocks? It looks like a stylized backward upside down 5.
MrB
Member
Hard to make out much from your photo. It seems a little out of focus.
I adjusted the color and contrast to make the mark stand out in the picture I posted, as it is very lightly struck. The mark does look very similar to the mark Peter S posted of his LSR. @Peter S how does the mark compare to the one on your rifle?
This not on a sniper, just a late bcd4
Same marking as what I posted, but my photo is not a sniper, so it’s unrelated.
