German G43 8mm Mauser!!!

mellow_c · June 6, 2011, 01:43 AM

Wow... what a neat old gun...

I just bought a box of old gun stuff off a buddy for $20.00. On of the things in it was an old Box magazine. I didnt know what it was for, so I cleaned it up when I got home and tried to think what kind of rifle it could be for. I figured an old semi auto war rifle.

I ended up searching images on google based on some suspicions I had about the magazine, and I ended up finding that it was made for a G43.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gewehr_43

After doing some more research, I'm finding that the magazines for these guns can sell for around $200.00 !!! The rifles them selves go for $2,000 - $5,000. This is a rare old war rifle used by the Germans in WWII, it was made to stand up to our M1 Garand, but it never functioned as well as they hoped, and was hard to mass produce.

I'm not sure if I should sell this mag, or go buy one of the rifles

If anyone is interested in this thing, let me know, you might be able to help me make up my mind

farmall · June 6, 2011, 09:36 AM

Gramps kept the one he had brought home from the war in his pickup all the time. Hate to guess how many deer and coyotes that thing killed. To him it was nothing more than a free bonus he got for serving his country. For all it went through, it's still in pretty good shape, and an uncle has it now.

Cool find!

mellow_c · June 6, 2011, 05:23 PM

Thats great to hear. I bet your grandpa loved that thing

I'd like to hear more stories about anyone who has one... I should probably have this thread in the Curios and Relics section. Might get more interest there.

Al Norris · June 6, 2011, 06:42 PM

Moving to C&R.....

James K · June 8, 2011, 12:27 PM

The G.43 was not a bad rifle and had the designers (Walther) been given enough development time, it might have been an excellent one. But not even Der Führer could order up more time and the rifle never was developed to its full potential. The operating system, a medium stroke piston, has, needless to say, had many descendants.

They are very accurate and it is not surprising that many were used as sniper rifles.

Jim

BigBill · June 26, 2011, 10:13 AM

I'm finding out more and more that i research into it the german rifles and handguns in semi auto can be ammo finiky with today's more modern ammo. Using the P38 and P1 walther as an example some have went to stronger recoil springs so they could shoot the modern 9mm luger ammo only to ruin the pistol and damage it. We need to think about this when going to shoot these german guns using modern ammo. I'm thinking i may have to reload some weaker loads so i won't ruin or damage them. I also heard the G43's haven't been the best of shooters too with the same ammo problems but i haven't really researched fully into it yet. I don't really want to invest a lot of cash with something that can give me headaches with ammo. I really like the german guns but we need to be aware of the ammo we put in them. I've also heard about the german lugers too. Everyone thinks the german guns are top of the line but there really not.

Wildalaska · June 26, 2011, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Using the P38 and P1 walther as an example some have went to stronger recoil springs so they could shoot the modern 9mm luger ammo only to ruin the pistol and damage it.Using the P38 and P1 walther as an example some have went to stronger recoil springs so they could shoot the modern 9mm luger ammo only to ruin the pistol and damage it.

Huh? If anything, 9mm US ammo is underpowered

meatgrinder42 · July 1, 2011, 11:03 AM

Quote:

I really like the german guns but we need to be aware of the ammo we put in them. I've also heard about the german lugers too. Everyone thinks the german guns are top of the line but there really not.

Really? I've never had any issues with modern ammunition (With the exception of that Blazer garbage) in my P08 or my 'red 9'. And the issue was they jammed constantly because the action didn't get kicked back far enough to eject the casing. I actually had to upgrade to hotter rounds just to make them cough out the brass.

As for the Gewehr 43, it was a very good rifle as long as you were nice to it. The only bad thing I've ever heard about them was that they weren't put into production soon enough and they liked to break firing pins (but that was probably due to poor resources at the end of the war).

James K · July 1, 2011, 02:18 PM

The G.43 should take any German GI or standard 7.9 round. (I am not sure about the Turkish stuff, some of which is reportedly very hot.)

But, at the price those things are today, it is probably not a real good idea to shoot one. They have had problems, one of which was the first type dust cover which often fails to engage properly and gets bent or broken.

There is also the standard warning that they can be fired without the bolt locking lugs, but I have always felt that was unlikely.

Jim

pitfighter · August 13, 2012, 01:51 PM

Nice find - let us know if you plan to sell the mag.
I have a G43 - it came with three mags - but always on the look out for more.

Did you ask your pal how he came by the G43 mag, he might have the rest of it somewhere?

Pit.

BlueTrain · August 13, 2012, 02:03 PM

I think they were issued with only three magazines, including the one in the rifle. The soldier had two different kinds of pouches, one for the magazines, the other the standard clip pouch holding five-round clips.

Winchester_73 · August 13, 2012, 04:39 PM

Man I want one of them (and or a G41), but I have such a pistol fetish, who know if it will ever happen....

pitfighter · August 13, 2012, 06:16 PM

Interesting, ref. issued with three mags, I didn't know that.

