Theory Confirmed - use of armorers bolt in late byf production

[mrfarb]

Just got through reading a document that confirms the theory that the armorers bolts that were used in production at Mauser came from a depot being evacuated in the east, in front of Russian advances. Document states the number of bolt bodies coming from Posen as 10,000, with an additional 10,000 from FN. This document is from Oct. 44. It even names the man in charge on the Posen side.

What is interesting is the last paragraph talks about the evacuation of equipment from FN (to manufacture bolts), and speaks of setting a schedule to get that equipment back into production making pars at a different location.

It's pretty clear (but without documents) that the HWA (HeeresWaffenamt) was doing this to keep production on schedule, and even ramp up production at Mauser in the last desperate months, along with making use of evacuated 98k components.

 

[CanadianAR]

Wow! That sounds like a cool document and proves what guys have been seeing for a long time. I.e odd bolts on late byf.

 

[jbmauser]

As you know, this is an area of MO production that I find very interesting. I was pretty excited to read that you found documents confirming the theories.

Great stuff Mike!

 

[gergnotwen]

Any hints in this document about a when and if equipment and parts was evacuated from FN? Thanks Mike good stuff!

 

[pzjgr]

Maybe it might be included in the addendum in Volume II....

 

[mrfarb]

I'll post the document if I have permission to do so.

 

[itwillis]

I'll post the document if I have permission to do so.

That would be awesome. It's amazing how things turn up.

 

[James K]

Can anyone define "armorers bolts". Would that be replacement bolts for the field armorers? If so, that is a large number, more like bolts for production rifles.

Jim

 

[RyanE]

Can anyone define "armorers bolts". Would that be replacement bolts for the field armorers? If so, that is a large number, more like bolts for production rifles.

Jim

Yes, they are unnumbered replacement bolts delivered to the HZa depots and field armorers for repair of damaged rifles.

 

[mrfarb]

Yes, armorers bolts referenced are the type you see in late byf and dot production. These are usually early bolts (pre 1942) that show up. Armorers spare bolts are marked differently than production bolts, usually with the makers code along with the waffenamt. For instance, a Mauser supplied armorers bolt would be S/42 E/63 marked, Sauer bolts are marked with the Sütterlin S and E/37 or the appropriate waffenamt of the period it was made.

10,000 bolts sound like a lot to YOU, but the Posen depot was the main depot for the Eastern Front, and would have had many more than 10,000 bolt bodies in stock for repairs. Some depots built guns from strictly armorers parts in 41-42 timeframe (Posen included) and from serial numbers Posen build over 10,000 rifles from scratch, likley 12,000-15,000, all from armorers parts. With 10-12 Million 98k's in service over the 6 years of war 10,000 spare bolts would be a drop in the bucket.

Besides, we see these armorers spare marked parts on these rifles, so we knew it happened- we just didn't know for sure where they came from. I believed that they came from depots evacuating the Russian advance and the document proves that out.

Below is an armorers bolt in a byf45 I have. You can differentiate it from an Astrawerke supplied bolt because this one has the E/1 inspection, production bolts only had the l marking.

 

[James K]

Thanks very much for the interesting information. I confess that I was a bit surprised at the number of spares needed, since the Mauser bolt is pretty rugged and I wouldn't have thought so many replacements would have been needed.

Jim

 

[don w]

Super find Mike. That's a confirmed piece of the puzzle that we didn't have before.

Cant wait to read it.

 

[mjones]

Mike,
Great data. Another piece of the puzzle. Maybe an up-date to book three down the road.
Mike J