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Exceptionally Rare Late WWII German "Last Ditch" VG2 Bolt Action Rifle

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:0.00 USD Estimated At:12,000.00 - 25,000.00 USD
Exceptionally Rare Late WWII German  Last Ditch  VG2 Bolt Action Rifle
This is an exceptional example of a seldom encountered VG2 bolt action rifle. The manufacturing concepts and actual production techniques that were developed and used by the Nazis during the last days of WWII in producing these VG series of rifles, were years ahead of any equivalent Allied effort either during or after WWII. Although extremely crude in appearance, they were none the less very functional and very usable by the average German solder or civilians when they were issued in the April/May 1945 timeframe. This rifle uses the traditional bolt action mechanism that feeds from the standard G43 sheet metal box magazine, but with a completely different receiver/action group explained as follows. The rifle is comprised of basically four or five separate sections; the barrel, a steel cast ring receiver ring/barrel extension and rear receiver ring or bolt housing section, and a fully stamped and pinned trigger group, with a separate forend and butt stock. The receiver itself only has three sides, (top, left and right side, with underside open) that was produced using the traditional flat, sheet metal stamping process. It was then formed, (bend or drawn) over a round mandrel to give it the upper portion of the receiver the round appearance. The barrel is a traditional lathe turned round version with internal rifling that was then fitted to a round steel casting that formed the front receiver ring. This was then inserted into the front portion of the sheet metal receiver and spot welded in place. The rear receiver ring/bolt body guide, also appears to be a round steel casting that was inserted into the rear of the sheet metal receiver and also spot welded in place. The complete trigger group and internal components all appear to be sheet metal stampings that were pinned together and then inserted into the rear underside of the sheet metal receiver and also spot welded in place. The bolt itself is a one-piece round, lather turned and bored piece of steel with traditional locking lugs on the front. The firing pin and main spring assembly are all inserted from the rear of the bolt and it appears that those parts are all held in place by a simple lather turned handle that is inserted through the bolt body that was been spot welded in place. On the inside top section of the sheet metal receiver there is also has a small "L" shaped, stamped and bent sheet metal piece that was spot welding in place that forms the bolt guide. The forend was then inserted into the front of the receiver and is held in place by two large lateral cross pins at the rear with the single sheet metal barrel band in the front. The slab-sided buttstock is also held in place with a single cross-pin that runs laterally through the rear of the receiver and has a simple cupped sheet metal buttplate. The front and rear sights are also completely made on a war expedient basis. The rear sight is nothing more than a single sheet metal tube welded to the top of the receiver in which a simple, squared off/machined piece is insert that has the rear sight notch and the front side is nothing more than a piece of sheet metal steel that was formed over a fixture and then pinned in place on the barrel. The barrel is marked with Luftwaffe style Eagle proofs with a number "15" inside with the manufacturer's code of "bky" (Haenel) on top. The barrel maker is Bohmische Waffenfabrik, Prague Czechoslovakia. The left side of the receiver is marked with "VG2" along with the serial number 4181A with the manufacturers code of "cyq" for the Metallwarenfabrik Spreewerke, Berlin-Spandau. It is complete with one "aye" marked G43 magazine and a green canvas sling.
BBL: 22 inch round
Stock: walnut
Gauge: 7.92 mm Mauser
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 4181A
Condition: Excellent overall with 98% of the late war blued finish on the barrel with the dark gray metal finish on the remaining parts. The stock and forend are also in excellent condition with minimal handling marks. Mechanically fine. An extraordinary example of certainly an extremely rare VG2 rifle showing all the late war expedient manufacturing techniques employed by the Nazis.