Byf 43 l block high turret with bmj scope for review

[indianadam]

Hello,

I ve found this rifle last week.

It seems to be a byf 43 l block.

Unfortunatly it was polished and re blued.

The scope is a bmj with mauser style number marking on the ring. Numbers are not the rifle number.

There is an * and a e135 marking on rear base.

There is the 135 proof on the left side of the recever but without eagle.. was it polished?

Do you think it is an original sniper rifle or just and after war job?

Bolt seems to be an unnumbered armorer bolt.

Thanks for help

Damien

 

[indianadam]

Thanks for your answear.
Yes, the scope is very clear and the inside bore is perfect. It will shoot well!
So i continue to search an original
Amicalement,
Damien

 

[indianadam]

Hello,
Another pictures, it really looks fine
Amicalement,
Damien

 

[JACKDANIELS]

Hello
wouldn't it be the legs of the eagle? This 135 looks great.
transition model between low and high turret
Stamp and excess pewter polished before reblued?

 

[indianadam]

Hello Jack,
Thanks for your answear.
The 135 stamp, yes it looks like eagle foots on the top of the "3"
Another pics of turret base to help
Damien

 

[indianadam]

It looks like a transitional type HT as i could read on a post in the forum (i used 2 pictures on this post to illustrate). The front base is machined the same. And the rear base looks like a LT one. This configuration would be ok for a byf43 l block like this. Any other opinion?

 

[indianadam]

Hi,
After discussion and reflexion with some french collectors, we think that it's an original sniper rifle.
I add pictures of masked details for data base:
.barrel 43 R 213 with f letter marking
.stock and handgard matching numbers, no date, k and 5 markings
.receiver markings
Damien

 

[sauer]

hello Damien as you said, me and my colleagues have appraised it, it's a beautiful set
Knowing that the beginning of production of the high turrets to start in December 43 we find here this famous base before transition, I saw a lot of low turret in letter L, this one is the first that I see in high turret!
what I regret and which is a bit of a shame is that no one is so interested
in the meantime congratulations

 

[indianadam]

Thank you Xavier for your expertise. I had a good feeling with this rifle.
Amitiés
Damien

 

[Hercules]

The weather is nice and busy working. To me it is a post war put together. I personally would not own it. I don’t like it. I especially don’t like the 135 proof. I don’t like the receiver tang proof either. Looks reblued. Don’t like scope ring numbers. I’m on my phone looking, but I doubt it looks any better blown up. I just don’t have the time to study on this. Hopefully, someone else will set your mind at ease. I rather error on the side of caution. I just wouldn’t own it. I’ll post some pictures of mine later tonight or tomorrow.

It’s your money though.

 

[indianadam]

Hello Hercules,
No problem.
Please if you could tell me what tends to make you thinking it s not a ww2 sniper? Is it the lake of tin solder under bases? I am sure your remarks will be interesting.
Have a nice day,
Damien

Edit: sorry, i didn't see that you have modified your answear to explain your point of vue. Thank you.

 

[sauer]

The weather is nice and busy working. To me it is a post war put together. I personally would not own it. I don’t like it. I especially don’t like the 135 proof. I don’t like the receiver tang proof either. Looks reblued. Don’t like scope ring numbers. I’m on my phone looking, but I doubt it looks any better blown up. I just don’t have the time to study on this. Hopefully, someone else will set your mind at ease. I rather error on the side of caution. I just wouldn’t own it. I’ll post some pictures of mine later tonight or tomorrow.

It’s your money though.

hello not completely agree with you, even if this one was touched up question tanning

 

[Hercules]

hello not completely agree with you, even if this one was touched up question tanning

Might be a language thing as I don’t understand what you are saying. Bluing maybe?

 

[sauer]

Might be a language thing as I don’t understand what you are saying. Bluing maybe?

yes that's it, bluing
now if you have a problem we can discuss in private mail
Obviously you are the only one in your country to answer

 

[mdarnell19]

This is a tough rifle to judge using these pictures. All the grease on the action make it very tough to determine what is going on.

In short, I would guess that the barreled action receiver is original but may have been heavily polished or something. I am not crazy about the machine on it as it looks very smooth. Again, this could be ok once the grease is removed. The stock appears to be re-numbered. Bolt is mix of parts (original bolt body and safety the rest is depot replacement parts). Trigger guard is original. Can’t see any of the other parts.

Scope numbers don’t look good in these pictures. The size of font looks rather large. I am suspicious of those.

The bases look to maybe original but appear to be worked on. Note the discoloration on the side of the front base. The e/135 proof is a bit odd. It is not common to find originals where the eagle is not easily seen. Typically the eagle can be seen with the 135. I have seen several fakes where the eagle is missing like this. The 135 numbers do look convincing.

This is an odd period for Mauser when they were updating the turret bases by modifying them to what we collectors call the “high turret.” So perhaps that explains some of the questions around this rifle.

Sorry I don’t have a more direct answer for you. These types are rifles can be very tough to judge based off of pictures. This is likely why more members haven’t commented. I hope this helps.

 

[indianadam]

Hello,
Thanks for your answear.
The bolt and the ejector level were certainly add post war when the rifle was re polished and reblued by the owner.
I will do better pictures of stock and handguard numbers. For me they are ok.
The owner was probably a french hunter, not a collector. If he was, he never had do this. He didn t know what he had in hands..
I bought it to a little gunsmith just as a "mauser with civilian scope"..
For numbers on scope, you speak about numbers on the front ring?
I will do better pictures of all parts without grease tomorrow.
Good night,
Damien

 

[Dave Roberts]

I have not said anything about this HT as was going threw my photo collection trying see what I could find , after doing this I feel comfortable enough to say at least this much . IMHO the Barreled Action is a period original assembly . The few other transitional HT I know of are all byf43 rifles . As for the 135 it looks OK . The rest of the Rifle , such as Stock numbers , these do not appear to be original at least from the pics . I do question if the Rings are original to the Scope Tube and also the numbering on front ring , IMHO its to hard to say with any certainty whether or not if the Scope & Rings are completely period original or a post war put together from the pics

Here is a Link to a BLC HT Scope & Rings thats also a transitional Set . Rare Scope find ZEISS ZIELVIER blc Code .
This set is now reunited with its matching barreled action and being restored

There is also Pics in Robert Spielauers last Printing on Pg. 138-139 of another BYF43 i suffix Transitional HT rifle .

 

[indianadam]

Hello Dave,
Thank for your answear.
Here are new pictures, i hope it will correct because of the artificial light effects (it s the night here). If you want pictures with sun light tomorrow tell me.
Amicalement,
Damien

 

[indianadam]

The 2 last pictures

Edit: i add one of stock number

 

[mdarnell19]

Thanks for the extra pictures. I missed the part in your post where you already acknowledged that it was polished and reblued. That is definite the part that is throwing me off.

I will take a closer look at these pictures when I get home. The scope ring has potential.