K98k Question

I just bought a German K98 of gunbroker. The rifle is dated 1943 and built by the Mauser Oberndorf factory.

Upon receiving it, i saw that there was electro-penciling of two numbers on the bolt safety, but no where else on the rifle. most serial numbers are matching, minus the rear sights and the handguard. I also noticed that the floorplate has two different serial numbers. there is one that has "X's" through one and another number that matched the rest of the rifle.

It doesn't show any of the normal characteristics of a RC, and even though it looks like someone tried to take a punch out the eagle, they did a poor job and can still be seen clearly.

I was wondering if anyone here had ever seen a rifle like this or can give me a little bit more information on the thing. the guy who sold it to me said that he bought it from a gunstore and he knew little else besides that.

The forumers like pics so they can give you an opinion on the information you seek if you have trouble look on the threads how to post pics if not Badger usually helps (Sorry Badger)

I have seen many RC's. Without seeing any pictures I am sure yours is a RC. They have mostly mismatched parts - some more than others. Parts, often the bolts, have been electropenciled. The Eagles are often - but not always - punched out. They often have a "red varnish" applied to the stocks, but this can be removed and original colour/finish restored...

Like kruffe says, odds are it is an RC with the electro pencil markings even if unevenly applied to parts. Some RC'S have peened swastikas, electro penciling, some are unpeened with few pencil markings. Is the stock done with the reddish Russian shellac? Is the cupped buttplate blued? Pics would help.
It could be one of the Albanian K98's. These rifles are usually in very rough shape with peened or ground swastikas but mostly original matching serial numbers except for the bolts.

Here's some pics of it. The pictures make the peened eagles look much worse than they are. I would appreciate it if someone could help me with this and tell me if it is a RC.

The eagles are peened pretty good. I can't say one way or the other. It's obviously been repurposed by another nation but which one, I don't know enough about them to speculate.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Aragorn243

The eagles are peened pretty good. I can't say one way or the other. It's obviously been repurposed by another nation but which one, I don't know enough about them to speculate.

---

Actually, they aren't peened very well. I had to take these pics outside and the sunlight makes them look worse than they really are. I also couldn't get a good pic of the rifle with my camera. they are actually in very good condition despite they have been peened. you can still make out the whole eagle and swastika

I don't think it is a Russian Capture personally. It doesn't have the black Russian dip"blue" but instead the metal looks very nice from the limited pics. Buttplate and takedown disc are not black either. East German refurbs that I've seen had peened swastikas and renumbered parts so it may be East German.

From what I can see it's Not an RC or e German. Probably a Bulgarian or Romanian.
Sarge

guys, thanks for helping me with some suggestions on where this rifle came from, and after doing some searching on the interwebs, i found out that this rifle is a East German after i found K10 and K13 stamps on the stock, and see pictures of others on the net

I am curious though if it is normal for there to be serial numbers that have been scratched through on the floorplate and replaced with matching ones.

Also, would anyone know how much an E German k98's value? I'm not interested in selling it, but i would like to know if i made a good deal on the thing.

Very common for parts to have one serial scratched out and another stamped, especially Warsaw Pact nations. Pretty common with 91/30's etc. When they went through a rebuild, a lot of times they just put parts in a bin, refinished everything and put them back together as a new rifle. The East Germans apparently were a bit more selective and only rebuilt or replaced things that actually needed it. Thus mostly matching parts and the occasional replacement.

I'm no expert on K98's but from what I can see there are two basic types. The all matching GI bring back and the non-matching captured or re-purposed rifles coming out of Eastern Europe. Values of the latter seem to be more dependent on where and when it was made and the rarity and amount of matching parts but these days $400 is a good starting point for a very basic Russian Capture with mis-matched parts. Based on condition and appearance, yours would probably bring something north of that. There are a few guys that say anyone paying $400 for an RC is nuts but I'd like them to show the rest of us who is still selling them for less than that. A lot of guys out there willing to pay it. I think I paid about $200 for mine but that was 4 or 5 years ago and we can't live in the past forever. It's getting so bad that re-enactors are using Yugo M48's and in turn driving those prices up.

I don't know what/where you found info on the internet, but from the photos you show the rifle IS NOT an e German! Unless the stock ser nr matches the receiver it doesn't belong on that rifle so any proofs on it probably don't mean anything.
Lets see photos of markings on the top of the rifle from the back of the rear sight to the bolt and the same area on the right side.
Sarge

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sarge 13

I don't know what/where you found info on the internet, but from the photos you show the rifle IS NOT an e German! Unless the stock ser nr matches the receiver it doesn't belong on that rifle so any proofs on it probably don't mean anything.
Lets see photos of markings on the top of the rifle from the back of the rear sight to the bolt and the same area on the right side.
Sarge

---

The serial number on the stock does match that on the receiver. I will see if i can post a couple pics of it tomorrow.

Do you think it is a RC or something else?

Here's a picture of the marking on the top of the rifle. There wasn't really anything on the right side of it except for a proof mark with "135" on it, matching the one on top of the receiver

The stock also has a matching serial number on it on the bottom. I hope this is helpful in ID-ing this rifle. I am very curious as to what country it belonged to after the war.

Your rifle is Not an RC or e German. Most likely a Jugoslav or Romanian rework.
Sarge

Do you think you can tell me what sort of markings can help tell the difference between the various different k98s that were used post war? I know what RCs look like and their characteristics, but what about the others?

like Yugos, Romanian, Bulgarian, and E. German?

If you know any links to them, please post them so i can do my own research in the future.

No one but the ruskies and e Germans marked the rifles they rebuilt.
e German markings are usually on the left side of the bbl at the receiver.
I don't have any photos of my e German rifles on the thumb drive I'm using, will have to put some on and get back to this - if no one else chimes in.
Sarge

thanks for hte help guys