New Kar98k

[m4a3sherman]

Hello all. So this past weekend there was a gun show in nearby Savannah and I and Sht_lee attended and (for the first time) set up some tables to sell some milsurpy stuff and some things from our local shop who kindly sponsored our tables in exchange for us selling their stuff. Anyway, Two Kar98ks ended up being traded to us for an AR15 (meh...) and one of the two was sold more or less immediately. But the other, I laid claim to and now I am its newest caretaker. It is a DOT manufactured 1944 and it is ALL MATCHING. Supposedly a vet bring back, or so I am told, and of course does not bare an important stamp. It is a beauty! All numbers match EXCEPT the floor plate which is of correct byf manufacture but the digits are only off by 2 so I have to wonder about it and assume it is original to the rifle.
So what you won't see is the light surface rust that was formerly on the rifle and which was nicely removed without much effort and revealed a beautifully well preserved rifled beneath it (in part because I never remember to take before and afters) but where I am going with this...
In the process of cleaning things up and inspecting the rifle for any stress cracks or anything otherwise broken, rusty, etc, I pulled off the buttplate and what a surprise. I didn't really pay it much mind until I was about to put it back on, but written on the wood was a rack number of some sort and two SS runes. They are in pencil and appear legit as they are partially obscured by some of the red paint found on the inside of the buttplate that has adhered to the wood over time. So I must say that is a quite a nice surprise.
Now, my guess here is that the stock is possibly from a labour camp? I know that nearly all of the major arsenals (and indeed many factories of all kinds) utilized parts of the labour-camp system run by the SS, especially as the war went on. These systems were very extensive, in some cases like a giant web-like assembly line. It is my guess that perhaps this stock came out of one such system.

Other thoughts on this?

Also, there is one other set of interesting markings found on the rifle. Carved into the buttplate, stock disassembly disk, and the rear sight spring is "P10" or "PIO"; I can't really tell which. My first thoughts here are that they are maybe initials of the vet who perhaps captured the rifle, or maybe even the German who used the rifle. And it may sound silly, but I feel like I have seen this marking somewhere else before also relating to 98ks....
Thoughts?

Ok, finally, the pictures, what we all want to see. I want to point out that at the same show and from some of my favorite gun show people, I picked up an apparently uncommon DOT marked bayonet to go with my rifle, neat huh?


















Oh, also forgot to mention- The rifle did come with an original sling but unfortunately the very end of the sling just beyond the keeper has been broken off, ruining an otherwise decent condition sling. I have kept it, but as with all such leather slings of any worth, I have safely and carefully removed it and placed it in its own little container for preservation.

Information

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[jmoore]

Almost makes me want to go to a gun show.

How is the bore?

The cleaning rod is a real bonus. It seems like they're almost always missing on non-import marked/bringback K98k's.

[m4a3sherman]

I picked up a few cleaning rods a while back after I decided Mausers were going to be my thing since those are likely the most missing parts. Every now and then, ill pick up a random cleaning rod or whatever from numrich when I do a parts order. But yea, it was nice to have a rod with it. The bore is wonderful, looks like it was never shot... And judging by the outside of the rifle, that might not be far from the case.

[xa-coupe]

that's a fantastic find, well done.

[Calif-Steve]

Looks like a vet bring back to me. Very nice find.

[m4a3sherman]

Cool, well there is one thing down; any thoughts on the PIO or the SS markings?