man - what a shame

**Perro Del Diablo** · 08-27-2013, 10:24 PM

Bubba has no boundaries

**k98k792** · 08-27-2013, 10:35 PM

Mike you can post pics but no links. Thanks
http://www.militaryfirearm.com/Forum...lace-The-rules

**mitchstoner** · 08-28-2013, 12:27 AM

Now, we all "CAN'T SEE stuff!"

**Perro Del Diablo** · 08-28-2013, 07:57 AM

OK

on Gunbroker there is an auction for a Santa Fe G3 where bubba drilled and tapped the receiver for a scope mount. You can see evidence where those screws damaged the top of the bolt carrier as it cycled.

The owner of that rifle has to feel sick about the fact that such a RARE gun was modified by Bubba. That is a push pin receiver Santa Fe G3 that has the later style clipped and pinned lower. SUPER rare, and would be worth about 10 thousand dollars if it was unmodified. I suspect he will have a HARD time selling it at even a fraction of what its worth.

**nonleathal** · 08-28-2013, 08:50 AM

the guy deserves an award for that one.

**mitchstoner** · 08-28-2013, 03:09 PM

I believe a talented welder taking his time could make those holes disappear. Would require a receiver refinish. Believe me, there are plenty of collectibles, and not just firearms, that are skillfully repaired and no one who sees the repair is ever aware it is anything but original. Antique wood furniture, antique high end jewelry, antique autos are other collectible categories that come to mind.

All that is needed to motivate is a large difference between selling price as is, and potential selling price if it had not been molested. In the case of this HK41, the starting bid is $6000, which I think is too high to inspire someone to buy it and repair it. Add to that the pics of damage, with serial number of the gun, on a public forum, and I think that screws the possibility. Worst that could happen, IMO, is another bubba trying to do a repair and pass it off as original.

**bladeworks123** · 08-30-2013, 11:28 PM

Un-freaking believable.

**mitchstoner** · 08-31-2013, 12:03 AM

Don't know what this HK41 sold for when it came into the U.S... Maybe when it came in it just was not viewed as all that desirable or unusual enough to keep it original.

But for what it's worth, a bit of historic perspective. I've been doing a bit of research on Golden State Arms and their Santa Fe Div. that turned a lot of milsurps into sporters in the 50's and 60's. According to one source, among the milsurps they imported were a batch of G43/K43's. They were trying without much success to sell them iirc for under $50. They ended up stripping furniture etc off of them, and selling the actions, or barreled actions, I'm not sure which, and trashing the other parts. Apparently there was a small market for the actions to build as semi-auto sporters.

And now what do they bring? $1400 on up, from what I've seen, and they are pretty scarce. I would really like to have one, it's a major gap in my WW II German rifle collection. But once upon a time they almost could not give them away!

**lima** · 09-09-2013, 07:26 PM

Originally Posted by mitchstoner

But for what it's worth, a bit of historic perspective. I've been doing a bit of research on Golden State Arms and their Santa Fe Div. that turned a lot of milsurps into sporters in the 50's and 60's. According to one source, among the milsurps they imported were a batch of G43/K43's. They were trying without much success to sell them iirc for under $50. They ended up stripping furniture etc off of them, and selling the actions, or barreled actions, I'm not sure which, and trashing the other parts. Apparently there was a small market for the actions to build as semi-auto sporters.!

Like this?