Gewehr 43

[SmershAgent]

I've been doing a bit of reading lately about these rifles, and I'd be lying if I said I don't covet one now. Unfortuantely, they don't seem to be very common, and taking one home would be to the tune of ~$1,000+. Does anyone here own one? If so, where did you get it? Any chance someone will share some photos? Are these good shooters, or is it better just to get a $100 SKS and hold onto the German rifle as an artifact?

 

[cabinetman]

I own one of every semi-auto MBR made since 1938. However, I don't own a G43. I've fired one as my buddy has both the G43 and G41 rifles. I've love to have one but the prices they command are simply out of this world. Eventually I will have one in in my collection but right now, the price is simply difficult to justify, especially with my last kid's college tuition coming up!

And, while I shoot every single rifle in my collection, I'd probably only shoot the G43 from time to time as it has gone from just an expensive rifle to super collector status. Shooting something 50 years old that cost $1500+ and cost a ton to repair because parts are hard to come by just isn't cost-effective. So, if you are in the market for an every day shooter that is cheap to keep, a $100+ SKS would certainly be the way to go. G43 rifle are for those who want the complete their collection and not worry about damaging a rifle that cost as much as a cheap used car. You could easily buy 15 SKS for one G43 in today's market.

Rome

 

[max popenker]

Here ypo'll find some info and pics of G.43: http://world.guns.ru/rifle/rfl12-e.htm

 

[cracked butt]

The only one's I've ever seen was from a guy in my local gun club who was a collector. He did a presentation after a meeting on the development of the G41, SVT-40, and G-43 complete with several examples of each including sniper models with the detachable scopes. It was incredibly cool. I've heard a few old timers out at the range talk about their G43, but I've never seen one being shot.

 

[Rhine]

To you gentlemen who would like to own a G/K43 and shoot it. You better buy some spare parts for it. If you get one with all matching numbers and shoot it you run the risk of breaking a numbered part and destroy the value of it. Parts like the bolt carrier, locking lugs and gas cyclinder. Then you should also get the G-43 shooters kit from Apfeltor Waffenfabrik's. This kit allows you to adjust the gas pressure. This was a problem the Germans had during the War. There later gas cyclinders had a hole drilled threw the side of them to release the excess pressure.
I have a K-43 DUV44 all matching numbered rifle and I shoot it, but not with my matching numbered parts. I get a lot of looks from people and questions as to what kind of rifle it is. When I take it to the range it's usually the center of attention. I also have the Scope and mount for it. It has less recoil than our M1 garand.
Mine is a bring back from Germany.

 

[Gewehr43]

G43

I'm a big fan of the G43 series. I own two and shoot one equipped with a gas system restrictor on a regular basis. Accurate, mild recoil, overall just a beautiful firearm. They can be finicky, but what German-engineered equipment isn't.

Here's a shot of my babies.

AC43 G41 all matching
DUV44 G43 matching less firing pin housing
S/27 1937 K98 matching less firing pin
byf44 (late) K98 matching

The one I shoot all the time is a bolt-mismatched AC44 which I restored from an atrocious bubba job.

I'd put my G43 up against a Garand or SVT any day.

 

[Glock Glockler]

Beautiful gun, what kind of accuracy will the scoped girl give you?

 

[Rhine]

G/k43

Gewehr43,
Nice looking collection! What's the code on your Zf4 scope and serial number?
Do you hand load for your G43 or use surplus ammo?
With hands loads I can get 3/4 inch groups out of my K43. I'm still trying for !/2 inch.

 

[Gewehr43]

I haven't had the chance to put the ZF4 rig into action, really. The mount's a cheap repro and is bent a bit, so I can't get the zf4 to zero. (Long story)

In any case, I've put up 4" groups from a sitting, unsupported position at 100 yards with iron sights. I've never benched the rifle, but I fear she's quite a bit more accurate than I am.

I think my zf4 is a 33k serialed DOW scope, but I'll need to check when I get home. I haven't looked at it in a while, so I could be completely off. I have handloaded a bit for it in the past, but right now, she's tuned and running happily with 70's era yugoslav surplus. Its kind of a pain to break the thing down and detail clean it every time I shoot it, but I wouldn't own one if I didn't mind putting a little work into it. (It took me 4 months from the day I bought it to get it cycling correctly without slamfiring and all sorts of other nasty habits.) Did I mention they can be finicky?

Pretty rifle you've got there, Rhine. Out of curiosity, what's the approximate serial? My duv44 is 89XXg. Wondering if we have sisters.

 

[Rhine]

My serial number range is 88k i. I consider my self lucky in the fact that I own one of these fine rifles. There were less than 500,000 of these rifles made. You go on e-bay and you find people taking these rifles apart to sell the parts and sometimes make more money that way. So the number of rifles left are getting fewer and fewer.
I have two scopes, one is a Dow at 36k range and the other is a DDX at 81k. The DDX has the late war recticle which is a one peice stamped recticle. This I find interesting considering the cross hairs are only .005 wide.
Who makes this gas restrictor that you mentioned?
I got this rifle after my father in law passed away. He brought it back from Germany after the war ended. So I see myself as being very lucky. He didn't talk about the war and he didn't tell me how he got it.
The rifle is in great shape with some pitting near the muzzle. The bore is mint. If the rifle was ever fired before me, I believe it was test fired only. There were no marks were the connecting rod impinges on the bolt carrier and the face of the bolt was spot less. I know for a fact that my father in law never fired it.

 

[Gewehr43]

Apfeltor Waffenfabrik is who made my gas restrictor. I swear by his restrictor setup. Until I sold it, I had a 2nd G43 shooter and on both that and the shooter I still have, I used AW's restrictor kit. I refuse to fire my rifles without that kit in place. Im registered as "chuckd" at the g/k43 forums.

I just checked and my scope is 3322x dow scope.

Wow, I can't imagine having an heirloom like that. I'm envious of you!! What story to tell even if your father didn't give you the details.

It makes me sick to see people part these things out when they're in perfectly good condition. I've seen several rifles go thru ebay like that with the associated barreled receiver on auctionarms at the same time. What a disappointment.

 

[Rhine]

Hey Chuckd, I guess were both lucky in the scence that we have these rifles. I won't fire mine with out my aw kit installed. If the germans had these on there rifles they would have had a lot less broken parts.
Since I got mine I bought extra parts like the extractor, firing pins, locking lugs, recoil springs. I don't know if you know this trick but if you still have your original springs you'll be able to use them again. If you have a set of repos that haven't been installed yet, take the originals and put them next to the repos.Strech the originals out to the same lenght as the repos. Then take the orginals and put them on a cooking sheet. Put them in the oven for one half hour at a temperture of 500 degrees. This will retemper the springs like new. There's nothing like good German metal. I got this info from a guy who worked in a wire mill and his job was tempering the wire after they made the spring. I've fixed springs for my rifle and German Lugers.
I see people take apart Lugers that are still good but make more money selling the parts. That makes me sick!!