8mm Israeli K98?

[lthilsdorf]

Came across this rifle in a group of older imported Israeli Mausers a guy was selling in my area. It is supposedly an Israeli Mauser that missed the 7.62 conversions. I'm fairly certain it is legit, as the number behind the buttplate of the Israeli stock actually matches the serial number on the receiver. Unless of course that isn't an Israeli stock, but some other country's, haha! However, other than the stock and sling there are no other Israeli marks. Any ideas guys? Thanks!

I also bought a very nice SWP 45 "7.62" Converted Israeli rifle from the guy. Both of these rifles have very beautiful bores and will probably be great shooters!









Almost forgot this picture. It's a repair in the stock where "7.62" would have been branded into the butt.

Information

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[Calif-Steve]

When the war ended the Czechs had piles of Mausers in their 2 factories. Most likley this rifle never left the plant in 1945 and ended up being sold to "foreign agents" circa 1948. DOU 1945 with Czech proofs. Nice find.

[Sarge]

Neither the Germans or the Isrealis numbered rifle stocks under the butt plate. The Isrealis didn't number them at all.
You dou is not an Isreali if there are no Isreali proofs on it. It just has a nice Isreali sling on it.
The dou is a post war built rifle using a pre war receiver that was still laying around - probably a reject that was not scrapped and never got reworked.
These rifles were sold to a variety of countries in the late 1940s.
Most of your photos only partialy came up so I can't comment on anything else.
Sarge

[Sarge]

Managed to double post on this and can't find any way to delet this one.

[lthilsdorf]

Well it's interesting because the stock itself has the same Israeli marking branded into it as the sling does and is numbered to the rifle. While I defiantly cannot comment on the number under the buttplate, I do know that often there are no Israeli proofs found on some rifles. The Nazi proofs on the right side of the receiver are all gone (assuming they were there).

[jmoore]

I've also seen Israeli K98ks w/o any other proof marks than the original German. The shop I worked for in the '80s had quite a few move through. We got them from the importer and distributors, the 8mm's were rather more common than the 7.62x51 conversions, but they both "dried up" pretty quickly. Not many "nice" ones either...mostly mixmasters and/or rough.

[lthilsdorf]

Thanks for the info jmoore. Glad to hear I was right that some of them lack Israeli markings. I'd love to know what I have but it seems like it might be difficult. I tried to remove the barreled receiver from the stock, but I can't get the barrel bands off, haha! Guess it will have to remain a mystery unless someone knows otherwise.

[Victor Six Bravo]

The Israelis at the first used anything that would go bang, including museum pieces (at least one 1866 Winchester saw combat in 1948)......finding one without restamps or markings does not surprise me.