Sanded G43 stocks

[Chad1]

So, there I was, grilling some steaks, pondering why so many bcd coded G43s seem to have lightly sanded stocks.

It seems to me that the bcd coded G43s almost always have a sanded stock, more so than the other makers.

Is this observation correct?

While the standard explanation is postwar modificaiton, I was thinking there may be a more reasonable wartime explanation.

According to Weaver's book, Gustlaff was making these guns with parts from other makers. In the case of recievers, these were made well before the gun was actually assembled (a '44 dated gun with "early" milled reciever).

Lets say the wooden stocks were acquired from elsewhere as well, perhaps they were doing the sanding to remove some existing marks, kind of like arsenal renumbered magazines in the world of P.08s.

Seems reasonable to me.

[rogerbh]

I too have only seen at best lightly sanded stocks on bcds. The three I have all are at least lightly sanded. I have been looking for a minty one for some time, but don't see any better than the best I have.

However, the early to mid 44 rifles that I have seen of ac and duv all had worn or sanded stocks too. Never saw something newer than a "n" series ac 44 that looked like it came off the factory line. Most of the new looking, minty rifle stocks with loads of chatter seem to be on ac or qve 45's.

Since bcd got bombed on August 24th, 1944 - ending their production, it does not seem that hard to believe that the stocks we see on bcds aren't factory fresh looking.

As to your theory that prior to late 44, rifle stocks were slightly sanded prior to issuance to the factory, I cannot find an early 44 stock with chatter marks to counter your theory.

So I guess what I am saying is "I dunno."

[Jeff V]

Interesting. I also have never seen a bcd with an unsanded stock. I always wondered about this as well. Unfortunately, the bcds are awfully hard to find so I have not been able to do a massive comparison but on the handful of matching examples I have seen in the last 25 years they all had lightly sanded stocks.
best wishes,
jeff

[DennyB]

Would it be out of the question that perhaps they were sanded at the factory to smooth out the splinters and rough spots?

[rogerbh]

I know that one person I would call an expert on G/K43s believes that blm produced rifles were stained and I guess sanded until the very end of the war.

Thinking of that, I do not believe I have seen a blm (qve) rifle with a lot of chatter marks on the stock.

So I guess it could very well be true that Walther stopped sanding the stocks (or at least not to the levels of early production) near the end of the war as a production short cut.

As an aside, here are some pics of a chatter marked stock on a qve from an old auction, but the duffle cut was so horrible I cannot tell if it was the original stock on the rifle.