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Recently came across a Mod98 with almost 500 rounds of surplus ammo for $500, so I scooped it up. I'm just a little interested in it's history if someone has the time.
Matching Receiver, barrel, and wood but nothing else matches.
bnz 41 (Steyr by my research) with a 1407 over an "L" on the receiver
Pictures attached. Much thanks!
Around my area, the ammo alone would be that. Or the rifle, and that would be a burned out example. Seems you got an exceptionally good deal...for my area anywayzzz.
Good score. The barrel and action are matching. If you are unaware the Germans numbered k98's by letter block supposedly to conceal production numbers pre war and continued the practice. At the beginning of 1941 BNZ(Steyr) numbered 1 thru 9,999 with no letter block than they started at 1 again and went to 9,999 but with an a suffix. Then on through the alphabet in blocks on 10,000. Yours is an L block. The rifle is a Russian capture rifle, you can tell by the serial number on the left side of the stock parallel with the bore. The Germans serialled the stocks on the keel at that point in the war(later on they were only numbered in the barrel channel then not at all).
Yours was originally captured by the Soviets from the Germans in WW2. Following the war (years after) the Soviets in a massive project refurbished all the captured K98's by disassembling rifles, hot dip bluing them and reassembling with no regard for matching serial numbers or wood. Stocks were painted with a reddish shellac and sometimes swastikas were peened(obliterated) and a small X was sometimes stamped on the receiver ring. Yours looks to have intact markings which is a plus. Many times they electro pencilled the action serial number on floor plate, bolt etc., this is called "force matching". Russian captures will be a mishmash of parts from different manufacturers and eras but are generally good shooters though not as collectable as original matching rifles. Yugoslavia also refurbed German K98's and often rebarrelled them with Yugo barrels. Yugo refurbs have serial numbers on the stock stamped perpendicular to the bore.
I have BNZ 41 serial number 9851 a block. Quality of Steyr rifles declined rapidly as the war progressed and late war Steyr rifles are considered the worst of all the makers.
Worst case the rifles worth $400 and the ammo $250 so you did very well. It's hard to find an RC for $400 even these days, hard to find one period. Your photos don't show it but most RC's are missing their locking screws, two screws on the bottom of the receiver and the sight hood. Usually also missing the cleaning rod so perhaps previous owner took care of getting them already.