Third Party Press

Byf 43 C block low turret

indianadam

indianadam

Member
Hello,

I think it is an original one, the first i have seen early 1943.
There are many pictures published on this french forum, i share with you:

www.tircollection.com

Choix de la zf39

Bonjour à tous, je suis propriétaire dun k98 byf (1942 ou 1943?) en cat C. Celui-ci est équipé dun montage tourelle haute original. La date étant invisible c
www.tircollection.com www.tircollection.com

Regards

Damien
 
looks ok. the more photos that get shared and info shared more rifles never seen or serial #'s and variants known or un known will surface.
 
The earliest factory LT I had recorded was a d block Mauser prior to this one but no other information on it. A c block would place this one around April 43 probably finished and shipped in May IMO. This is a good example of why a factory matched optic set up would be so desirable as we could get some important information on a spring of 43 used scope serial number for whatever make was on it. I have only a fat handful of reported factory LT examples prior to the i block.
 
Actually the earliest Mauser produced low turrets were released in May of 1940.
By factory records, 1340 scope equipped rifles were ready by 21-May 1940.
There was probably additional activity after that. We know at least 72 were on the books as of Sept. 30, 1940
and an acknowledgement by the OKH of 96 received in October 1940.

The rifle pictured in Volume IIA is likely one out of the group of initial deliveries in May (1940).
 
I’ll have to go back and check the rifle mention in Vol IIa, I’m very familiar with the section on turret systems there but may not recall exactly what I was seeing on that one. I guess it’s safe to say that no Mauser turret has been reported with the specific eagle/number acceptance stamp other than 135, for example no E-655 known? Also I have not heard of any 1942 dated Mauser snipers with the E-135 so I assume for now that Mauser (and Sauer) did not use a left receiver acceptance stamp on snipers prior to 1943? This goes back to the old problem of really being able to verify a pre-43 turret mount but I suppose if one was correct it could pretty much be verified.
 
Philip, it is my belief that after that initial run of turrets in 1940 that Mauser did not make more turrets until 1943. But as soon as I say this one will show up, Lol.

And yes, without the matching optics it is very difficult to say for certain if an early turret is legit.
 
Yes that is the working assumption. Mauser did not manufacture any turret equipped rifles in 1941 and 1942, then resuming production later in 1943.
That 'c' block if verified is a new data point putting resumption of turret production earlier in 1943 than we thought.

Those 1940 production rifles have no added military acceptance stamp (or at least none that I observed) when I photographed the rifle).
 
Thanks for the responses. The LT are of particular interest to me and have been for about 35 years now. I all that time, although I’ve learned and seen a lot regarding them, there is much I do not know and have not been able to figure out.
 
Philip, do you remember if on the D block you have seen, there is only the 135 without the asterix on rear base like this C block?
 
indianadam said:
Philip, do you remember if on the D block you have seen, there is only the 135 without the asterix on rear base like this C block?
Click to expand...
Unfortunately I did not even see photos of the d block only a report of it from a credible source with no details. I had to to put it in the “possible” category but as you are indicating by your question the absence of the details diminishes the value of the report.
 
Full disclosure my French is very poor although I can read it better than speak or write it. That fact along with the rather poor photos have left me wondering a little bit as to exactly what I’m seeing here. What is the key point that tells us this is a 1943 rather than a 1944? I see the matched unaltered safety which would predate circa October 1943 so perhaps that’s it. The receiver machining and finishing is pretty rough for an early 1943, much poorer than my later 1943 which is not crazy far off from pre war standards but I understand that milage varied. I can not really tell if the mounts or LT or not but I’m viewing on a cell phone and like I said the photos are so so. No * on rear mount and now a “mark” on the tang which normally are not there on turrets made before the last month/months of 1943…..although some were added to some examples apparently when the best and brightest all thought they should be there about 15-30 years ago! I guess you can put me in the “not convinced yet” category.
 
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