Mauser K98 byf 45, Need Help with Analysis/Valuation

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...1050955_-1.jpg

Last spring I posted a thread on the CMP Forum regarding an Early Garand bring back. Click Here

I've been in contact with the elderly son of the GI who brought back the Garand. It turns out his father brought back several rifles. I knew he had a Carbine and offered to buy it. It turned out it is a 99.4% pure Winchester, (a story for a different thread).

When I went to pick up the Carbine the wife pulled me aside asked if I would take two other guns along with the Carbine. She explained the husband was not running on all eight cylinders and wanted to get them out of the house. One is a Danish M-1867 Rolling Block, origin unknown, the other is the K98 Mauser byf 45 bring back WWII souvenir.

Would appreciate any analysis, dating and/or valuation concerning the Mauser. I realize it was manufactured at Orbendorf in 1945, but how late in the war? It shows a lot of corners were cut in the manufacturing at this time. It came with a narrow web sling that looks like a wartime field improvisation. The bore has strong lands and grooves with frosting/patina(?) but no visible pits.

Thanks in advance

Semper Fi

P.S. The helmet pictured is 100% original and was brought back by my dad.


Additional pictures here:
http://s1300.photobucket.com/user/Go...w/K98%20Mauser

By ser nr your 98 was made in Jan 45, just before Oberndorff changed their code to svw.
The sling is correkt for your rifle. It is an odd ball and fairly rare. Are there any markings on it - would be an ink stamp?
Sarge

The bayonet lug/front cap are missing too...wonder how/why that happened. The pin has to be driven out so it wasn't an accident. I doubt it's lying about?

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

The bayonet lug/front cap are missing too...wonder how/why that happened. The pin has to be driven out so it wasn't an accident. I doubt it's lying about?

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I am by no means a Mauser expert but I thought by the late war period they started to do away with those features on the rifles to speed up production.

From what I've learned so far you are correct. Germany was sinking fast and corners were cut.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

The bayonet lug/front cap are missing too...wonder how/why that happened. The pin has to be driven out so it wasn't an accident. I doubt it's lying about?

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Everything secured by screws.

---------- Post added at 11:54 AM ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 AM ----------

Looks like a sling for a gas mask can.

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Originally Posted by Sarge

By ser nr your 98 was made in Jan 45, just before Oberndorff changed their code to svw.
The sling is correkt for your rifle. It is an odd ball and fairly rare. Are there any markings on it - would be an ink stamp?
Sarge

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Originally Posted by Eaglelord17

started to do away with those features

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Originally Posted by gtodan

Everything secured by screws

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I don't see any sign of a front end fitted on the close up pics it's so tough looking, later yes they were a tragedy of a monsterpiece.

As for the front band and front cap gtodan, I guess it may be a screw hole but still I can't even see the hole for that in the wood.

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

I don't see any sign of a front end fitted on the close up pics it's so tough looking, later yes they were a tragedy of a monsterpiece.

As for the front band and front cap gtodan, I guess it may be a screw hole but still I can't even see the hole for that in the wood.

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The hole is there but the band is out of position in the picture. Can't see any screw striations in any of the three holes on the side and front of the stock.

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Originally Posted by Sarge

By ser nr your 98 was made in Jan 45, just before Oberndorff changed their code to svw.
The sling is correkt for your rifle. It is an odd ball and fairly rare. Are there any markings on it - would be an ink stamp?
Sarge

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I checked it thoroughly and could find no marks. Its a little grubby so if it was light it could have been covered by the soil and oil of time.

Semper Fi

Greg

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Originally Posted by browningautorifle

The bayonet lug/front cap are missing too...wonder how/why that happened. The pin has to be driven out so it wasn't an accident. I doubt it's lying about?

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Probably like this one:

https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...stuff048-1.jpg

Never had it!

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Originally Posted by jmoore

Never had it!

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So, that's not even the same rifle...?

Looks like a correct "Kreigsmodell" to me. Nice find. I have a T block bnz45, (Steyr), made in April 1945 here that makes the quality of yours look excellent. Crude is an understatement.

Known as a "Kriegs model", late war production K98 without bayonet bar fitting and a few other refinements like a cleaning rod etc, a sort of spartan basic model I guess. I believe it did differ between manufacturers on how "spartan" it was.

Does any-one know how rare these "Kriegs models" are? I don't believe that I have ever noticed any for sale here in the U.K.. I seem to remember reading somewhere that they were only produced for about the last 6-8 months of the war and not all the manufacturers switched over to this basic model.

Looks like my French occupation Mauser. I think the Kreigmodel Model and the French model ar about the same save the sling mount nd stacking stake.

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Originally Posted by Flying10uk

Known as a "Kriegs model", late war production K98 without bayonet bar fitting and a few other refinements like a cleaning rod etc, a sort of spartan basic model I guess. I believe it did differ between manufacturers on how "spartan" it was.

Does any-one know how rare these "Kriegs models" are? I don't believe that I have ever noticed any for sale here in the U.K.. I seem to remember reading somewhere that they were only produced for about the last 6-8 months of the war and not all the manufacturers switched over to this basic model.

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Scarce rifles. Most have been modified, bubba'd, etc. I personally like the BYF Mausers. And this one is correct. If you find one in 7.92 Kurz, we want to see it! Very rare bird!

The other item which the Kriegs model often dispensed with, as in this example, is the butt disc for bolt disassembly.

Nice example of a late-war Mauser. Not common. I would try selling through an Auction House or perhaps Gun Broker.com. Do not go to a gun show and sell to a dealer. You might get $200.00 or less for it. I have tons of Gun Show horror stories. It needs a large audience to sell it and nothing local will work. Good luck. I see Rock Island Auctions at the Reno gun show, seem like decent folk.

So were the band screws missing when you acquired the rifle?

I recall reading that on some Kriegsmodell those screws were not hardened, and without care and technique they would likely be destroyed when removed. It was meant to be a warning for those handling a collector piece.

I don't see any red flags. The screws may have been removed and lost after it was disembled to box up to send home.

Nice looking Kreigs model to me. timothy