Double Claw bnz 43 SS sniper, serial number 8243

[jsz]

Looked at today a double claw, dow scoped sniper today. It was brought back by a vet who was a member of 42nd Rainbow division, in Austria at the time. He was a member of a field artillery unit, and in the rear of the front firing artillery. They were stationed near a village , firing and noticing they were drawing sniper fire. The vet went looking with a M1 and found this sniper peaking out from a church. He eventually shot him and went up and took the gun. Great story who knows?

Looking at the gun which has been duffle cut, it is serial numbered 8242. Bnz marked and dated 43 on the receiver. The bolt is electric penciled including the smalls with exception to the firing pin. All smalls only have the last two digits of the serial number. No waffen stamp or firing proofs exist on the bolt or bolt smalls. Trigger guard is milled and has the serial 8342 stamped in it. Floor plate is milled no serial number and is WaA623. Follower is EP 42. Barrel has serial number and the SSZZA4 proof and serial number, 8243 stamped on it. The left receiver has the SSZZA2 proof only. The rear site ramp and leaf are serial numbered, 8100, and waffen stamp 77 and some other things on the leaf. Stock is void of any markings except the serial number 8243 stamped on the heel. No waffen stamps in takedown disks, recoil lug, butt plate and etc. Notice the flat plate. Handguard is extremely crude, appears to be solid wood, maybe not. Not serial number inboard and has some cracking. The rear band is stamped with the last two digits of the serial number and has no waffen stamp. Hood is there, in my opinion the so called steyr hood. Scope is serialed 8243 and marked "dow" with a blue "+". Also marked underneath "A234", no markings on the rings or claws.

Some photos to follow. Jeff

 

[jsz]

more photos attached

 

[jsz]

more photos

 

[Hercules]

Interesting

I am sure you will generate some interest and many replies here. Is there a death head in the grip? Is it for sale?

Brian

 

[mauser99]

very nice rifle and looks like others Ive seen.. Early, with the early dow scope. This is a sszza4 depot build that was up fitted with optics @ sszza2 depot. A few other members here have similar rifles with and without optics. I surmise the wood has been swapped out. But a stock set shouldn't be too hard to find and an upped band. You have 90% of what you need there and the most valuable parts. Its the real deal. Were you able to buy it ? Or just look at it ? Most of the true depot build SS rifles Ive seen were built up on astra werke receivers marked BNZ 43 and this one seems to be no different. These are different from standard BNZ SS contracts and single runes. These are depot builds not steyr built. I bet if original it would of been in a "c" stock.

 

[jsz]

I am of the opinion stock is original. Did not have the opportunity to remove the action for lack of a screw driver. No markings on the right receiver side.

 

[Dave Roberts]

You found a Nice SS DBL CLAW. IMHO it is the hardest of the SS DBL CLAWS to obtain . This one is almost Identical in every aspect to the one I own , with one exception unless You just did not get a Pic . My Example has Cupped Butt Plate Stock and a DH in the Keel just below the rifle serial # Best Regards .

 

[jsz]

I did not see any other markings on the heel. There were some bumps and etc that may have obscured other markings.

 

[mauser99]

I am of the opinion stock is original. Did not have the opportunity to remove the action for lack of a screw driver. No markings on the right receiver side.

It's possible and I'll never say never. I have yet to see one with a flat butt plate. But, these were assembled from parts through the depot system. So, a flat butt plate stock could have been used. I once came across a flat butt plate oversized "c" stock that was an ordinance spare.

I would be quite surprised if there wasn't an 1 stamped on the right side of the receiver. You may have just missed that in haste. It's not a waffenampt or something that sticks out. regardless it is an astrawerke subcontracted receiver. Just the step and the roll marks prove than. Very few if any standard production BNZ43's are built up on these.

 

[Bigdibbs88]

awesome rifle!! Flat buttplate is certainly strange, but the numbering definitely looks period. Stranger things have happened

 

[Absolut]

Did you buy that rifle, or was it offered to you? Nevertheless, it looks just beautiful! Is the buttplated serialized?