K98 with swastikas stamped out.

[Xmas_Asn]

I am trying to find the out about K98 that have swastikas and the ones that have the swastikas under the eagles stamped out. What is the significances of this?

I looked around for the answer but I couldn't find one. I may have looked over it but any help would be appreciated. Thank in advance.

Information

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[Harlan (Deceased)]

There are many K98's that Russia had in storage for years that have been sold over the last several years. They're known as Russian captures, or 'RC's in collecting slang.
Russia kept everything after WWII that could be of any use and stored it away for WWIII.
During their arsenal program they peened out most of the swastikas. These may be what you are talking about.

[Xmas_Asn]

Ok, so does that mean that a Mauser with a intact swastika is a non Russian capture or just one of a few that escaped the punch and hammer?

[Harlan (Deceased)]

Most of the RC's were stamped, but a few made it through without. The other clues are the RC's were blued, many parts won't match, stocks have a (sometimes sloppy) red varnish, there's an 'X' stamped on the receiver and parts such as the bolt have the serial number electropenciled to force match. They're pretty easy to pick out.

The other big difference is about $1000

[Xmas_Asn]

What do you make of this rifle then?

Mod 98 pictures by xmas_asn - Photobucket

[jmoore]

What do you make of this rifle then?

Just exactly as described by cafdfw- "RC"? Why, yes!

[Xmas_Asn]

Well is there anything you can tell me about this rifle?

[Patrick Chadwick]

Wow, is that a mixmaster! AND a treacle rifle as well. Take a barreled system, then scratch together whatever you can find, electropencil bolt body, pour floor varnish over the lot, overstamp the butt into the treacly mess - and with all that, they could only dig up a scrap bolt sleeve!

Xmas Asn, I just hope you didn't buy it.

[Xmas_Asn]

Lol I havent bough it.

Im just wondering what it would be worth you think?

[Patrick Chadwick]

I have bought and refurbished some desperate objects. See my previous contributions to this forum and the Restorer's Corner for pictures of a couple of dramatic cases. But they had at least 3 of the following virtues:

1) all-original/matching, with no missing parts, except easily replaceable non-vital parts such as barrel bands - acceptable if the rifle scores high on the other points,
2) excellent bore, recrowning the the muzzle is acceptable
3) rare and/or especially interesting (that is, of course, very subjective),
4) no damage that prevents safe use and/or condemns the rifle to wall-hanger status
5) cheap, to be more correct "good value for money" - again, very subjective.

You notice notice I do not rate external appearance. That is because external appearance is irrelevant for shoooting and is the easiest aspect to improve. Collectors would set different priorities.

The rifle you showed us scores:

0 (laughably non-matching, and I rate the bolt sleeve as a vital part)
? bore condition not yet established
0 no rarity, millions of them made
0 (treacle rifle with damaged bolt sleeve - whatever caused that could have affected something we can't see)
? price not yet known

In other words, unless it has a superb bore and good headspacing, AND you just want something to shoot, AND you know where to find a good bolt sleeve AND there is no other damage to the action AND it is really cheap, just save your money for something better.

That is, of course, just my opinion.