Help buying a K98 Russian Capture

[GeeRam]

I don't believe it is a Russian capture. It does have an "x" on the receiver but it doesn't look correct (very small). The firing pin take down ring and butt plate are in the white and they are black on RC's. I think the main indicator is the serial number on the bolt matches the serial on the receiver. I believe the odds of a RC having a matching bolt and receiver are pretty long.

I think the odds on a RC having a matched bolt are literally one in a million.....

I would expect that it was a RC, that someone has tried to force match (bolt number) and faked as much as possible but couldn't quite remove the 'X' crossed rifle mark hence why its looks small etc. It's probably been sold on a few time since then, and current seller is selling it an RC based on the small 'X' and stock number applied, but ignoring all the other attempts at some point to disguise the RC origin as likely when RC's ere looked down on more before prices when bananas.

As said, if an untouched as it left the Soviet Arsenal after refurb rifle is what is required, then this isn't the rifle for the OP.

My RC that I've recently acquired has had the shellac removed from the early walnut stock by the person that bought it over 20 years ago when first imported into the UK, but otherwise its as it was when it came out of the Soviet Arsenal refurb in the early 50's. Even the locking screws were still missing, which I've put back from my box of original spare bits n bobs collected over the years.

[72 usmc]

Maybe it was redone by a WW II re enactor to make it appear more German, I agree the X on RCs comes in all different sizes and stamps and it is on the receiver and not in the location of a x block rifle. See my link for " X" examples. I also kind of see remains of a sanded down RC horizontal serial number on the stock. They do sell stamp sets to renumber mausers with correct fonts. We cannot see the numbers on all the parts, or the flat where it is stamped. I see no evidence of grind marks. We have no idea what number is on the bottom of the hand guard. But the numbers do look good, as good as some applied on Mitchell's mausers. I wonder if the bolt matches itself? A very odd rifle, indeed. well done if an attempt to make it more German looking for re enacting. But it is a puzzle.

[72 usmc]

That is actually an A block rifle bnz 42. What is also odd, is that the bolt patina does not match the receiver patina. Why did it stay black? One would think it would be toned down to bright or almost no blue . A very odd rifle to sell at $950. The bolt looks like it was never fired or cycled in the rifle.

I wonder what the experts on the K98 forum would say. They would have an interesting discussion. Maybe also post this example on the K98 forum:
K98k Forum

[usabaker]

It depends on what particular reason you son wants a RC K98k?

He is just interested in WWII and wants to collect the various Mauser's used in that period. He wants ones that he can shoot rather than display. Thanks for the help

[Aragorn243]

I never heard of anyone faking a Russian Capture either. Trying to fake a non captured rifle from an RC, that I've heard of.

I have a RC that the first thing I did was get rid of the crap shellac. No interest in something that sat in a Ukrainian warehouse for 50 years. I'm more interested in when the Germans had it. I put the cleaning rod, screws, sight hood on. It's still an RC, I made no attempt to hide that. It has the purple bolt, X, stamped stock and electro penciled bolt. My rifle, my choice. I understand some guys want the full experience.

[GeeRam]

He is just interested in WWII and wants to collect the various Mauser's used in that period. He wants ones that he can shoot rather than display. Thanks for the help

Aah....in that case if the bore on that one is OK, it would likely be a great rifle for that most likely.
I just thought there was a specific reason he wanted an untouched RC.

---------- Post added at 10:42 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:33 PM ----------

I never heard of anyone faking a Russian Capture either. Trying to fake a non captured rifle from an RC, that I've heard of.

I have a RC that the first thing I did was get rid of the crap shellac. No interest in something that sat in a Ukrainian warehouse for 50 years. I'm more interested in when the Germans had it. I put the cleaning rod, screws, sight hood on. It's still an RC, I made no attempt to hide that. It has the purple bolt, X, stamped stock and electro penciled bolt. My rifle, my choice.

Same as mine.
My receiver on my RC is quite rare being a 237 1936, so first year of BLM production, and they only made some 11000 rifles in that first year, but with only the receiver, barrel and trigger guard frame being matching, its not a collector rifle, and being UK anyway, it has to be a shooter, and with my ageing eyes and those useless German sights it may even end up being scoped with a period scope so I can enjoy shooting it more!

[AlexRod85]

That's Really Amazing!!