hand stamp bnz4 E/359 receiver

[mrfarb]

I've had this one quite a long time, a gift (so to speak) from my buddy Dave Roberts. He couldn't find a place on it where a scope fit so he passed it off to me for a bag of beef jerky. It's a bolt mismatch, but one of those bolt mismatches you really just have to keep because it's so unique and probably won't find another to replace it with (I haven't). Anyway, I've posted a few images before but took a few bnz's out for some test imaging for Vol.2, and thought I would post pics of it. Pretty standard fare bnz other than the receiver, stock is C subcontracted. Many bnz rifles have C stocks on them in the late bnz4/bnz44 ranges. Gallery image is bnz4/bnz44 rifles from "m,n,o,p,and q" blocks test image.

 

[jhv 41]

Would a raise to a box of Pringles work for me?

All kidding aside, that is a beautiful rifle

 

[jbmauser]

Very cool rifle! The hand stamped variations are interesting.

What's with the "plum" color on the receiver? The rear bridge and sidewall especially.

 

[mrfarb]

It's actually a copper color. I assume this is due to the type of steel used in the early armorers depot spare E/359 receiver. Under the woodline the whole receiver is that color. I wish it wasn't so worn, it was probably an awesome looking rifle when it was new, dual tone copper/blue! It's similar to the extractor and spring color you see.

 

[jbmauser]

That is really cool! It is just like the extractors. I've never seen a receiver like this before. Are there other examples that you know of like this?

 

[mrfarb]

I think I saw another E/359 handstamp that was the same.

 

[RyanE]

It's actually a copper color. I assume this is due to the type of steel used in the early armorers depot spare E/359 receiver. Under the woodline the whole receiver is that color. I wish it wasn't so worn, it was probably an awesome looking rifle when it was new, dual tone copper/blue! It's similar to the extractor and spring color you see.

It is alleged that it is a combination of the nickel content of the steel alloy (in this case higher than normal) and the temperature of the salt bath (too low given the higher amounts of nickel).

Perhaps the Germans reduced the nickel content in their steels during the war? Perhaps then the temperature of the late war salt baths, being calibrated for low nickel alloys, were too low to produce the proper color on the pre/early war receiver?
Of course, this is all just pure conjecture on my part. Nice, BTW.

 

[k98zf39]

Hello, what makes this steyr production?

 

[k98zf39]

Never mind. I see the E623 proof.

 

[Dave Roberts]

I've had this one quite a long time, a gift (so to speak) from my buddy Dave Roberts. He couldn't find a place on it where a scope fit so he passed it off to me for a bag of beef jerky. It's a bolt mismatch, but one of those bolt mismatches you really just have to keep because it's so unique and probably won't find another to replace it with (I haven't). Anyway, I've posted a few images before but took a few bnz's out for some test imaging for Vol.2, and thought I would post pics of it. Pretty standard fare bnz other than the receiver, stock is C subcontracted. Many bnz rifles have C stocks on them in the late bnz4/bnz44 ranges. Gallery image is bnz4/bnz44 rifles from "m,n,o,p,and q" blocks test image.

IMHO a Steyr is not worth keeping unless it has the Marholdt Mounts and either a Zeiss Zielvier in 81XXX range or a BMJ .

 

[tsmgguy]

The same color is seen on Walther P.38 frames from 1944, probably for the same reason.

 

[Rhind64]

Very nice Mike! I love these hand stamped bnz's!

Rick