For review I have a BYF 1943 all numbers matching K98k. 95% blue normal scuff on the wood stock also has what appears to be the German soldier's name engraved on the stock D.T. Kieser. Looks like a period repair on the side with a bracket. The selling is asking for $1000. Considering the repair and bracket repair do you guys think it's worth the pick up? Does the repair look like a wartime repair? Thank you so much for your help.
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bracket repair. -
Looks more like a "barracks bag" cut in the stock. Germans weren't big on personalizing their weapons, so name may be GI that brought it back.
I wouldn't want a $1000 in it considering the stock.Comment
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Thanks for your help! I agree I'm going to stay away.Comment
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I'd think the German soldier marking his name on the stock would have been highly frowned upon by his superiors, so I'd if it was a soldier, it was a U.S. soldier. I also agree about the duffle cut.Comment
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Too bad it was duffle cut, it has a non-laminated, solid wood stock...BodesComment
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For sure a "duffle bag" cut war trophy rifle, i.e. cut to shorten its overall length to something that, with the rifle dissembled, would fit in to his duffle bag for the return trip home to the US at war's end. Of course, the problem is the poor choice of location that the GI made for cutting the stock, coupled with a really poor repair job.
We have all seen many of these cut (and then repaired, back in the US) stocks on war trophy German rifles; most of the cuts were done under the barrel band that has the sling loop on it, as the cut and repair would be concealed under the band of the as-reassembled rifle. The cut and repair on the rifle shown is, quite frankly, one of the worst I have seen.
Here are photos illustrating a better quality repair job on a similarly "duffle cut" 98k that I have. This was my first 98k rifle and I acquired it from the vet's son in my hometown c. 1994, via trading the vet's son a well-used Ruger 10/22 rifle . . . . the vet's son wanted a .22 to shoot rats with, so we were both happy with the exchange. Anyway, you can see where his dad cut the rifle not under the barrel band but in an exposed area of the stock. The repair, however, turned out not so bad (IMO). Still, a cut + repair that is concealed under the barrel band would by far be the more preferable.
IMO: The byf43 98k shown looks to be an otherwise honest and unmessed with bring-back rifle, but at $1,000 I think it is grossly overpriced. The seller can talk "war trophy", "vet bring-back", etc. all day long to attempt to "talk it up", but the problem is (from a monetary standpoint) that at the end of the day the buyer is left with an otherwise nice rifle with a really ugly looking cut/repaired stock!Comment
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2nd try on the photos . . . I uploaded all of them and they appeared in the separate window for photo uploads, but failed to attach to the post. ???Comment
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Originally posted by Alan Smith View Post
I've seen a G43 with a duffle cut through the sling well in the buttstock before.....Was badly repaired and was gawd awful looking afterwards....BodesComment
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