Thanks,

Pit.
Ref. Your signature, "shoot low they're riding Shetlands..."
That just made me giggle, I don't know what it is a quote from but the image it brings up is very funny.

doofus47 · August 16, 2012, 11:00 AM

I believe that there is an aftermarket company XXwerke that sells adjustable gas parts for the G43, so you can fire it with various types of ammo w/out damaging the internals.

pitfighter · August 16, 2012, 01:04 PM

Apefeltor also make replacement parts - he is very good, but can take a while to respond to emails.

Pit.

August 13, 2012, 02:03 PM	#11
BlueTrain Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,141	I think they were issued with only three magazines, including the one in the rifle. The soldier had two different kinds of pouches, one for the magazines, the other the standard clip pouch holding five-round clips. __________________ Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds.

August 13, 2012, 04:39 PM	#12
Winchester_73 Senior Member Join Date: December 20, 2008 Location: Pittsburgh PA Posts: 2,863	Man I want one of them (and or a G41), but I have such a pistol fetish, who know if it will ever happen.... __________________ Winchester 73, the TFL user that won the west

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June 6, 2011, 09:36 AM	#2
farmall Senior Member Join Date: December 7, 2004 Location: Beatrice Nebraska Posts: 613	Gramps kept the one he had brought home from the war in his pickup all the time. Hate to guess how many deer and coyotes that thing killed. To him it was nothing more than a free bonus he got for serving his country. For all it went through, it's still in pretty good shape, and an uncle has it now. Cool find!

June 6, 2011, 05:23 PM	#3
mellow_c Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2008 Location: Colorado Posts: 1,862	Thats great to hear. I bet your grandpa loved that thing I'd like to hear more stories about anyone who has one... I should probably have this thread in the Curios and Relics section. Might get more interest there.

June 6, 2011, 06:42 PM	#4
Al Norris Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 29, 2000 Location: Rupert, Idaho Posts: 9,660	Moving to C&R.....

June 8, 2011, 12:27 PM	#5
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The G.43 was not a bad rifle and had the designers (Walther) been given enough development time, it might have been an excellent one. But not even Der Führer could order up more time and the rifle never was developed to its full potential. The operating system, a medium stroke piston, has, needless to say, had many descendants. They are very accurate and it is not surprising that many were used as sniper rifles. Jim

June 26, 2011, 10:13 AM	#6
BigBill Member Join Date: May 21, 2006 Posts: 53	I'm finding out more and more that i research into it the german rifles and handguns in semi auto can be ammo finiky with today's more modern ammo. Using the P38 and P1 walther as an example some have went to stronger recoil springs so they could shoot the modern 9mm luger ammo only to ruin the pistol and damage it. We need to think about this when going to shoot these german guns using modern ammo. I'm thinking i may have to reload some weaker loads so i won't ruin or damage them. I also heard the G43's haven't been the best of shooters too with the same ammo problems but i haven't really researched fully into it yet. I don't really want to invest a lot of cash with something that can give me headaches with ammo. I really like the german guns but we need to be aware of the ammo we put in them. I've also heard about the german lugers too. Everyone thinks the german guns are top of the line but there really not.

July 1, 2011, 02:18 PM	#9
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The G.43 should take any German GI or standard 7.9 round. (I am not sure about the Turkish stuff, some of which is reportedly very hot.) But, at the price those things are today, it is probably not a real good idea to shoot one. They have had problems, one of which was the first type dust cover which often fails to engage properly and gets bent or broken. There is also the standard warning that they can be fired without the bolt locking lugs, but I have always felt that was unlikely. Jim

August 13, 2012, 01:51 PM	#10
pitfighter Junior Member Join Date: August 10, 2012 Posts: 14	Nice find - let us know if you plan to sell the mag. I have a G43 - it came with three mags - but always on the look out for more. Did you ask your pal how he came by the G43 mag, he might have the rest of it somewhere? Pit.

August 13, 2012, 06:16 PM	#13
pitfighter Junior Member Join Date: August 10, 2012 Posts: 14	Interesting, ref. issued with three mags, I didn't know that. Thanks, Pit. Ref. Your signature, "shoot low they're riding Shetlands..." That just made me giggle, I don't know what it is a quote from but the image it brings up is very funny.

August 16, 2012, 11:00 AM	#14
doofus47 Senior Member Join Date: June 9, 2010 Location: live in a in a house when i'm not in a tent Posts: 2,483	I believe that there is an aftermarket company XXwerke that sells adjustable gas parts for the G43, so you can fire it with various types of ammo w/out damaging the internals.

August 16, 2012, 01:04 PM	#15
pitfighter Junior Member Join Date: August 10, 2012 Posts: 14	Apefeltor also make replacement parts - he is very good, but can take a while to respond to emails. Pit.