K43 qve 45 receiver safe?

[Cyrano4747]

I am going to buck the trend here. I really don't see that the damage done to the back of the receiver by a re-enactor firing blanks has any bearing on the safety of firing live rounds, moving forward, so long as the gas system has been tamed.

Whether the damage was done by a reenactor or by an idiot sending live rounds through it without a gas kit before it got dragged around to play dress up, the gun is damaged. Look at the pictures. You can see the receiver bulging outward to the rear. As it is the gun will likely not hold a safety in place reliably and holy crap does it suck having one of those go walkabout - it's an expensive part to lose. You also have to be worried about a crack developing.

Is it going to blow up in a shooter's face? No, but it is damaged and shooting it in this state will damage it further. These aren't cheap guns, it's foolish to knowingly damage one further.

 

[Sneetch]

My bigger concern would be what's happening at the front of the receiver...namely the locking flaps and the headspace. Lots of folks seem to shy away from shooting all-matching examples of these rifles because they are too valuable...but seem willing to fire mis-matched guns which may, or may not, be locking the breech properly. These parts were numbered for a good reason...not just to entertain future collectors.

 

[Sneetch]

Are the bolt parts matching? The bolt carrier itself appears to have been re-numbered.

 

[daltrey99]

My bigger concern would be what's happening at the front of the receiver...namely the locking flaps and the headspace. Lots of folks seem to shy away from shooting all-matching examples of these rifles because they are too valuable...but seem willing to fire mis-matched guns which may, or may not, be locking the breech properly. These parts were numbered for a good reason...not just to entertain future collectors.

Checking headspace and the locking mechanism is easy on these. I have built many of these with mismatched parts and new parts. All of them have proper headspacing and the locking lugs work flawlessly.

 

[Scarey]

Here some photos of the bolt. Can't really make out the numbers but one flap looks like a 43 (upside down) which would match the s/n.

 

[Roger S]

I think your lugs are in backwards. One has a notch meant to line up with a hump on the right side. (Looking from the rear right side)

 

[Scarey]

I think your lugs are in backwards. One has a notch meant to line up with a hump on the right side. (Looking from the rear right side)

Good eyes! Looks like you might be right. I'll have to completing disassemble it later today and verify/switch. Danke sehr!

 

[ls6man]

To me that rifle is a wall hanger…IMO condition doesn’t warrant investing money in it and I personally wouldn’t shoot it.. just not worth it to me..

I’d enjoy it as a representative example of a QVE but if looking for either a collectible or a rifle I could shoot.. I’d sell it and find a better example of either

 

[Scarey]

To me that rifle is a wall hanger…IMO condition doesn’t warrant investing money in it and I personally wouldn’t shoot it.. just not worth it to me..

I’d enjoy it as a representative example of a QVE but if looking for either a collectible or a rifle I could shoot.. I’d sell it and find a better example of either

I got it for under 1k in a buy of several other guns so don't mind if it needed some work. I already have a dual manufactured that I take out occasionally and shoot.