The disassembly of the K43 blew my mind...I love it when bad myths are dispelled around milsurp weapons and I think you are on to something.....Nice work man!!
Mine is a DUV 44, GI bring back. Upper hand guard was missing, but I found a new made replacement. The tale is some of the hand guards were Bakelite, and broke. Apfeltor gas system is a must. Good call.
slowhand11 new spring kit too! Delays and reduces the force of the bolt slapping the receiver. Better to buy a junker and build it though. Even with upgrades there is still risk. I have a go bring back and have had it for 6 years. Still have never shot it and don’t plan to
As always Great video!!! I collect these G43’s and have to say it’s soooo much fun! You also need lots of patience when building these as it can take months to get a stock. Fox is still working on mine but well worth the wait. Typical builds cost me between 1200-2200 depending on parts. I’ve never paid more than 3200 for a completely matching rifle. Hope these prices answer some questions. Thanks again!!!
I have a g43all matching numbers with original clean kit and instructions in German in the but stock wondering what to do with it all in original firing condition
I own the same style of K43 (without the locking lever on the bolt) all numbers matching including the stock. The 1st thing I did was buy a replacement stock so I didn't have to worry about damaging the original (it may have been laminate but it was real thin in places) the next thing was to install an adjustable gas system. Love shooting this gun. BTW your video is the 1st one I've seen showing a K43 without the bolt hold open lever. For the longest time I thought I had a half finished bolt assembly.
Great video and explanation. Saved me a lot of frustration and more importantly damage to my rifle. Looking forward to installation of a shooting kit and taking the rifle to the range. I certainly feel much more comfortable disassembling and assembling this rifle.
Okay, I have to explain the three holes on the stock end of the German sling. Because I see too many people get this wrong, and I want to correct this error. The three holes, ARE NOT FOR SLING ADJUSTMENT. With that in mind, what are they used for? Reusability of the sling when a concussion blast rips the rifle when slung across the soldiers back. When the first hole was riped, the German was to be able to reuse the sling by either finding the original keeper on the ground or find another replacement keeper through other means. It saves time and material to reuse a sling three times than it is to throw the thing away. The Germans thought of everything. Now you know.
WTF? I've been subscribed to you for a really long time, but I haven't gotten any notifications or your videos in my sub feed in a while, and I just assumed you quite uploading...
Just fold the extra sling tab back under the keeper up top, kinda a pain but once you do it its stuck there well and out of the way. Or just cut it short with a point, I have an original that was cut down to the desired length. But it does take I bit to get used to I can attest to that!
Good Video, on original stock there are two dash line marks on the edge of stock. where by pulling the bolt back at the marks and you be able to lift bolt off. Of Course the bolt and carrier will be in two parts any way you attempt to do it. All G43 have certain resistance once the bolt is manually released and its not the recoil springs. Good job on the restoration, last thing you need is the shooter kit and of you go, and enjoy the rifle!
Being a FFL dealer for a decade now, and working in the industry for double that, I have been to many gun auctions. But there is always one that stands out to me over the years. I think of this because of the subject of the video. About three years ago there was a auction of a estate, which belonged to to vet that had been the owner of a large cable TV business. Over the years along time ago, think 80s, he would accept firearms for payment of bills that he was owed. His collection that was auctioned was enormous, it actually took 3 weekends to sell it all, and almost all of it was military surplus rifles. Unfortunately to the family, the rifles and pistols were sold in a area way out of the way, that had little money to speak of. Being a dealer I got to look through the goods first hand for days. All I can say is that I wish I had way more money. This will hurt, so caution is given. The collection had very rare arms indeed, which sold for little to nothing compared to value. First off, half of the collection was WW2 Japanese. There was stacks of type 99 rifles, with most complete with mum, sling,and even bayonet. There was also a matching amount of type 38 rifles and carbines. On the other hand there was many type 44s, a couple sniper rifle and a single paratrooper model. I tried for the paratrooper, but was out bid at $800, as that was all I had left after purchase of every Jap pistol they had. But the crazy stuff was the really rare stuff. The coolest things? He had 1 Johnson lmg parts kit with the metal tube stock, another that was built up on a semiautomatic Johnson rifle receiver. Both sold for under a grand. So many dummy guns made from parts kits it made me dizzy. Such as BARs, Thompson's, mp38/40, and everything else you could think of, and most didn't sell. I don't know were they are now unfortunately. They also had a Webley Semiautomatic revolver that was mint that sold for under $2000. If you like Mausers, you