Information Please

[hsr]

I just acquired a K98 Mauser from SOG. I am no expert on these and I was wondering if anyone can interpret the markings, into year of manufacture, manufacturer, etc. I am assuming it is one of the Russian capture rifles.

On the top of the reciever ring it is marked "bcd" by the barrel and "42" (year of manufacture?) below that. On the left side of the ring it is marked "6969" over "M" (serial number?) further back on the rail it is marked "MOD. 98". Reading the barrel just infront of the receiver starting on the right and going around it is marked "avk 31 42 bys". It also has numerous eagles, and every part seems to be numbered, but no 2 numbers match.

I got this just to have one and as a shooter, so it doesn't really matter, but I would like to know. Overall it is in good shape with a decent bore and good wood. The stock does have an about 1.5" repair on the comb, but no cracks or splits.

Thanks

Howard

Information

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[Calif-Steve]

Gustloff Werke production. Made in 1942 and the barrel data shows the barrel made in 1942. Most shooters prize the 1935-42 produced rifles as the smoothest and most carefully built rifles. You did very well.

[Jim K]

FYI, Wilhelm Gustloff Werke (Works) was a Nazi party owned "company", named after a Swiss Nazi "martyr" who was murdered. There were several factories; "bcd" indicated the one at Weimar.

Codes "bys" and "avk" were the same company, Ruhrstahl (Ruhr Steel) at Brackwede-Bielefeld. Usually two barrel codes indicated the company that produced the steel and the company that made the barrel; in this case both codes say the same thing. The other numbers are probably abbreviated serial numbers (last 2). A variation simply means that the rifle was repaired using parts from other rifles. Another number, with an eagle, is the Heereswaffenamt (Army Weapons Office) number, indicating the officer in charge of the inspection team that inspected that rifle or that part. In an original rifle they will usually match, but again, a mismatch indicates use of non-original parts.

So, how important is "all matching parts"? To a purist collector, a lot, and matching guns will bring substantial premiums over those with non-matching parts. (Of course, "matching" numbers put on with an electric pencil or with a different stamp type by American importers is the same as non-matching.)

But for a representative sample and shooter, the numbers make no difference at all.

Jim