swjXE numbers matching and all origional
- Thread starter redrider
- Start date
All correct and untouched. I dream of finding one like that.
I found several Israeli reworks that were swj marked in 1987 when I went through the rifles imported by Armscorp in Maryland.
Did you keep any?
mike radford
Senior Member
It is an amazing example and thanks to all who confirmed what I felt sure was original wood finish. At least I would have put my money on it's originality had I been there to buy it.
flynaked
Repo Field Gear Collector
Awesome! I think I have dreamed about this rifle showing up some day more than once haha! Can't wait to see more pictures. Looks like some of the late T blocks found that were never finished, missing at least the front band screw. Thanks for posting! All we need now is a matching 36 BSW to show up!!
Its been fun reading everyones responses and I feel very lucky to have this rifle! Thanks to everyone for the input and the PM's that I have received. So from reading what MrFarb sent me and some other stuff about the swjXE guns, it sounds like they were some of the last ones made before the Allied forces took over? I read something about the Steyr plant being the last to be captured? I apologize for my lack of knowledge, but can someone tell me in a nutshell the significance of this gun (besides its rarity)? How would an American Soldier have acquired this gun ie.. he was part of the unit that captured the plant? (based on its unissued condition?) Thx again!
Other firms underwent a code change but it must have happened earlier.
Mauser oberndorf went from byf45 to svw45, to svwMB.
Brunn I went from dot 1943 to dot1944 to swp45
Dou, Brunn II, bad, gustloff didn't make a change at all.
Bnz, steyr, was thought to have made no change either until recently the swjXE was discovered. It had shown up on stg44 but not k98k. So such a late after so much was known excites most of us.
Bnz45 is desirable as it is, but the late recently discovered code change is the icing on the cake.
As a secondary thought, it's kind of interesting as they were one of the first for kreigsmodell implementation. And went right into full kreigsmodell. No semi or transitional models.
That's my take on it.
Mauser oberndorf went from byf45 to svw45, to svwMB.
Brunn I went from dot 1943 to dot1944 to swp45
Dou, Brunn II, bad, gustloff didn't make a change at all.
Bnz, steyr, was thought to have made no change either until recently the swjXE was discovered. It had shown up on stg44 but not k98k. So such a late after so much was known excites most of us.
Bnz45 is desirable as it is, but the late recently discovered code change is the icing on the cake.
As a secondary thought, it's kind of interesting as they were one of the first for kreigsmodell implementation. And went right into full kreigsmodell. No semi or transitional models.
That's my take on it.
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To truly understand the significance of the swjXE code change, you must first understand the code system that the Germans used. It's really tough to explain why it's important if you don't collect the 98k rifles. This is why many of the swjXE rifles in existence aren't noticed for being collectible, it's just some letters to the unknowing. Add to that on this example there are no nazi eagles, some may think it's a postwar rifle (I've heard people say they thought they were French because of the svwMB rifles).
Anyway, not sure where you could start and really understand it. I guess start searching for "Steyr" and "bnz45", look in the picture reference thread and look at all of the bnz made rifle threads. Even then, if you don't really know the context of the whole mess it's probably confusing.
And yes, US troops captured the factory making these guns. There are more bnz45 rifles out there than you can shake a stick at. I have more 45 dated Steyr production reported than any maker, but by serial number they made less than any other factory. The reason is, a large portion of the bnz45 made guns were snatched up by GI's and sent home. I would dare say bnz45 (which is the same maker as swjXE) is the most common 45 date rifle by far.
Anyway, not sure where you could start and really understand it. I guess start searching for "Steyr" and "bnz45", look in the picture reference thread and look at all of the bnz made rifle threads. Even then, if you don't really know the context of the whole mess it's probably confusing.
