BNZ 44 7802

[Jdt]

Picked this up last year, stock has been humped so gonna use this as my later war shooter rifle since the bore is wonderful. Also have reason to believe the barrel bands have been faked as well due to the stamped numbers being rather far apart and I believe they were originally blank. Let me know any and all of y'all's thoughts on this rifle. This rifles serves as a reminder that being patient is better than impatient because after I bought this a righteous and untouched example popped up with the only negative being it was missing the butt plate.

 

[Jdt]

Pics part 2.
Aside from the weird cut in the stock there is a "L" in the barrel channel, first two digits added to the handguard because the depth and crispness are different and MAYBE to the stock number. I believe the stock is a BYF manufactured stock due to the five digit serial number and large cutout for the bolt handle. Seems the bolt may have also been straighted a bit because it's at a odd angle. I can't make out any of the chalk or ink pen lettering on the butt because the red primer rubbed off on the stock however I can make out a "1945" or "1946"

I'd like to apologize for the lighting because we had a thunderstorm roll thru not long after and I was really trying to get decent over cast lighting (being impatient obviously is a trait of mine )

 

[PatickD]

I’ll look a little closer at the pics later. Do you know this is a nice looking SS contract?

 

[mrfarb]

Well, all of the serial numbers in the metal are original, and correct, and the rifle is a late SS contract. Stock does look renumbered but I wouldn’t separate them just yet - writing under the buttplate is vet info imo.

 

[heavy_mech]

Agree with the above comments. With the bands being original and correctly numbers matching I'm not writing off that lumber as 'faked'. Rest is textbook for a late contract piece.

 

[Jdt]

I’ll look a little closer at the pics later. Do you know this is a nice looking SS contract?

Yep I knew it wasn't and army contract rifle and I had been wanting a SS contract for my collection. This one popped up on GB and I had the funds to get it so I went for it.

 

[Jdt]

Well, all of the serial numbers in the metal are original, and correct, and the rifle is a late SS contract. Stock does look renumbered but I wouldn’t separate them just yet - writing under the buttplate is vet info imo.

I do agree it was some kind of vet info or maybe and explanation for the stock I.E. "stock added 1946 etc" I've heard the materials used in chalk or ink pen back then can react to a blue light so I plan on getting one and see if I can write everything that's still legible down on a piece of paper. The stock has that French red colored laquer or whatever they used so I also believe it's been refinished. I'm tempted to try and strip it but I'm no wood worker so 99% chance it's gonna stay like this for good in my possession. Any idea when this SS contract was made? Plus the barrel maker? I figured the bnz shield was a inspection/proof mark of some kind.

 

[Jdt]

Agree with the above comments. With the bands being original and correctly numbers matching I'm not writing off that lumber as 'faked'. Rest is textbook for a late contract piece.

Alrighty then sounds good to me. The cut in the stock is rather weird (attempted duffle cut/sporterization?) and there is a rather large indentation just forward of the rear barrel band on the stock so it hit something hard in its life.
This is my shooter rifle due to the stock being somewhat questionable but I get that late war feel while shooting it cause it's on the rough side with the bolt throw. Need to group this with my hand loads at 200 yards. Really nice knowing the barrel bands got the approval as legit from you guys!