Check out this pair of 72 year old d's!

[jbmauser]

As some of you know I'm attempting to do a byf44 letter block collection and needed a d block. One came up on gb and I was lucky enough to get it for a reasonable price. Less than 2 weeks later another one from the same store (total coincidence that they came into the shop) popped up with some features I don't have in my byf44 collection like the milled bottom metal and e/135 marked bolt so I bid on it as well and got if dirt cheap. I was planning on selling the first but once they were both in hand I couldn't let either go.

The milled bottom metal is somewhat unusual although not exactly rare but the floor plate numbering is odd for a d block. MO was all over the place with numbering patterns early in 44 for some reason. The e/135 bolt is also not that rare but they are harder to find. 1 in 10 would be very generous. As prolific a manufacturer as MO was they really relied heavily on subcontracted bolts. The later d block also has a MO made bolt but it lacks acceptance for some reason. The machining patterns and the inspector stamp on the bottom flat give it away.

Neither one is competing for the spot of top condition in my collection but they're both honest all matching units.

When viewing the photos, the early d block is always the top one. The serials should tell which is which in the other pics.

 

[NL-Hunter]

Awesome rifles. Minute differences from same factory and same year. Possible thatsome of the parts came from different sources? As in machined vs stamped bottoms, buttplates, etc..?

Soon need to see group shots of the collection.

 

[jbmauser]

Bottom metal on both were made by MO. MO was a stamped part manufacturing giant and supplied bottom metal to most of the makers at one point or another. I'm unaware of any use of subcontracted trigger guards or floor plates at MO.

 

[Remembering]

Great pair, condition seems pretty solid!

The milled TG must have been an old leftover MO subcontractor part due to the single e/135... Pretty cool!

(Meaning MO built for someone else)

 

[jbmauser]

Well early on MO used and manufactured tg's were only single e/135 stamped. I think once they started supplying stamped tg's to other makers they implemented the 2 e/135's to distinguish in house use from export.

When do MO stamped guards start showing up on other makers? Looks early 44 from what I can see. I don't pay that much attention to the use of MO parts on the other makers.

 

[CanadianAR]

Nice Double D's Jeremy.

 

[Remembering]

Steyr used them in very early '44 (no letter block) for sure and you'll also see them on Bnz 43 ss contracts, but only on the later ones that were built in '44.
Your theory sounds bang on. Pretty neat, I didn't know that's when they started the single and double e/135.

 

[CanadianAR]

Bruno I, dou, has stamped Mauser supplied floor plates and followers in 1943.
Gustloff uses another supplier
Brunn II I believe made their own or 214
Sauer used some Mauser stamped trigger guards in 44

 

[jbmauser]

Ok. Thanks.

 

[live4therut]

Great guns Jeremy, as usual awesome pics and thanks for the SXS comparison. Congrats and this sounds so wrong but I'd love to hold your double D's bud.

 

[jbmauser]

Yes, we still need to arrange a collection fondling date.

You'll have to wear rubber gloves before I'll let you touch my collection tho.

 

[Steve1987]

Looking good!

-Steve

 

[JasonGTA]

nice