And yes, US troops captured the factory making these guns. There are more bnz45 rifles out there than you can shake a stick at. I have more 45 dated Steyr production reported than any maker, but by serial number they made less than any other factory. The reason is, a large portion of the bnz45 made guns were snatched up by GI's and sent home. I would dare say bnz45 (which is the same maker as swjXE) is the most common 45 date rifle by far.
Not much to it, really. In 1945, Steyr was given the order to change its coding from bnz to swj. They also adopted the year coding system as well. '45' became XE. The swjXE coding shows up a lot on the late Stery Stgs/MP44s, but only a handful of K98k are known perhaps because it was much more expensive to change the roll stamping dies used to mark the K98k receivers.
. Hello, sorry for the wait! I got to take a c closerlook at the rifle last night and it has 5yf very lightly stamped on the floor plate and a very small nazi eagle with what looks like 35 under it. I took a cell phone picture of that, but will take better pictures tonight after work. The stock has no stamping that I can make out and the barrel band(I turned it around because it was very easy and loose) has no screw hole in it. The whole top wood slides up and down. The front barrel band has the two screw holes in the right side metal and one(front) hole in the wood, but looks like it never had a screw put in it. The front plate for barrel band is screwed in with one screw. Like I said, I'll try to spend some time tonight and get better pictures. Thx again for the feedback.
Also fairly common to see screws never installed in a rifle this late. A lot of us are jealous. Haha
Haha! I hear you! I'm not usually the guy that these things happen to, but it's nice to be the one for once. One thing that's bugging me is the fact that the front action screw is not seated all the way and is marred? It looks like a gorilla took a hammer and tried to seat it! Any ideas?
mauser99
Senior Member
I see that. Some people are animals when taking out a screw. Not to worry. Those trigger guards are common enough that it could and should be swapped out. Someone had no clue how to disassemble the rifle. You are very lucky that's all that's wrong with it.. Most got sporterized for hunting.
I think they marred up the top of the receiver too doing whatever they were doing. Not really much you can do about the screw unless you figure out why the trigger guard isn't seating properly. They beat that up pretty good "working" on it. Keep in mind these had little to no value at all in the 40's-90's, so plenty of them are deer slayers (98k's in General).
Is it possible the Trigger Guard Screws were Reversed , the front screw is really from Rear and vise versa . Just a thought . Not even sure if it is possible to do , given the length difference of each screw .
Best Regards
Best Regards
jack944
Senior Member
Back then
In 87 I had just graduated from college, and was working a regular defense industry job and working at a gun store in Alexandria, VA on the weekends.
Got to know Interarms guys and Armscorp guys pretty well. They would let me pick out rifles and pistols for the store. I was big into 98's then and was doing research for Richard Law at various archives in the DC area. I spent a long Saturday going through the Israeli rifles looking for rare codes, double codes, etc. I bought them for the store. The only code source then was Lud Olsen's book. I noted tgf and swjxe which were new code discoveries I thought. I sent all my data to Richard...did not think to copy for myself. I kept two mint rifles(tgf and bcd/ax) that got sold to pay for a divorce lawyer 3 years later.
I also got to pick through all the grey ghost P-38's that came in via Interarms. Picked up some odd serial numbers and finish combo's...gone also.
In 87 I had just graduated from college, and was working a regular defense industry job and working at a gun store in Alexandria, VA on the weekends.
Got to know Interarms guys and Armscorp guys pretty well. They would let me pick out rifles and pistols for the store. I was big into 98's then and was doing research for Richard Law at various archives in the DC area. I spent a long Saturday going through the Israeli rifles looking for rare codes, double codes, etc. I bought them for the store. The only code source then was Lud Olsen's book. I noted tgf and swjxe which were new code discoveries I thought. I sent all my data to Richard...did not think to copy for myself. I kept two mint rifles(tgf and bcd/ax) that got sold to pay for a divorce lawyer 3 years later.
I also got to pick through all the grey ghost P-38's that came in via Interarms. Picked up some odd serial numbers and finish combo's...gone also.