Found a Mauser, Need Help with Markings, and What Mauser it is?

[68rs327]

Serial Number on the barrel is 858 and has proof markings on it.

If you can see a serial number on the barrel it will probably be an original German barrel but if, more likely, you are unable to find a serial number on the barrel it will be a Yugo replacement barrel. The "thick" butt plates you mention are I think you will find are actually dished shaped and slip on over the butts giving the appearance of being thick. Personally I quite like these Yugo refurbished K98s and believe that they are massively under valued. I would not recommend trying to re-germanise the rifle by removing the Yugo markings but just enjoy it as it is. I believe that the Yugoslavs had quite a cottage industry refurbishing these rifles in the late 1940s and 1950s and some were exported minus the crest or so I was led to believe.

[Aragorn243]

I don't really concern myself with all matching either. I mean it's nice but if it takes a particular rifle out of my price range, I'll go with a mix-master with no second thoughts. US rifles seem to have been rebuilt numerous times. German rifles often had bolts mixed up due to unit regs on shipping them home or they are complete mix-masters based on rebuilds from the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia or a few other nations post war programs. Japanese rifles also have the bolt issue along with the ground mum issue to deal with. British rifles also went through rebuilds but they seem to have made an effort to re-serial parts and didn't number everything like the Germans did. The Soviets rebuilt almost everything. The Italians didn't mark much so problem solved there. It's a crapshoot. My K98 is an RC with a 1944 receiver/barrel with an early flat butt plate stock. No clue on the other parts.

You at least have a date on the stock, that's a plus. Not sure if anything else is possible.

[68rs327]

Aragorn... Thanks
I am still learning and probably will never know everything about the military rifles, but who knows everything.... That's why websites like this help.
I love the history behind the military rifles and it reminds me of fond memories listening to my uncles talk when I was a kid. My goal at one time was to try and collect a rifle from every country that fought in WW1 and WW2. I have 2 Mosin M91's one made by Westinghouse, the other is a Finnish capture, I have a 1916 Enfield made in Australia, Several Mosin 91/30, a few M44's, just bought a Carcano 1891 long rifle, a Gew 88 Mauser, and looking for a decent Arisaka.... Love them all. Numbers matching isn't a requirement with me either, nice when it happens, but isn't a must. I look for a good solid rifle, that's complete, not damaged or worn beyond use. I have a certain price range I like being in, which limits my options, but doesn't limit the thrill of collecting. Love the history, love researching the rifles, and love the fact that I can pass this all down to my son one day.
My Mauser may be a mutt.. but it started out as a K98, and has the same history story....
Thanks for everyone's help...

I don't really concern myself with all matching either. I mean it's nice but if it takes a particular rifle out of my price range, I'll go with a mix-master with no second thoughts. US rifles seem to have been rebuilt numerous times. German rifles often had bolts mixed up due to unit regs on shipping them home or they are complete mix-masters based on rebuilds from the Soviet Union, Yugoslavia or a few other nations post war programs. Japanese rifles also have the bolt issue along with the ground mum issue to deal with. British rifles also went through rebuilds but they seem to have made an effort to re-serial parts and didn't number everything like the Germans did. The Soviets rebuilt almost everything. The Italians didn't mark much so problem solved there. It's a crapshoot. My K98 is an RC with a 1944 receiver/barrel with an early flat butt plate stock. No clue on the other parts.

You at least have a date on the stock, that's a plus. Not sure if anything else is possible.

[Aragorn243]

You sound a lot like me when I started doing this and I seriously haven't been at it all that long. 26 years ago I bought my first three milsurp rifles and then didn't buy another until about seven years ago, look at my join date. Then I picked up a RC K98 and went into it with your same stated goal. One of each rifle from the major powers of WWI and WWII. Also on a tight budget so got fixer uppers. Now 7 years later, I have most of them and have gone beyond into the post Civil War era. Not on as tight a budget today but still like fixer uppers.

[Flying10uk]

68rs327, I have a similar Yugo K98 to yours but in U.K. De-activated form. My example has a flat butt plate which is the main visual difference. Can you see any sign of "X" markings on any parts of your gun? My Yugo K98 has a feint "X" near the pistol grip which makes me suspect that Russia may have supplied/sold/gifted some K98s or gun parts to Yugoslavia post war. I'm not convinced that the number on the barrel is a serial number; I suspect that it could be a dated August 1958??? I have never heard of the Yugoslavs removing the serial numbers off the barrels but only off the receivers. I believe that quite a high number of barrels were replaced in the refurb programme including my example. My example has no serial number on the barrel.

[68rs327]

Anyone know what the number on the barrel under the wood and the arsenal marks mean?

68rs327, I have a similar Yugo K98 to yours but in U.K. De-activated form. My example has a flat butt plate which is the main visual difference. Can you see any sign of "X" markings on any parts of your gun? My Yugo K98 has a feint "X" near the pistol grip which makes me suspect that Russia may have supplied/sold/gifted some K98s or gun parts to Yugoslavia post war. I'm not convinced that the number on the barrel is a serial number; I suspect that it could be a dated August 1958??? I have never heard of the Yugoslavs removing the serial numbers off the barrels but only off the receivers. I believe that quite a high number of barrels were replaced in the refurb programme including my example. My example has no serial number on the barrel.

[68rs327]

Picture wont load, see #21 above for photo and arsenal marks.... Also, my rifle doesn't have any X's on it anywhere..

[oldfoneguy]

If I may dare to post a link to another forum, this older thread has some of the most comprehensive first hand knowledge on Yugo Mausers that you will find and should answer most of your questions. Bill

Surplusrifle Forum View topic - Reposting some Yugo info

[68rs327]

Thank you!

If I may dare to post a link to another forum, this older thread has some of the most comprehensive first hand knowledge on Yugo Mausers that you will find and should answer most of your questions. Bill

Surplusrifle Forum View topic - Reposting some Yugo info

[68rs327]

Just went to the link... Awesome information and great story from a former Yugo soldier and collector who visited the gun factories who reworked the K98's.

If I may dare to post a link to another forum, this older thread has some of the most comprehensive first hand knowledge on Yugo Mausers that you will find and should answer most of your questions. Bill

Surplusrifle Forum View topic - Reposting some Yugo info