bnz 43 questions

[jkeen579]

There is so much info out there about fakes I am scared of what I may have have. I could use any info you guys may have to help identify this rifle.

 

[jkeen579]

It didn't get the other pics.

 

[Noxswg]

There is so much info out there about fakes I am scared of what I may have have. I could use any info you guys may have to help identify this rifle.

Looks like a standard BNZ 43 that's Russian captured. Do you have any more photos?

 

[jkeen579]

I don't know exactly what pics are needed.

 

[jbmauser]

Generally the things that are faked are serial numbers. Post up all the serials if that's your concern.

I do agree that this looks like a RC however. I think I can make out an X on the receiver.

 

[jkeen579]

I think this is normal but I could be wrong.

 

[jkeen579]

Someone questioned the 4 digit serial number with the "n" under it. Didn't know what that meant.

 

[Noxswg]

I think this is normal but I could be wrong.

Yeah it's a Russian capture. The Russians made no effort to reassemble captured rifles with the original matching parts. So they forced matched parts to the serial number on the receiver.

 

[Noxswg]

Someone questioned the 4 digit serial number with the "n" under it. Didn't know what that meant.

The "n" is just the serial block letter. I had a bnz43 m block that I just sold recently and number styling was the same as this one minus the forced matched parts on this one.

 

[Loewe]

Does your rifle have e/77 on the right receiver; have you a picture of the siderail?

That it has 4 digit serial and a suffix underneath means nothing negative, it is proper, it just means it was the 148,037 rifle made in 1943, - though not necessarily accepted (final inspection). Each letter block, starting with "first block w/o a character" is 10,000 rifles, SDP serialed every block, including "i" and "j", so by the "n" block it would be 140k plus the rifles serial number. Serialing was done early in the process and they didn't back fill serials for rifles that failed along the way, but the short of it is this was the 148,037 rifle SDP assembled.

Because it is an rc, little more can be said about it, though the receiver was made by Steyr-Radom and most of its original metal components would have as well. The only parts the soviets would have kept are the barreled receiver, including the front sight and rear sight sleeve, which probably are e/77 components. The barrel is original to the rifle and the only part actually made by Steyr in Austria.

Unfortunately, when the soviets "refurbished" the rifles they crudely refinished the metal, and that hurts collector value to most collectors.

Someone questioned the 4 digit serial number with the "n" under it. Didn't know what that meant.

 

[jkeen579]

I don't see e/77 but here is photo of what looks like a 7 with something in front of it.

 

[Loewe]

That is the right side of the barrel, - do you have one of the right side of the receiver? Of the siderail on the left side (it should say "Mod.98")

 

[jkeen579]

I don't see anything on the right side rail. Would it be behind the stock? This is the only mark I see on the right side.

 

[met]

Jkeen you're last photo has what Lowe was looking for-waffenant 77. Look closely under the eagle and you'll see the number.

 

[jkeen579]

Wow. That is faint. So I guess, for all intents and purposes, this is a Russian captured K98 rebuild and nothing special about it. I think I am going to go in serch of one that is all original and matching. My nephew's Grandpa had one he brought back from Germany. His story was he actually killed the guy and took it from him. I don't know but I have no reason to doubt him. I saw the gun and wish I had payed closer attention. He has passed so I don't know where the gun is now. Just a little info there. Thanks guys for all the help.