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Gustloff Werke KKW

S

Sauer_Kraut

Senior Member
My KKW that I imported from the states just showed up. I'm over the moon now that I have the rifle in my hands. Mismatched bolt, but I am in love with the rifle.
 

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Small little update. I managed to source an unnumbered bolt. I read and talked with some people and an unnumbered bolt would be appropriate for this serial range. It was mated with a barreled Mas 45 receiver. I originally thought the bolt was post war French, but the I believe this is an original production. The receiver is in the mid 2500s, and I read that lots of Mas 45 bolts were made from German left overs. Moreover, this bolt should be phosphate, but it is blued (albeit grayed). However, the bolt, collar?, is white, so maybe someone took the phosphate off.
 

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Very happy for you. Looks like all the trouble was worth it. Usually the bluing wears on the bolt stem from use … but that wear looks pretty “even” not sure why. Not a big deal, wouldn’t worry about it. You got a bolt that’s in numbered which is correct, bolts on Gustloff started around an range 250k and had the last 3 digits electro-penciled on the stem
 
The rifle was definitely worth the trouble. I'm not worried about the wear, I think it's a better fit finish wise. The bluing on the rifle has dulled a little and the high gloss of the numbered bolt did contrast. I swapped the bolt handles, and how have a complete bolt for parts if something happens. Now I'm stuck with a stripped Mas 45 receiver, not sure what I'll use that for.
 
Hello, your kkw is beautiful, the wood is superb. I've seen kkw Gustloffs before with the bolt not numbered. I saw that there are sometimes the last 3 digits written with an electric pen.
Without number: ("145 German Smallbore Training Rifle" photo's)
IMG_20230102_194211.jpg

With engraved number:
20191028 (1).jpg
 
Around serial 250,000 Gustloff started to add the last 3 digits of the serial number by electro pencil to the top of the bolt stem—as the picture you posted shows.
 
correct.. and the ser range I tried to nail down over on gunboards in the trainer section and here as well. There is a point when numbering started but the OP's rifle is well before that.
That stock has some nice striping!! congrats.
 
mauser99 said:
correct.. and the ser range I tried to nail down over on gunboards in the trainer section and here as well. There is a point when numbering started but the OP's rifle is well before that.
That stock has some nice striping!! congrats.
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heavy_mech said:
Beautiful. That wood is just incredible. Congrats.
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Thanks guys! Very happy I stumbled across this rifle from some small mom and pop shop in Minnesota. I still get giddy looking at the stock.

I'm taking it out for a range day on Sunday. I'll be curious to see the groupings.
 
Wolfsburg said:
No joke? That is awesome! I sadly never got to meet him but The Andy Griffith Show was a staple of my childhood!
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He used to set his dogs free on the beach and let the neighborhood kids try and catch em. Took his volleyball game veerry seriously. Later on he’d be seen around town from time to time in one of his old Packards or Model A Fords.
 
There's small odd to win the wood lottery in KKWs, I gather from observation of photos. Usually they have very workmanlike wood. But yours...it is beautifully figured! Congratulations! You win!
 
That wood on your rifle is fantastic...congratulations. On the numbering of the bolt, should I be worried if I have a 2464XX with a numbered bolt? I keep reading that the numbering occurred around serial number 250XXX.
 
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