would have been in heaven the second auction, as probably 100+ of them sold. Most under $200 each, and the sniper rifles for only a little more (some SS marked), even had a old 98 with original extended magazine. The reason I bring this up is because on one of the parts tables were complete actions. This table had super rare actions just incomplete, but two were g41 actions in ok shape (not g43). I will get to the messed up part soon. Luger's, p38, saurs, ppks, 1911 (WW1), T26, you name it pistols galore. Of course they had every US rifle in batches to be sold, and a considerable amount of Czech Semiautomatic rifles for some reason. And yep, not a one rifle sold for over $500. They even sold a Mauser Tank rifle for under a grand!. I could never list all the rare rifles that were sold for super cheap, it still boggles my mind today. Also to keep in mind, these were not recent cheap imported guns, they were almost all bring backs or nonimport marked stuff. I even bid on German daggers and swords from WW2, that would sell for under $300 each!. The part that made people mad is this! They also had a silent auction, which consisted of boxes of stuff they put out in a big hall. They would put a paper down for your bid, and if you won you would get the whole box of stuff. I won a box of knives for $20, which had two HJ knives in really nice shape and a bunch of Jap bayonets. But I missed some boxes until it was too late to bid. Alot of the boxes I saw to late had holsters, but unfortunately the holsters we're number matching to pistols being sold. Specifically the pistols I had bought with others that were bought. We were not impressed to say the least. One man bought a box of holsters which had probably 40 of them including broomhandle stock holsters,ppk, p38, Luger stocks and holsters, all of my t14 ,t94, and t 26 holsters for my purchases and others I was to mad to look at. I had a friend buy a couple boxes of m1a1 carbine folding stocks for $50. Most were repro but one was not, and he didn't even know till after. I should have offered him the $50 he payed for the lot for the one. I contacted honestly say the collection had almost 1 million$$$ in value sold over time, but maybe for only a couple hundred thousand total unfortunately for the family. It was a dream auction, which I should have took a loan out for. I guess there was also five registered MGs, which were sold to a 07 months later for only 10 grand. Insert palm on forehead now! Always look for auctions by a unknown company in the middle of the sticks, that's were the good stuff is at. Especially because the old collectors are now dropping and their collections were sometimes large. Ohh yeah they g41 rifles, all of their parts were sold off in one box, including the stocks. The actions were probably sold to a buyer who didn't know the parts were there.Too much stuff, too little time to look!
My AC45 A block gun does not have the hold open. It's much more finicky disassembling and reassembling then yours using that method (I have to kind of play with the bolt carrier to get the receiver cover to clear the back of the receiver). I guess with these late war guns YMMV
Great video. I thought I knew everything about the G43/K43 but I had no idea of the late war improvements. Question: is that the original dust cover or did you buy that to complete the rifle?
those aren't lightening crescent cuts in the bolt. They are there so when you take out the bolt carrier at an angle, the front tips would hit the bolt if both cuts weren't made in the bolt.
Great video- i have seen G-43 only in relic condition- from ww2 battlefields. Here they are not common and actually are prohibited for purchase- while SVT-40 is ok, thanks for sharing Your knowledge.
Mine also doesn't have a sight rail (AC 44 from a March/April production block). Heard two different reasons as to why: the earlier production letters weren't originally intended to all receive scopes and/or if they had any manufacturing defects the rails were ground down. 🤷♂️
I saw your video on the two G43’s when you were at Heritage Arms in Utah. What were the prices of the two rifles? I have the chance to buy a AC 45 VOPO (Volkspolizei) and wonder if the asking price is reasonable. 🤔🤓
I have had 6 of these things over the years . And I have very bad luck with them the bolt carrier cracks in front of the safety. And it also throws the safety off the rifle. I always wonder what happen to the ones the Czechs had after WW 2 . As it was their main battle rifle for a few years after the war ?.
Wow, the "before "looks just like mine though mine was missing the bolt assembly too. I had the cut down mag,no handguard ,dove cut end, no end barrel band but did have orig butt plate and sling hole not filled like yours. $125 at a gun show about 5 years ago. Manage to pick up a g41 milled bolt off ebay for $475ish which seems interchangeable. Would like to repair the Stock instead of full repro replacement . Did you keep your old stock? Any fitting with the new stock? Thanks
I was beginning to think I had the only k43 without a scope! I assume when a round comes out it’s a dummy it would be funny if you just said oops and then never mentioned it until the description. But, I like to see the world burn so.
Ok I doubt you will see this comment or reply but if you could make a video about how to install the bolt hold open piece I’d appreciate it as mine did not come with one and when I bought a replacement one it just keeps falling out.
