G43 Unicorn found

[Springfield45]

I have a chance to buy a Gevehr 43, 8mm rifle in original condition from a friend. Sorry I don't have any pictures yet. It is in as-found condition from the day it was taken from a dead German SS officer. It has not been fired since WWII or modified and I think it was made by Walther in 1943. It has some patina and a bright bore. The stock has a S and a F scratched on either side of the receiver. The upper handguard is wrapped with what looks like bandage tape that was according to the story done by its German owner to keep it from rattling. What would a G43 be worth today in good condition? Is $1500 a good price?

[Dr.Mauser]

Do you have pics??

[Springfield45]

Here are 4 pictures. It all so has the original sling.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/23947845@N02/sets/72157645545302392/

[pitfighter]

$1500 yes - if you don't like it sell it to me - no smiley face because I am serious.

These are not unicorns, there are plenty about, they are not really even "rare" on the collector market - but $1500 is "good" for a matching in that condition - not great, not bad either.
Yes - they don't turn up at your LGS much, but that means nothing in this era of the inter web - there are at least six on auction or in stores advertised for sale right now.

BTW - they don't rattle, unless something is wrong - also, your GI would have had to have disassembled it to return it, unless it came home in a vehicle - which not many did.

[Rogerbutthead]

Your rifle was made in 1944. They went from the no letter series to the "q" series in that year - so "j" was probably made in the late summer early fall of 1944.

Nice looking rifle, never seen F(ire) or S(afe) carved on a G43 before. Germans supposedly had rules about marking their weapons so most collectors will probably believe that the F and S were added by the GI.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

What is the basis or documentation for it having been "taken from a dead German SS officer"?

[timdps]

Very good deal - buy it now...

[I Swan]

What is the basis or documentation for it having been "taken from a dead German SS officer"?

I was thinking the same thing. By all the stories it seems the officer corps of the Nazi military was greater in number than the enlisted and moatly SS. Every hear someone say they took a gun off a Wehrmacht corporal?

[Grendl]

That's not bandage tape, it's friction tape. I don't know if the German's issued it but GIs used it bunches to hold things together. It could be period.

I'm 2nd in line after Pit ;-) Again, not kidding, but I realize this isn't a "for sale" thread :-)

[Crunch130]

Check Gunbroker for completed auction prices. But my impression for unsporterized G43's is that values for complete, working examples start at $3,000 and go up from there. Which is the main reason I don't own one.

So $1500 sounds like an awesome deal.

Crunch

[Fate]

$1500 is theft pricing. Depending on how good a friend he is, I'd pay him more than asking price.

[pitfighter]

Watch the GB selling prices guys - not the GB asking prices.

I had a super clean all matching one for sale last year with repro-scope and mount included - that took a year to sell for $2500 - (listed on about a half dozen collector sites as well as Calguns.)
There were about 80 PM's asking about it, begging, promising kidneys and all that crapola - but only one came forward with cash, thank you sir!

[Springfield45]

What is the basis or documentation for it having been "taken from a dead German SS officer"?

Unfortunately there is no written documentation of its story. So you will have to take the story for what it is. The story is the Grandfather of my friend killed a German SS Officer during the war. He took this rifle, a German luger with holster, and the silver colored SS and rank insignia off him because they looked like silver. His grandfather never talked about it and kept the rifle and pistol put away. He has since passed away and there is no way to verify the story. There may be a Army recite for the guns coming home as war trophies but he dose not know if they exist anymore. So the story is just a story and the value of the rifle is for just what it is.

[Springfield45]

Your rifle was made in 1944. They went from the no letter series to the "q" series in that year - so "j" was probably made in the late summer early fall of 1944.

Nice looking rifle, never seen F(ire) or S(afe) carved on a G43 before. Germans supposedly had rules about marking their weapons so most collectors will probably believe that the F and S were added by the GI.

I had not thought of that. I have handled my Mauser quite a bit so the safety is second nature to me. I did not think that FIRE and SAFE would make since to someone not used to its safety. Thank you.

[Springfield45]

$1500 is theft pricing. Depending on how good a friend he is, I'd pay him more than asking price.

Funny you say that. The full price I am going to pay him is $1500 + two bricks of .22's and I am going to help him cast a few pounds of lead round balls for his muzzle loader. Yes, he is a good friend. He is not very interested in older rifles like this so he thought he would sell it to me.