Never finished bnz 45?

[Bob in OHIO]

This one came to me w/o one action screw and the end cap apparently was never placed on the stock which has a pilot hole but a screw was never added. Further, the band screws appear phosphated... but weirdly shape. This one might have been sitting at Steyr when GIs occupied?

I love the sparklie phosphate on the trigger guard, the sloppy solderwork, and the crude woodworking with a stock repair.​

 

[Dave Roberts]

Bob
Very Nice BNZ45 love that sloopy workmanship . Makes me want to start Collecting 45 dated 98`s again
But can not Do both 45 and Snipers and stay true to my first Love , Again Awesome BNZ 45

 

[bruce98k]

bnz45

Gotta love those walnut T blocks - about as varied as it gets at the end. Great example Bob.

 

[Bob in OHIO]

This one might have been sitting at Steyr when GIs occupied?

Okay, bringing this post back after 8+ years... and will suggest this rifle most likely was liberated from inside Steyr, and here are the reasons why...

1. The end cap was missing when purchased. There's the pilot hole but no evidence of a screw being placed
2. No "final" on the receiver or the wood
3. Front sight blade is NOT indexed.... Therefore, likely not test fired
4. Cut for a hood, but one was never placed. The phosphate around the groove is perfect
5. Safety does not work. I am quite sure it's the original.... but final hand fitting didn't happen.

A few more pics, for good measure... and I wonder just how many of these "Nearly Finished" rifles exist?

 

[flynaked]

Awesome rifle Bob! My SwjXE is the same way, never had an end cap or screw installed, same with the band screw holes, they are only piloted, there are no threads cut/swaged from a screw. Of course Steyr proper is not where they would have been picked up though.

 

[heavy_mech]

Bob I have to say I agree with all your points and with the additional photos and 'evidence' I'm more convinced this never left and was picked up there when Molln was captured. Being it's nearly 1000 before the known high, why did it stay? Was it the stock repair? Obviously it was 'set aside' for a time. Great late war piece!

 

[flynaked]

There were storage facilities all over the Steyr valley, they even set up
in a brewery for a time! We can guess late Steyr’s were likely liberated from multiple locations, whether it was at the final assembly area or a nearby storage point no one could know. Also maybe an issue of non linear production, in regards to the serial??
The stock repair likely had no bearing on this, that is quite a common sight on bnz45’s. I would put my money on this/these stock damages occurring at a final fitting of the action after rough inletting, as this exact point is very important to the “vertical” component of inletting most actions, combine that with nature of the stock shape here and the grain direction as well as the low density walnut of these stocks etc, I could see that snapping off quite regularly!

 

[ugafx4]

I have one 194 later. Same exact features. Rear band without a screw, front band one screw. No cap. I need to check the front site, but I bet it is not staked.

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?20898-BNZ-45-T-Block

 

[Winchester Cowboy]

Very nice and interesting rifle!

 

[Bob in OHIO]

Thanks gents for the correction to Molin... as the point of "liberation".

Bob I have to say I agree with all your points and with the additional photos and 'evidence' I'm more convinced this never left and was picked up there when Molln was captured. Being it's nearly 1000 before the known high, why did it stay? Was it the stock repair? Obviously it was 'set aside' for a time. Great late war piece!

The assembly was done at a small town southwest of Steyr, called Molln, closer to Steyr than Gusen. All small arms were assembled there after August 1944 or there about. A nasty problem with bomb laden aircraft forced a dispersal, at least of what could be moved. Production remained at Steyr, but aircraft related mostly (they made ball bearings and trucks there too, at least parts of trucks, engines etc.. it is unclear what wasn't moved though, they moved what they could). Any rifles taken would have been obtained in or around Molln, perhaps a depot in the area, or enroute. The US Army was the "liberator" of the areas involved, so this explains why so many bnz/45 are found here. Had rifle production remained at Steyr, this would not have been the case.

 

[heavy_mech]

I have one 194 later. Same exact features. Rear band without a screw, front band one screw. No cap. I need to check the front site, but I bet it is not staked.

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?20898-BNZ-45-T-Block

Interesting. I looked at that one again and it's obvious no screw were ever in those holes. And no final inspection. I wonder if at some point they ran out of these small parts? Don W posted a very late (6403T) in 2010 with no top final and appears to never have had either screw installed in the bands. He does not show the end cap or mention that it's missing. Mike's at 4287 never had either band screw but 5273 has both. Certainly seems to point to intermittent shortages of small parts.

 

[flynaked]

Thanks gents for the correction to Molin... as the point of "liberation".

It’s a very interesting point of research! I’m fairly certain I’ve got the names of two companies nailed down where production occurred there. It’s not only Molln but Leonstein too which is a short walk away over the river.

 

[tsmgguy]

I'd call the gun original and incomplete. It never went all the way through the manufacturing process, for whatever reason.

I have a ac45 K43 with the same characteristics. It's in new condition, all matching. No proofs on barrel or receiver. No front sight index mark. Mostly blued. No serial number or acceptance WaA markings in the blonde wood, which is smooth with little chatter. The serial number is under that generally accepted as the last produced. People have said all of this is proof that the rifle is a fake.

 

[Phrogpilot]

If you ever want to part with this please let me know!

 

[Herk1994]

A resurrected post.... but glad I stumbled across it.

My S block is the same way Bob, missing the nose cap but drilled for it.