@@MilsurpWorld nice! Well if you could make a video or give me some pointers I’d really appreciate it! I’m pretty big fan of your content and am myself looking to expand my early self loading rifles collection this year!
I have come across more barreled receivers with all the working bits of these for sale, like more than other milsurps. Why do you think that is? Like people get previously bubba'ed examples like yours and throw away the cut-up stock to resell? Maybe to hide that it's been sporterized, but obviously it's not complete? It baffles me....
...friend of a friend told me he had a 'Mauser Karabine with a 45 deg Left bolt handle..." I couldn't figger out what Kar98k he was talkin' about...until he texted picture...it wasn't as K98k...it's a G43...he has/has no idea what he's got in his collection...hopefully I can help him ID this one and the others (not G43s) in his collection...
@@FLVCTVAT_NEC_MERGITVR ...y'know - I actually KNOW some guys who would do just that...I'm a collector and not only Couldn't - but WOULDN'T!!! wouldn't want it done to me...my fun is is letting a guy who has no idea of what he has lettin' him know the something he thought was trash can let him fix the car he need to go and see his family or his bud...
I just mean, what are you going to use the rifle as if you added a scope and maybe another rifle might fulfill that role better. To answer your original question, there might be some sort of mount that attaches to the rear sight.
Milsurp World I’d like to be able to develop loads for it for CMP matches as well as for occasional hunting application. Yes, any modern Rifle will fill either role better, but that’s besides the point isn’t it? I like to shoot my rifles...a lot. Adding optics makes the rifle far more versatile and useful than its original configuration.
Mine has the scope rails and I discovered in a very expensive way that the scope being offset is useless under 250 yards. My best guess is the scope is designed for 400m/y at a minimum. Took the scope off and am now hitting everything 250 or less.
Could any of you lucky G43 owners measure thickness of the stock (from side to side) on the receiver part? I found few charts with stock dimiensions which i want to replicate, and they all say different thing (48 - 54mm).
I have 2 stocks, one the original laminate stock which is very thin wood and the other a aftermarket solid walnut stock which is really big and beefy so either of those numbers could be correct.
@@MilsurpWorld so when I first get the gun I am going to take three test shots with it to make sure it works. Should I use new ammo or old ammo if it does not have a shooters kit? I saw a different youtube video where it said if there is no shooters kit use older ammo. And when I get the shooter kit should I get new springs as well?
@@CollectorfirearmsAlways use commercial ball ammo, since it is generally slightly under pressure compared to the military loads of the equivalent cartridge. From there, ensure that you are using as little gas as possible to get the weapon cycling.
I have two K-43’s (consecutive serials and include scope rails) 4080d & 4081d. Not thinking much of selling them, but I wouldn’t part with them for less than $11,000. Bought as a set and I would sell as such.
My gunsmith knows I collect milsurp. One day I get a call from him asking if I could come in and identify I rifle someone brought in for restoration. I got there and he put the rifle on the counter and right away I could see it was a K43. It was most likely a bring back (no import mark and other signs). The other signs were it was the most Bubba'd gun I had ever seen in my life. I wanted to cry. The top hand guard was missing the stock was duffle cut the barrel was cut (no front site) the rear site was removed and scope rings were crudely added (out of line to boot) and the gas system including the block was removed and replaced with a piece of copper pipe (for looks?). So basically someone took a great semiauto rifle and turned it into a bolt action hunting rifle. (the owner did say this was his Grandfathers favorite hunting rifle). My only advice to restoration was Don't. Too much money and the loss of too many memories of Grandads favorite hunting rifle.
Also you have to be careful with the K43 AC45 they were made with labored in concentration camp. It’s a last ditched gun. You will run into problems just be careful
Gustloff Werke is the factory you are thinking of (factory code BCD). They made their rifles exclusively with concentration camp labor from the Buchenwalde camp. Walther employed some Russian POW's supposedly, but mostly paid civilian labor, not concentration camp labor. BLM (Berlin Lubecker Maschinenfabrik) also used civilian labor. I have a BLM K43 Rifle, marked QVE 45 with the forged barrel. It's a really excellent rifle, and a lot of the rumors about it are blown way out of proportion. When taken care of correctly and with a shooters kit and new springs installed, they are reliable, accurate, and very fun to shoot.
No good concept, too late, and no one figured out why some are very accurate and some just hit no nothing at all. Problem of g43 g41 was way better but too complicated, well at least tHe g41 had no accuracy problem
