Recent acquisition unserialized G43 for review and discussion

Joseph Burke

Joseph Burke

Senior Member
A recent acquisition to my modest collection and bound to stir some discussion.
G43 marked received with only WaA749 visible on the underside. WaA134 marked barrel and WaA134 marked bolt carrier.
Walther marked milled bolt housing and locking lugs. Bolt appears blued. Unique rear sight ladder and base. Original muzzle nut present but retainer is absent and appears never installed.
Lots of images in a Flickr album for review.
CLICK THE LINK or copy/paste::
https://www.flickr.com/photos/90968465@N03/albums/72177720301035706


I've chosen to leave it as-is (no cleaning whatsoever) for now.
Story from seller is that this G43 was brought back from the ETO exactly as shown. Just a story, no papers.
Unserialized G43-2 copy.jpgUnserialized G43.jpg
Unserialized G43-15.jpg
 
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That's awesome. I read a book once, and the titles escapes me right now (may have been Blood Red Snow), of how some units would bust up their stocks if getting captured to render the gun close to useless and undesireable to the enemy.
 
I love the mill work on it. Thats an early bolt carrier with the solid handle and lack of reinforcement rib. I also notice that the shaping of the front of the bolt carrier is cut out a little bit more than the majority that I have seen.
 
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I’ve seen pictures of the allied forces laying rifles along the curb and running them over with vehicles breaking them off like this. I can’t find any photos of that now
 
Very nice. Can't say much about no s/n. Rifle could have been smashed before or after surrender. Here is a well known photo of a GI letting off steam with some captured German weapons...
 

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Joe, as you and I were discussing last week I really think this is an early/pre production Gustloff. That's about the best theory I have. Cosmetic receiver, e/749 on the underside, that reddish finish, etc. I'd defer to people deeper than I though.

Regardless, it's damn cool and I think it was very likely smashed against something to break the stock before it was surrendered. It's a wonderful example on so many levels.
 
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chrisftk said:
Joe, as you and I were discussing last week I really think this is an early/pre production Gustloff. That's about the best theory I have. Cosmetic receiver, e/749 on the underside, that reddish finish, etc. I'd defer to people deeper than I though.

Regardless, it's damn cool and I think it was very likely smashed against something to break the stock before it was surrendered. It's a wonderful example on so many levels.
Click to expand...

I agree.
 
As I had told you on FB, smashing the stock was a method US soldiers loved to do to deactivate German guns. So it might even had been an US soldier who did this to the stock, and another one then picking this one from the pile to bring it back home.

Would love to find out who to consider the maker of this particular rifle - Walther or Gustloff, with both 359 and 749 acceptance stamps (among the French) on this rifle. I feel Walther, but would be keen to hear on others.
 
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