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Exceptional and Rare Late WWII Nazi K43 Walther Semi-Automatic Rifle with Experimental "Low-Light" N

Currency:USD Category:Antiques / Firearms & Armory Start Price:4,500.00 USD Estimated At:9,000.00 - 18,000.00 USD
Exceptional and Rare Late WWII Nazi K43 Walther Semi-Automatic Rifle with Experimental  Low-Light  N
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This is an extraordinary example of an exceptional late WWII Walther K43 semi-automatic rifle fitted with a set of exceptionally rare late war "Low-Light" night sights. These sights were obviously a late war attempt by the German industrial complex to improve the average soldiers ability to engage the enemy during night time combat. The sights themselves are a very simple arrangement that are almost identical or very similar to the WWI "low-light" night sights developed for the WWI GEW rifles. A side picture of these sights are pictured in the book Hitler's Garand's on page 210 (the photographer was delivered just the sights and for photographic purposes put them on another K-43) and see photo of example from Aberdeen Proving Ground- the only other known example. These sights were produced by using simple spring steel metal components that have been riveted to the sides of either a single machined steel block for the front sight or inserted into a complete stamped sheet metal attachment/assembly for the rear sight. Both the front and rear sights have aiming points which were coated with an iridescent or radium coated white paint. The front sight itself was made by riveted a set of spring steel plates to the sides of a machined block that holds a rotating front triangular shaped aiming point. These spring steel plates form the sides of the sight and are actually used to clamp the entire front sight to the top of the barrel and front sight block. The rear sight employed a similar manufacturing process that used a simple sheet metal stamping to form the actual sight attachment, which holds a similar rotating rear sight aperture. This entire rear sight assembly just clips on the to the actual K43 rear sight slide. The rear sight assembly, as noted has similar rotating rear sight blade or aperture, which has a dual thin white line on one side with a wider/heavier dual white painted block on the other side, obviously one side is for low-light conditions with the other side intended for actual night-time use. Obviously when sighting down the barrel these white painted areas, form the sight alignment with a single aiming point on the front sight bracketed by the dual white aiming points on the rear aperture. This type of sight and manufacturing process was copied by several of the Warsaw pact countries as well as China, who employed them on the AK-47 rifles. Later in the 50s and 60 this sight system was developed or copied by the US shooting industry developed which termed it the three-white dot sight system, that evolved into the Tritium sight system we have today. The rifle itself is a late K43 rifle as manufactured by the Walther factory that is marked on the left side of the receiver; "Eagle 359/K43/ac-45/next to the serial number". It has the late war all rough cast dual guide lug receiver, bolt carrier with the stamped action cover and sheet metal sliding duct cover. It still retains the scope base on the right rear side of the receiver and it is fitted with the correct laminated stock and handguard. The stock has a single eagle/359 Waffenamt on the right side with a small eagle/359 proof in the pistol grip area. This rifle is complete with the original rubber muzzle cover, an original brown cross-hatched leather sling, with the field kit and manual in the buttstock trap. The magazine is a never seen late war production coded "rqs".
BBL: 23 inch round
Stock: laminated
Gauge: 7.92 mm Mauser
Finish: blue
Grips:
Serial Number: 1730d
Condition: Excellent plus overall with 98% of the original blue/phosphate finish with light wear on the edges and high spots, with some minor finish loss on the action cover from the sliding duct cover. The laminated stock and hand guard are both in excellent condition with a nice matching color on both the stock and handguard with minor light pressure dents, dings and scratches. The sights themselves are in excellent condition with nearly all of their original blue finish, again with just some minor edge wear from handling. An excellent example of a late WWII K43 semi-automatic rifle with an exceptionally rare set of late WWII "Low-Light" night sights.