Highest known SC?

Question fellas, I’m trying to figure out what the highest observed SC range is? Letter block range or better yet the BC to see about when they taper off? Thanks for any input!

Clay,
I don't really keep a serial number list. But I do save pictures of any legit German sniper rifle I find. So, the latest legit Single Claw that I have seen (I doubt it's the last but close) is a 1944 H block. Here are a couple of pictures. You can see part of the barrel code. Interestingly the rifle is all match except the stock is not numbered. It should be but perhaps is a late war error? I guess we will never know for sure. Also, the scope has the markings on the right side instead of the left. Another interesting feature seen on a handful of scopes. Hope this helps buddy.

Nice rifle with a JPS supplied barrel. Thanks for posting.

AHA gave order on 29th October 1943 to keep producing the Marholdt Mount since otherwise training of snipers in previous scale would be useless. In the same document they mentioned to try and find a new mounting system ("Einheitshalterung") or at least a mount superior to the Marholdt mount.

Based on this one can assume that the SC/Marholdt mount was kept until the official introduction of the LSR mount which replaced it.

Edit...

Some Trivia on the SC mount, while we are talking on it: Recently I've been shown the poor remenants of a ground dug SC mount. This partially rusted pieces unveiled what I had not noticed before - there are SEVERAL pins in the front base. The pin which acts as counter piece to the front claw is held by a small pin driven in from front (about middle), an additional pin is located on the inside of the front base and connects the front base bottom with the top part of the front base (driven in most possibly from bottom).

Thanks Matt! Can’t quite make out the BC but this definitely helps! The unumbered stock is interesting, and may possibly be correct after reading through some material.

You can see those pins in the base if you look closely with a light.

Absolut, that makes sense. Come to think of it I have seen a few pictures of an i block, and maybe a j. This is about the same time frame of JPS making Long Side Rails. Also, what is the Marholdt mount refer to?

Clay, here another picture from the top.

He’s referring to the SC mounting system itself, his name is spelled Mahrholdt.

**Thanks Matt, that helps for sure!

flynaked said:

He’s referring to the SC mounting system itself, his name is spelled Mahrholdt.

**Thanks Matt, that helps for sure!

Click to expand...

Hey.... I am always happy to talk German sniper rifles and help anyway I can.

Here is a scope in the i block. Likely from a 1944 rifle. I believe this is Dave's scope.

mdarnell19 said:

Also, what is the Marholdt mount refer to?

Click to expand...

AHA didn't call the mount "Steyr Single Claw" (or "Steyr Klauenmontage"). They also did not call it "High Turret" nor "Short Side Rail". They differenciated between "Mauser'sche Montage" ("Mauser Mount"), "Sauer'sche Montage" ("Sauer Mount") and Marholdt'sche Montage" ("Marholdt Mount"), so obviously the name of the company who did the sniper conversion.

Since they gave order to continue the Mauser mount, discontinue the Sauer mount BUT also to continue the Marholdt mount until a new mounting system is adopted, it makes perfect sense that the Sauer mount is the Short Side Rail mount, the Mauser mount is the Turret mount and the Marholdt mount is the Steyr Single Claw mount.

And in a second sentence, it also makes sense that on this date the Short Side Rail mount was officially stopped, the Turret mount was officially continued and the Marholdt mount/Steyr SC mount was continued until a "new mount" was adopted - the LSR mount.

Finally, as a small plus, at the same time this document names the company who did the Steyr SC mounts - gunsmith Richard Marholdt of Innsbruck, main town of Tyrol in Austria (former employee of famous gunsmith Johann Peterlongo, he also took over his business).

They were also bombed when Innsbruck was so that may have something to do with the cessation of production.

Absolut said:

AHA gave order on 29th October 1943 to keep producing the Marholdt Mount since otherwise training of snipers in previous scale would be useless. In the same document they mentioned to try and find a new mounting system ("Einheitshalterung") or at least a mount superior to the Marholdt mount.

Based on this one can assume that the SC/Marholdt mount was kept until the official introduction of the LSR mount which replaced it.

Edit...

Some Trivia on the SC mount, while we are talking on it: Recently I've been shown the poor remenants of a ground dug SC mount. This partially rusted pieces unveiled what I had not noticed before - there are SEVERAL pins in the front base. The pin which acts as counter piece to the front claw is held by a small pin driven in from front (about middle), an additional pin is located on the inside of the front base and connects the front base bottom with the top part of the front base (driven in most possibly from bottom).

Click to expand...

As reading this post I was thinking they already had a better mount, the LT and HT. Later you clarify these mounts continued as the Mauser mount.

The LSR was probably a good replacement, easier and faster to make than the SC. The Turret mounts were pretty labor intensive but extremely solid. The slant back would have been the economical and fast to produce logical replacement for all types had the war lasted long enough. They seem to have some inspiration from the PU as does the ZF4 scope.

Thanks for everyone's comments. Very interesting.

Innsbruck is a beautiful place. Hope to go back.

mdarnell19 said:

Hey.... I am always happy to talk German sniper rifles and help anyway I can.

Here is a scope in the i block. Likely from a 1944 rifle. I believe this is Dave's scope.

View attachment 200702

Click to expand...

This Scope is from/for a 1943 Single Claw

Mine is 9231H. So, maybe the latest so far.