AC44 G43 Fresh from the woodwork

[dasboot2011]

Four of these 50 round boxes total. Stamped MM, 44, and 7.92.

[phild]

Thank you for the post above. I strongly suspected this was the ammo and even the date! It also was around with 42 headstamps. I do not know the country of origin but back 45 years ago we called it Portuguese or some said Canadian, either way it was Great shooting ammo and highly thought of. Not too hot and not underpowered we also thought it non-corrosive but cleaned as a matter of habit anyway. I probably still have a few hundred of those, maybe less, but nothing wrong with that ammo.

Ah I just now saw the non corrosive stamp on the box, no wonder we thought it was back then.

[STG44]

I would not recommend shooting it, I have had one of these grenade in my face. It makes the same bang as every other 8mm that isn’t worth $3,000. If you absolutely can’t resist buy a shooters kit from Apfeltor with some stiffer springs etc.

I second that, I would not shoot it. You break one numbered part & your value goes right out the door.

[dasboot2011]

Ok I will hold off shooting it unless I get an Apfeltor kit, not a dieing urge I have already shot a mismatched g43.


Thanks everyone

[dasboot2011]

Thank you for the post above. I strongly suspected this was the ammo and even the date! It also was around with 42 headstamps. I do not know the country of origin but back 45 years ago we called it Portuguese or some said Canadian, either way it was Great shooting ammo and highly thought of. Not too hot and not underpowered we also thought it non-corrosive but cleaned as a matter of habit anyway. I probably still have a few hundred of those, maybe less, but nothing wrong with that ammo.

Ah I just now saw the non corrosive stamp on the box, no wonder we thought it was back then.

Well I’m 27 so never heard of it before lol. I googled the headstamps and like you said some think Canadian and some even say CIA for clandestine operations (), but neat nonetheless especially in his old fuel filter box.

[phild]

Well I’m 27 so never heard of it before lol. I googled the headstamps and like you said some think Canadian and some even say CIA for clandestine operations (), but neat nonetheless especially in his old fuel filter box.

I have not seen this type in any bulk quantities, meaning retailers,in probably 35-40 years. It did not last decades or maybe even one decade.

[dasboot2011]

Unfortunately this is up for consignment on GB.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872178740

[bodes]

Unfortunately this is up for consignment on GB.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/872178740

I certainly hope you didn't have to sell due to the current Covid-19 epidemic....If so, the bright side is it appears to be getting appreciable attention....Bodes

[Bill Grist]

I had a bunch of this 8mm ammo and also 9mm always heard it was Canadian, it was great shooting ammo, we even had it in our SPECIAL FORCES weapons pool at Ft. Bragg in 1970 for use in Swedish Ks, by the cases in wooden boxes and individual boxes were brown. I still have some of the 9mm. both 8mm and 9mm was always dated 1944. BILL

[phild]

Yes much or maybe most of the 8mm was 44 headstamped but like I posted earlier I fired a fair amount of the same origin that was dated 42. I failed to mention earlier but I also think this is all boxer primed. It’s been decades since I reloaded 8mm but seem to recall loading this brass. I’m sure that I have some 42 and 44 dated rounds still around. I have run across some exotic military surplus loads of the years mostly back in the 1960s and early 70s. I have fired duplex loads in 30 Cal carbine for instance (French early 50s origin) and I have some 8mm of undetermined origin that has tungsten rod cores in the projectiles, it is real interesting to see what is does to vehicles.

[pitfighter]

Great looking G43 - nice find, shame it has to sell - I'll echo, that I hope it's not because of current circumstances.
Anyway, we've all sold many things we didn't want to, they're all replaceable in time, health and family are what are important, not toys.


Interesting side note - actually totally tangental note - after seeing the above cartridge head stamp,I thought I'd look up BESA 8mm tank-MG ammo head-stamps, (the British used a 7.92 BESA in some of their tanks,) of course this Interarms ammo is absolutely not for the BESA, lol.

But what is interesting is that certain BESA 7.92x57 (Mauser) ammo is headstamped "K43" - just to really confuse the issue.

http://militarycartridges.nl/uk/792x57_besa.htm

[dasboot2011]

I certainly hope you didn't have to sell due to the current Covid-19 epidemic....If so, the bright side is it appears to be getting appreciable attention....Bodes

Unfortunately my fiancé has been having medical issues and so I have to downsize a bit.
and yea at least there’s a bright side with it.

[Tiger2Tank]

Looks like you got a really good price for it. I am sorry you had to sell it. Looked like a very nice rifle. I collect these rifles and have an on-going serial number/history data base on these rifles. Were you able to get anymore info on the vet? Thanks.

The gouge on the stock wrist area looks like an attempted duffle cut. That would be the worst area for a duffle cut, but I have seen rifles cut there before. It is a sawed cut in appearance and does not look like a quick strike mark. Just my opinion. I still can’t figure out what the roped item is that was in the butt stock.

[phild]

The weighted slotted cord is a G.I. pull through for field bore cleaning. The British, Germans, Swiss and most others had a version of this as well.

[bodes]

Looks like you got a really good price for it. I am sorry you had to sell it. Looked like a very nice rifle. I collect these rifles and have an on-going serial number/history data base on these rifles. Were you able to get anymore info on the vet? Thanks.

The gouge on the stock wrist area looks like an attempted duffle cut. That would be the worst area for a duffle cut, but I have seen rifles cut there before. It is a sawed cut in appearance and does not look like a quick strike mark. Just my opinion. I still can’t figure out what the roped item is that was in the butt stock.

I've seen a G43 with a cut through the buttstock right across the sling opening....It was doweled back together, but still looked horrendous....Bodes