Bavarian Rock-Ola

Had the opportunity today to visit a local carbine collecting friend today. He called me rather excited about his recent, luck of the draw purchase from CMP that arrived one week ago. His new arrival turns out to be a mostly correct 6084xxx Bavarian Rock-Ola. While I did not break it down, the only non Rock-Ola parts according to him, were the recoil plate and hammer. While the metal parts had been blued, I have every reason to believe that the Rock-Ola parts were as they came from the factory. These were my observations:

Stock is a high wood oval cut with the correct and original VERTICAL acceptance stamp, with the handguard marked RMC having a narrow groove.

Rock-Ola Barrel is not dated.

Front sight is a type 2 with correct -O- pin stake marks and is unmarked.

Barrel band is a type 2 marked with a single slanted hash mark on the left side.

Flip rear sight marked BR

Trigger housing is stamped and brazed Rock-Ola.

Bolt is round, marked Rock-Ola with the extractor having the external marked R.

Many of the parts were marked with the last 4 digits of the serial number.

Since the visit was during a 30 minute lunch break from work and he had a trip planned out of town, pictures were out of the question. Hopefully a data sheet will be forthcoming. He should go play the lottery.

I truly do not understand all the hype and excitement about these Bavarians, no matter which manufacturer. IMO they have been ruined with all the numbers engraved and receivers stamped. Plus the blued ones are really sad. I just feel all collectibility has been taken away from these. Although, some of the early parts are great to strip off and use on truely collectible carbines. I am not trying to encite a riot. It just my opinion and was just wondering out loud about what makes these worth so much money to people.

I understand your comment. However, they represent a unique period of history. There are actually very few in this country. My interest in seeing this one was purely selfish and I admit as much. But wanted to see a 6 million Rock-Ola that had been in it's same configuration for the last 50+ years. One that had not been @#$^#% with by a collector, like 99.9% of them on the gun auctions. None of the parts were fake.

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Originally Posted by Wulf

I truly do not understand all the hype and excitement about these Bavarians, no matter which manufacturer. IMO they have been ruined with all the numbers engraved and receivers stamped. Plus the blued ones are really sad. I just feel all collectibility has been taken away from these. Although, some of the early parts are great to strip off and use on truely collectible carbines. I am not trying to encite a riot. It just my opinion and was just wondering out loud about what makes these worth so much money to people.

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I understand what you are saying, but they are actually quite collectible.
As all collectibles, it's "to each his own" - A few years ago the Bavarians seemed not to be much more popular than any other import marked carbine, but today they have their own category and many people collect them.

Like Harlan says, "to each his own".

And dbarn likes that most, but not all, have stayed pretty much the way they were when sent there.

I feel much like Wulf. I don't like the blued look. Some say they are unique with all the letters and markings. I don't care for that either. If so, then why not collect all the different import marked guns? Or the ones marked for correctional institutions. They have been somewhere too. You might have to pick and choose to get nice ones, but you can find them. Even a Blue Sky. But they get bad mouthed, and are considered worth less.

I like Carbines. I have nice guns, shooters, and guns somewhere in the middle. I like them all. I like to shoot. They have all been shot before. I guess that means I'm not a purist

But don't get me wrong, I do have unfired pistols. Colt came out with a three gun set around 1990 in 38 super. I have two, Panther and Tiger, mint in the box. What I like is they have the same serial number, 0074. I moved and it voided my license long enough that I missed out on the third one. I was miffed.

That is what makes gun collecting so much fun. Everyone can have it their way.

Jim

You sure have to be happy for the guy though........
He orders up a Bavarian and gets a nice Rock ola out of it.
I'm sure he isn't disappointed.
Good for him.

That's for sure Charlie!

That kind of a disappointment would be OK with me! ;)

I used to buy every junk import gun I could find for less than $300. Somewhere I switched gears now I don't even want restorations just originals.
If I have to replace more than a bolt,handguard or mag catch I pass it up.
These Bavarians have a interesting history and are very collectable, just not to me.
If I was gonna get a original matching Rock-Ola I probally would have coughed up the $800 though.Congrats to the guy.
I do feel like whatever the CMP sells is the latest rage everyone must have,they have made carbines and garands mainstream collectables. I have some really nice HRA's and IHC's from the CMP but I have also seen some real crap flying off the shelves at the North Store.It doesn't matter what the CMP puts out for sale how nice or beat, it will be twice as much at next weekends gun show.They have set the standard for pricing in our hobby.

I have three, An IBM with the agency name ground off by some importer (top), a Quality (bottom and right). and an S.G. All nice Carbines but just not the same as ..... I've had them for about ten years, Cheers David, Mike.

Over the years, my taste is changing. My first purchase was an import Underwood that will never leave the collection and is an excellent shooter. Then like most collectors, my search was on for original as issued carbines. Was fortunate enough to find several, but also got burned along the way. Lasting learning lessons. With the humpers producing more and more fake parts/markings and original carbines and parts about dried up, the nice arsenal refurbished and Bavarian carbines come into a field of their own. My friend's Bavarian Rock-Ola was a definite learning experience and gives a window in time of a 6 million Rock-Ola produced carbine. It was great to be able to glean knowledge from this carbine without the worry of wondering if this part had been replaced or that part was faked.

I know that feeling, am almost to conclusion if owned by another collector run!!! from it!---I have found that you come to appreciate some of the hickeys that orig guns can have. One of older collectors told me several years ago that I would end up appreciating and he was correct, I have one now with a ugly buttplate I just can't bring myself to change yet-some day maybe-5 yrs ago that buttplate would have already been sold on ebay-now I debate why keeping the replacement one

...I haven't completed my collection yet. The past 7 years the prices have been much better than all the reconstructed carbines out there. People start wanting them and it drives the prices up.

Just keep telling everyone their junk. Please.

Jim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Wulf

I truly do not understand all the hype and excitement about these Bavarians, no matter which manufacturer. IMO they have been ruined with all the numbers engraved and receivers stamped. Plus the blued ones are really sad. I just feel all collectibility has been taken away from these. Although, some of the early parts are great to strip off and use on truely collectible carbines. I am not trying to encite a riot. It just my opinion and was just wondering out loud about what makes these worth so much money to people.

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Why the hype, this is one reason, an all Quality Hardware as issued with the exception of the finish and flip safety. The sling is an original Stolla Wien made in 1962. I don't have to worry that someone put bogus parts in it because I doubt that the German or Austrian Gov. was into humping parts. Where else could I find a early feature, all correct carbine, reasonably priced, and have it delivered to my door? Plus it has a history that can be followed. This Carbine was made and issued in 1944. In 1946 it was transferred from the U.S. Army to the Bavarian Rural Police where it saw service during the Post War occupation. In 1956 Germany sold it to Austria where it saw service with the Austrian Gendarmerie in Oberosterreich. In 2008 Austria returned this Carbine to the U.S. Army which then turned it over to the CMP. On 11-13-2009 the CMP turned it over to me.:D
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bavrfull-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bavlfull-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...vrcenter-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...bavfband-1.jpg


So yes, the finish is different and some of the parts may be marked with the last 4 of the serial number, but this is the closest to a factory issued carbine that many of us will ever own. Mixmasters are a dime a dozen, and some people may get all the parts to "create" a matching carbine, but how many carbines are out there with all original parts, whatever the finish may be.