Help! What is this stock for?

Hello all,

Today I was at the small gunshop in my neighborhood and it was cleaning day. The owner was giving different odds and ends away to get them out of there. I was givin an old rifle stock because he knows Im one of the few around that collects military firearms. Its is an old stock in pretty darn good shape, but nobody really knew what it was for. He told me he thought it was off of a 1903 but I had my doubts. It is almost certainally US, but I dont think a 1903. It has a small cartouche in the but area that is faint. There is a marking disk in the rifle wich makes me think it is WWI or older. There is a small "B" in a circle stamped in the pistol grip. There are two seperate 4 digit numbers stamped just below the rear sling swivel. There is a 4 digit number stamped in the bbl channel. There is a small symbol resembeling an "a" or possibly the alpha symbol stamped on most of the metal parts (rear swivel, cross bolt and butplate). There is a rack number painted on the butstock that reads "41" in blue. All metal parts appear to be there with the exception of the rear swivel. Please refer to the pictures below. Please let me know if you have any ideas what it might be for. I always come here first instead of searching the internet because you guys are full of great info. Thanks to any that may help.

mdrim13

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5701-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5700-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5699-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5697-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5696-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5695-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5694-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5692-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5690-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5691-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5689-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5688-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...100_5687-1.jpg

Gew98?

That had come to my mind as well. It surely looks like a Gew98 stock, but I thought they had the bolt take down tool (hole) in the stock and not a marking disk. I also thought they had finger groves cut into the side as well. Does any of this sound right or am I way off? I would say it is a strong possibility though.

mdrim13

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jmoore

Gew98?

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It certainly looks like that.

If it is in fact a Gew 98 stock are they worth anything? I dont have the rifle to go along with it so there isnt a whole lot of point in keeping it. I would probably just sell it if they were worth anything or give it away if they were not. :)

It's worth something to someone that has a sportered stock, but intact barrel that they are looking to put back into military configuration. It's surely worth letting it go to such a cause. How many "monies"? I really don't know! Check the auction sites for completed sales and see, i guess.

Maybe I need to find a sporterized rifle then...

Some of the foreign contract 98's used a marking disc and had similar sling swivel set-ups. Possibly Peru, Argentina or Iran (Persia) to name a few possibles.

Regards,
Jim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JGaynor

Some of the foreign contract 98's used a marking disc and had similar sling swivel set-ups. Possibly Peru, Argentina or Iran (Persia) to name a few possibles.

Regards,
Jim

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That is an interesting idea. Is there any way to tell if this was one of those stocks? Are there ant resources to refer to? Thanks for the imput guys.

That is indeed of the Gew98 family and yes, it is worth something! If you're a mauser guy, hold on it to as a spare; I have quite a few spare bits and bobs lying around and they are always good to have!

Brazilian 1908. Short bayo lug and "B in a circle" proof. While it can be used to unsporterize a Gew '98, it would still need the correct bayo lug and some internal relieving for the barrel and rear sight. The rear cutouts for the handguard spring retainer will still show. And of course, the acceptance proofs are wrong. But hey, the price was right and it is still nice have as a spare.

So is there alot of people looking to restore these rifles or do I just have an old peice of wood? Anyone out there that needs one?

Weren't the stocks with the discs( vs. the disassembly hole) and no finger grooves in the forestock ~1916 and earlier?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Alkali

Brazilian 1908. Short bayo lug and "B in a circle" proof.

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Just looking around the internet, the stock cartouche on mine does not look any others I can find. Is this a normal cartouche or something that does not belong there. There is a good picture of it in my original post if you dont know what Im talking about.

Brazil Gew98 export rifle.