K98 sent home from Normandy in 1944

This is a German K98 Mauser that was picked up from under a dead German soldier by one of the members of the 506th Squadran 404th Fighter Bomber Group in Normandy France near Omaha Beach in 1944.

The interesting (and disturbing!) thing about this rifle is that it, along with a bayonet, leather ammo pouch, and a P38, was buried in the ground prior to shipping back to the US to try to get rid of the stench of decaying human flesh. The leather ammo pouch still smells foul even after all of these years.

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4917-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../Letter1-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Censored-1.jpg

The German "revolver" is actually a P38 that the family still uses to slaughter livestock on their farm.

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

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Originally Posted by Aragorn243

Very interesting, thanks for sharing.

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I wish one of my collection had an actual story like that to go with it.
Wonderful!

I thought you guys might enjoy the read. I found it very interesting.

This is the first and only 'documented' bringback in my collection and my only K98.

---------- Post added at 10:47 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:38 PM ----------

Some more photos.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4904-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4902-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4898-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4996-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_5013-1.jpg
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https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4896-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_4894-1.jpg

Nice rifle - too bad there is no legitimate US Army bringback paperwork with it :(

Yeah, that's why I wrote 'documented.'

It would be nice to have both, but if I had to choose between having the military paperwork or having the story from the guy who brought it back, I'd take the story every time. I find it much more interesting.

Sad story but a GORGEOUS rifle...after seeing these pics i now have a hard on a cat couldn't scratch..LMFAO. Although i am confused on one thing... that looks like dried cosmoline packed into the corners of the 4th last pic ( from bottom up ). If it was a bring back am am unaware they put cosmoline on them. Usually Russians or other armories did that when they were stored. I am also NO expert at all.

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Originally Posted by mac2017

looks like cosmoline

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There could easily be grease still in the working parts. Also it could have been greased after the fact any time in 70 years.

Beautiful rifle, sad story.
Poor guy.........

My only question is when did BYF go to the simplified nosecap? When I googled BYF 43 all the ones I saw had the milled nose caps, which makes me question this example. Not saying it isn't correct, only that leaves me with some questions.

Russians didn't use Cosmoline they used Commie Grease or whatever it is. I know an older collector that has most of his collection in Cosmoline that he put there. That's how he stores his rifles. Good Enough for Uncle Sam good enough for him. Nose Cap I'm not sure about.

What a nice rifle. The letter just ads that much more.

The stock appears to be walnut and I would expect to see a laminated stock. Possibly swapped out by the Germans? Possibly swapped by previous owner. Not sure. Milled upper barrel band might be right, but stamped is possible in that timeframe. Nice family keeper.

I doubt that this is a RC or such. The date of 1943 could be deceiving in that it could have been made in very late 1943 and the stamped nose caps could have been in use by then. But the numbers are not all matching. All the major parts match but the floor plate for the magazine doesn't match. It's close but doesn't match.

To address some of the speculations above.
Stamped front bands are common by this point in 43.
Walnut is also common enough is 1943

The bottom metal is mismatched....

Rear band has an earlier e/214 will also be a mismatch. Fairly mismatched for a bring back. Interesting.

Noce rifle overall though.