Forced Match parts and line throughs

[mgfun]

How do you feel about parts that match numbers, but were lined through and renumbered to achieve that match. I've seen parts that have an initial number and then have been lined through in a professional way and restamped with a new number. The number size and order are then different. However, the new number can match the rest of a parts kit to create a unified set.

I assume these are arsenal rebuilds of disassembled kits. How dopeople feel abou these renumbering. Obviously, an originally marked and match set is the nicest, but if it was done at an arsenal, how does that impact the desirability of the new matching numbers. I suppose any sort of matched set is better than a pile of mismatched numbers, of course.

I guess these renumberings came from various sources - wartime arsenals, post war scrubs and renumbers in other countries...

Is ther ea way to tell war-time renumbering from the post-war stuff - maybe by the numbers used or the letter size and style?

Regards,
mgfun

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

For most collectors, mismatching is MISMATCHING and the lined out numbers made either by the arsenal or Bubba are a serious pricekiller. Mismatched guns take a serious hit on collector value, but are certainly not worthless.

Of course, a bigger factor is what type of gun it is and the gun's scarcity (either by lack of surviving examples or low quantity of guns made in production). Take my MP-40 for instance. It's a C&R, but it has a mismatched barrel and bolt. If it were a rifle, it would take a serious hit price-wise by being mismatched. But since it is a machinegun, the price reduction is small compared to the value it has by being a machinegun. Moreso, since the MP-40 is once of the rarest varients because it has the old hook style bolt handle and does not have the April 1942 modification wherein the handle was redesigned to have a bolt locking safety feature, the fact that the gun is mismatched has even less impact.

If you have a k98 that is a rather common year and manufacturer, and it is mismatched, the price gets roughly cut in half to about $550-$650, and that's with just having a vet-bringback placing a mismatched bolt in the rifle proper prior to bringing it home. If you have a totally mismatched Russian captured k98, it typically $350 these days if it is in decent condition and has no Waffenamts peened out (defaced) by the Russians.

The bottom line is, the gun is worth what a buyer is willing to pay, and the issues discussed above play a major factor in the price. The market sets the price in accordance with supply and demand.

[mgfun]

Thanks for the info.

Regards,
mgfun

[Bil]

I have an MG34 topcover with at least 5 re-numbers.It is one of my favorites,it has been around! ---bil

[DARIVS ARCHITECTVS]

I have an MG34 topcover with at least 5 re-numbers.It is one of my favorites,it has been around! ---bil

That's because "shooter grade guns" are SUPER FUN to shoot because you aren't afraid of breaking a part killing a huge chunk of the collector value. Shooter grade guns are by far the MOST fun!

[Bil]

Exactly! Also,this topcover always reminds me of an old friend-he was constantly falling in love and getting the girls name tattooed on his arm.When the next girl came along,he just had a line drawn across,and the new girl underneath! How he got away with it I don't know,but last I saw him there were at least 5,and getting closer to his elbow! ---bil