Qve45 German K43

Very nice, would you possibly be able to expand on the paint? I personally have never heard of this (though I haven't really done much research into WWII German rifles) and I am curious as to what was done and why.
 
Very nice, would you possibly be able to expand on the paint? I personally have never heard of this (though I haven't really done much research into WWII German rifles) and I am curious as to what was done and why.

It was done for camouflage, just like how German soldiers often painted their helmets and gas mask canisters. Of course, it would be very hard to be 100% certain if camo paint on rifles is wartime or done in the post war period by hunters. In this case it seems like it has a chance of being a wartime application, but we will probably never know for sure.

Regards,
-Steve
 
That is one beautiful rifle! Interesting story behind the paint, you can certainly see the faint pattern in the photos as well. Enjoy that beauty, I certainly hope to one day get my hands on one to enjoy as well.
:cheers:
 
I agree it's likely impossible to prove. As with lots of the camo helmets.
Guns were definitely not done as frequently. But it has been known to show up. There are other camo'd k43 rifles known.
 
No info. He traded a LB no4 for it to his buddy. His buddy found it in a chilliwack(I think) pawn shop. Probably a vet sold it or family. Who knows.
 
To see what?

As a former museum Conservator I can say from experience that examination under a black light would reveal an immense amount of information. Black light could definitively ascertain a bench mark date as to when the paint was made (paint has changed alot chemically since WW2 - paint formulas from different eras fluoresce visibly different spectrums, paint formulas and production methods changed drastically every decade after WW2 ). Black light can also reveal the traces of the original camouflage pattern that are not visible under normal light as well as if the original finish had been altered by subsequent applications of varnish, even if it is the same medium (dirt, grease, ect impregnated in the wood grain will fluoresce differently if it is below a finish as opposed to above).

Alot can be ascertained with a black light provided one can interpret the results. Having a black light handy when making an expensive purchase has saved my bacon from the BS artists and more than proved its worth. Science, knowledge, experience and analytical proof are not influenced by a good backstory when trying to establish the truth about an artifact.

73

Brookwood
 
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I have black lights. I've used them to bring
Up faint markings before. I will analyze the paint. The issue with black light vs camo paint, is that it's tough to decipher. If there was any solid way to determine dating the camo helmets industry would be all over it. I will look as it won't do any harm but still hard to get any concrete facts. It matches a friends camo helmet paint quite well.
 
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