K98k Captured by who........

[ffuries]

Just got the K98 off layaway, total mix-master on SN's and Waffenamts. The stock has an interesting repair, that gives it character. The butt-plate which is in the white has been painted orange on the backside, all the Waffentamts and Swastikas on the barrel and receiver have been scrubbed (Not pinged or lined out but ground off). There are Waffenamts on the rest of the other smaller parts.

What I have figured out I think! Late war stamped front band, late war stamped floor plate, pre-early war milled trigger guard with capture screws. Bolt has the oval vent holes, stock has the take down washer, cleaning rod hole and the front band/nose cap has the bayonet lug. The stock is an early/mid war stock, which would not be on a DOT 44 rifle....Correct or incorrect?

Found a very lightly EP'd SN on the bolt stem, almost missed it. There is no X on the receiver anywhere! The stock has a SN in the barrel channel and on the hand guard. The original SN on the bolt was 5709 with a letter, this is on the root of the bolt handle. All the other parts are stamped 1630 with what looks like a very very faint EP'd 1630 on the bolt stem (but also looks like other numbers when looked at from different angles, magnifying glass doesn't make it easier or clearer to read).

The rifle doesn't seemed to be re-blued, painted, hot dipped like the Russians did. From what I am told it doesn't fit the Russian captured, Romanian captured, Yugoslavia captured look! There is no bolt SN engraved onto the top of the bolt like Russian captures normally have. So where did this gun end up after the war? Who scrubbed it? Any input is greatly appreciated.

Plus the rifle came with 40 rounds of PPU ammo still in the box and 60 rounds marked bxn 51 on stripper clips....Czech ammo?

The more guns I get, the more I learn....The more I learn, I learn that I need to learn more....I thought I was done with school after I retired!

Waffenamts:

Barrel band Waffenamt 655, Nose cap Waffenamt 214, Take down washer Waffenamt 214, Floor plate Waffenamt 135, Barrel band spring Waffenamt 135, Trigger guard assembly Waffenamt WaA63 and WaA83 (Maybe 63 poorly struck), Magazine follower Weimar Eagle 45

Serial numbers:

Barrel: 2802 ah, Rear sight, rear sight base: 2802, Rear sight slide: 02, Rear barrel band: 3578, Nose cap: 77, Trigger guard/housing: 3783, Magazine floor plate: 7819, Magazine follower: 31, Bolt body/handle root: 5709 and unknown single letter, lined out, Bolt safety catch, cocking piece, bolt sleeve: 1630, Bolt stem: 1630 very lightly EP’d, Handguard: 5082.

Other stampings:

Shield Dot 13, EV,
GPC W Hurley NY import stamp (Gun Parts Corporation aka Numrich)

[ffuries]

More pictures!

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More pictures!

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More pictures!

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More pictures!

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Last of the pictures!

[desdem12]

Romanians did some "work" on some k98s after they changed sides. That patch work sure has a Romanian feel. I am sure I have seen this rifle somewhere.

[ffuries]

Posted it on Surplus Rifle Forum, when I first got it off lay-a-way. Was told it didn't seem to fit into any category. I always find the odd-ball rifles!

[Longcolt44]

This rifle has been around. You are going to have some late nights in the books and net.

[Ironnewt]

This rifle has been around. You are going to have some late nights in the books and net.

What he said

[target]

I'm gonna place my bid on Yugoslavian capture for one reason. That paint under the buttplate. I've seen it on M48 rifles before that went through rebuilds in the same spot. Same color and everything.

Where ever it came from though it looks like it was used a lot but taken care of.

[ffuries]

I'm gonna place my bid on Yugoslavian capture for one reason. That paint under the buttplate. I've seen it on M48 rifles before that went through rebuilds in the same spot. Same color and everything.

Where ever it came from though it looks like it was used a lot but taken care of.

Not trying to be dumb, but wouldn't the Yugoslavian captures have the Yugoslavian crest on top of the receiver/barrel?

Like I said I am open to all help, just trying to learn. I have looked at Czechoslovakian Captures, Norwegian Captures, Romanian Captures, Russian Captures, Yugoslavian Captures to the point that all the information is starting to run together. Did any other countries get/use the Mauser after the war? Did see a Norwegian Capture with a similar stock repair using dowels. But other than that I am confused and lost so far.

[target]

Well I never count anything as impossible when it comes to milsurps. People write books on these guns that are generally accepted as correct for 20... 30... 40 years then someone finds a stack of shipping manifests or Arsenal codes and completely debunks what was generally accepted for years.

You're gonna have a heck of a time tracking it down. Maybe one of them rifles that you just accept had a funky history after the war and that's that.

[ffuries]

I'm forced to agree with you, somethings are what they are and we'll never know the full story. Funny how the majority of guns fit a mold per se as to where they went and what happened to them etc. Then there are some, like this one, that just kind of don't fit the mold and you are left wondering, until someone unlocks the secret.

[dou44]

that one reminds me of one I bought from century when they were selling rifles brought in from the balklins

[ffuries]

that one reminds me of one I bought from century when they were selling rifles brought in from the balklins

I'm coming up with the Balkans angle a lot in my limited research. I will need to look at that more.

Maybe I am anal-retentive but I like to try and come up with what ever history I can on the rifles in my collection. I have a book with a picture of every gun I have and a page of information on it. IE when I bought it, paid for it, current value, etc. Makes it easier in the future for the wife or kids to know what they are, what I paid, what they are worth, so they can sell them or pick the ones they want and sell the rest. Like the GEW 88 I have, I went and figured out what the Regimental markings on the barrel bands were.

[dou44]

I put hang tags on me with what they are and what they are worth. I also put the date on them when I shoot it to help keep up with it

[bocephus]

My bet was Czech capture but it doesn't have an oversized trigger guard... It's not Yugoslavian, they pretty much completely scrubbed theirs and put their own stamps on it.

[target]

You never know. Markings are never 100% on rifles that have been around for as long as these.

[kjohn]

Well, that old rifle does have character, doesn't it?

I have been buying guns for over fifty years, mostly milsurps. I get a little worried when I consider the possibility that there others as dumb as me back in the days of yore! As a kid, I would pore over the American ads in the back of Dad's hunting magazines. Lee Enfields, Mausers and all the other highly addictive names just fascinated me.

Since I stepped into the world of the internet back in 2000ish, I have been able to gain an appreciation much greater than before of the value of these rifles, both $$ wise and historic.

Rifles like the one featured in this post drip history and lore. I can easily imagine the possible journey the rifle has been on to get to where it rests today. Some of that trip will be better left behind, some would have been nice to know. Please let us know what you can find out!