Local Israeli K98k, a little rough but great price

Wandered into a local gun shop, saw a few milsurps, Israeli 7.62 K98K, Sporterized Ross and a K31. Ross was $600, K31 was $700...but to my amazement the K98 was $299. Talked them down to $275 and I was pretty happy with that price. Its not in the best shape, as you'll see in the pictures, there is some pitting on the action and barrel, but nothing that would prevent it from being safe to shoot. Pitting is same on the barrel so guessing it happened post rebarreling. Barrel looks clean and sharp rifling.

Doesn't appear anything matches, and looks to be post war Czech manufacture. Markings on the receiver were ground or corroded off, looks like remnants of 7.62, Mod. 98 and probably dou (looks like oou, but I don't think that is a valid code) Date was ground off...if I squinted in just the right light looked like the date may have stared with a 4 :/ The trigger guard is a milled style, and does have whats left over of a waffenamt on it...nothing else does. Barrel has Israeli markings.

Gonna clean up any rust, oil it up, maybe order repo cleaning rod, front sight hood and lock screws. Debating if I should clean the wood up more or just shoot it as is. Regardless, sub 300 for a good shooter is pretty good imho.
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Looks like it spent some time outside before being picked up again...bore is ok so it should shoot... Not much room to sand the wood though, just a buff and oil. I'd give the metal a bead blast and blue for sure. I had one back in the '80s, it shot fine.

I looked at it some more and found some waffenamts on some other parts, like the rear sight, front bayo/endcap. I was wondering if the serial 1808 would of been a war time production or post war, does anyone know? I don't see anything that would definitively put it post war, but I dunno if the serial, being just 4 digits with no letter would be war time.

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Originally Posted by konigstigerii

I looked at it some more and found some waffenamts on some other parts, like the rear sight, front bayo/endcap. I was wondering if the serial 1808 would of been a war time production or post war, does anyone know? I don't see anything that would definitively put it post war, but I dunno if the serial, being just 4 digits with no letter would be war time.

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From what I understand matching numbers (Israeli) are pretty rare. Mine doesn't have matching numbers either. Regardless, it is a great shooter (and is cheaper to shoot than 8mm). Mine also has plenty of waffenampts on it. Brilliant price on yours!

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Originally Posted by StratA

From what I understand matching numbers (Israeli) are pretty rare. Mine doesn't have matching numbers either. Regardless, it is a great shooter (and is cheaper to shoot than 8mm). Mine also has plenty of waffenampts on it. Brilliant price on yours!

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I wasn't expecting matching numbers since how they refurbished them. That said I don't care about matching number on my guns...long as it shoots well and looks decent is all that matter to me. I have a Steyr 95 long rifle I'm rebuilding...Pretty sure none of those numbers will match haha.

I'm thinking if it was post war production it wouldn't have the waffen acceptance marks.

Its either late war made mauser or made just after the war with spare parts left over. The dou is the manufacturer's code for Waffenwerk Brunn factory in the former state of Czechoslovakia. With the waffenampts most likely late war. Usually there is the year it was made in next to the dou code. The books Karabiner 98k vol2a and vol2b has a lot of information on most k98 made during the nazi era.

Your IDF mauser is most likely one of the Israeli K98s exported to Guatemala. Almost all were the .308 conversion not the IDF 8mm Mauser version. Ones in 8mm from 1947-49 are a great find. The Guatemala hoard was obtained by importers in the US in the early 2000 and started showing up at gun shows around 2002 and later. Like Nam bring backs, these IDF Mausers suffered in the humid South American jungle climate and most from the Guatemala imports are seen in very poor condition- both the stock and the metal. Bores fared worse. Does it have a Century or PW import mark? Yes, I see a CAI import on the barrel in one of the pictures. Gibbs also had these. Generally the crown and muzzle as well as the chamber condition is reflected on what you observe on the outside.
Some more information and pictures of mine are shown on pages 2-3 in this reference:
Military Surplus k98ks commonly found at gun shows - Surplus Rifle Forum - www.surplusrifleforum.com

Note the Gibbs ones had a nice Lion crest and most in like new condition, this group was not imported from Guatemala.