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MP44 for sale on gun broker


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A couple things stand out to me with the caveat that the pics will not accurately represent the finish accurately so there isn't any way to assess exactly what was the finish without seeing the gun.
The mystery of the chemistry of the "clear phosphate" finish on many late war small arms remains. Such a finish was used without doubt. A small number of both MG42s and MP44s have crossed my path over the years and I have a decent familiarity with what the aged "phosphate" finish looks like. A couple pluses with the advertised MP44 is that the finish of the alleged phosphate parts and the formerly blued parts is very consistently aged. And, in my view, the barrel, the front hand guard, and the stock iron were blued with the receiver and lower phosphated. There was no consistent pattern for parts were blued or phosphated.
However, a negative for this gun, as far as my research and actual experience with these MPs goes, the only ones that were finished with two finishes were Steyr produced. This gun was produced by Haenel.
The appearance of the alleged "phosphated" areas does not convince me that the those areas were originally phosphated. The blued hand guard is standard for these guns but, and the finish is just faintly visible, but the fact that is was blued isn't an issue, in my view.
In my opinion, a further observation is that the gun is likely a reactivation due to the evidence of the barrel retaining crosspin having been removed and replaced. The lower hinge pin has also been removed and replaced. Not saying the barrel was replaced as it is the usual late war style seen in the '45 guns that have no muzzle nut.
The asking price might be valid if the gun is actually and clearly a vintage two tone factory gun, but the finish is virtually entirely gone so that added value is largely immaterial and difficult to claim. So, as a representative of a "rare" example, it is too compromised by condition and with questions of provenance to take advantage of that alleged characteristic, in my opinion.

My experience from shop and show contact with owners and buyers of MPs is that they like the generic models in as good a condition as they can afford. Owners of quite scarce rare examples seem to have bought them unaware that they were rare and, while pleased, would not have paid more for the gun if they had known and the price reflected that rarity. Auction prices for these guns are high, and for the money asked for the above example a buyer can get a much high grade of condition.
The strangest variation of an MP was an example that came in for reactivation equipped with a front sight that was the same as the rear sight used on the FG42, an adjustable diopter sight. The sight base was different than that of the FG sights so either it was a custom made sight base for the MP or there was a commercial model of the FG42 sight assembled to that MP. Don't have answers for that or even more interesting, an answer to why someone would put an adjustable diopter sight on the front of an MP. The owner wanted a correct vintage front sight installed.
No doubt, there will be buyer who will be very pleased to have this gun who will have the cash to satisfy the seller.

Never say never! FWIW

Edited by BRMCII
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