8mm Mauser Identification

M

mhendo72

Inactive
Hello everyone,

I'm new here and searching for some info. My great grandfather gave me a Nazi-era K98 this past week but its a little different than most of the other Mausers that I've seen. On the left hand side of the receiver there are three drilled and tapped holes for a scope mount. The best as I could determine based off of what I have read online is that this is a sniper rifle. I was wondering if anyone could provide some more insight on this or knew more about it. I dont have a picture of the gun currently, but I could only find one other picture online that looks the same as mine. Mine looks exactly like this but without the scope mount part attached. Thanks for any help.

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without pictures of all of the cartouches, proofs, and other stamps(As well as the drill holes), it's difficult, if not impossible to give an accurate identification. there have been many different scope mounts made for these rifles over the years and any of them could have required 3 holes, there is also the possibility that it was drilled once and then another hole added later to accommodate a different mount using one of the existing holes. pics would help a lot.
 
K98 snipers using side mount slide rails came in short and long versions. There are multiple versions of the short side rail mount.

The picture you posted is of a long slide rail mount. If all you have to work off of is the hole spacing and cut into the stock, you can at least identify long or short slide by how much wood is removed.

For pics and background on k98 sniper variants:
http://www.gunmart.net/gun_review/mauser_k98_sniper_rifle

Jimro
 
I took some pictures of the gun. All of the numbers are matching. Unfortunately my great grandfather sporterized it many years ago. The bore is immaculate on this thing

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"Unfortunately my great grandfather sporterized it many years ago."

Yeah, that probably made a $3,000 rifle into a $500 rifle.
 
Nice gift! Makes the J.C. Higgins 12 gauge bolt gun I was given look a little pale in comparison.;)

Thanks for sharing the photos of the long side rail.
Nice phosphate finish with the correct early blued 'key' safety.

No problem to round up a stock with correct period hardware and a top marked only rear sight.
Milled lower band and band spring with a solid milled upper band on a cup butt stock with a stock bolt takedown disc.

The good news is that reproduction mounts, bases, rings, (stamped band rings for that serial) and scopes are available for the LSR's.

The even better news is that you have the only part that cannot be easily re-produced.
The receiver.
The Gustloff LSR receiver was milled with the thick left receiver wall.
There is just no faking that on a reproduction.

Which means..
There would be a definite market (the higher of the two numbers mentioned is closer than the lower) for that rifle should you ever decide to sell.

JT
 
the receiver alone is probably worth over $1000, matched bolt probably $1500. without the matched mount however it really has little extra value. these snipers are kind a labor of love. they are a total money pit, but man do they bring a smile to your face when you start nailing those long shots with them. I once came across an american springfield sniper bolt/receiver and spent ever $1000 on extra parts to get it looking original again, I finally sold it, was tired of dumping more and more money into it, but with that said I didn't have any emotion wrapped up in this rifle. coming from your grandfather, it may mean something to you to restore it to period correct configuration.
 
I really would like to restore it to be period correct. The story behind this rifle is incredible. Is there any laws against bringbacks from the war? I would like to share the story behind the rifle but I dont want to get into trouble for doing so.
 
Nope, no legal issues at all with something like this. A bringback machine gun might be a different story (if it wasn't registered at the time), but bolt actions (and semiautos, pistols, revolvers, etc) are just fine.
 
mhendo72,

Contact these guys: http://home.comcast.net/~yzhu/accumount/class1/German/German.htm

Tell them you have a k98 with holes drilled and need a "Long Slide Rail, Blank Base."

Then search the auction sites for an authentic scope (Ajax 4x90, ZF39, Hensoldt or Zeiss 6x42, etc) or buy a reproduction ZF39 http://www.e-sarcoinc.com/fabulousr...nwwiizielvier98kturretmountedsniperscope.aspx

Buy a takeoff stock set from someone, or a reproduction stock set: http://www.gunpartscorp.com/ad/1369340.htm

Then pay a gunsmith to put the scope base on the receiver and fit the receiver to the stock, remove the receiver sight and weld the screw holes shut.

All in all, you'll spend a good chunk of change to make a 400 dollar rifle into an 800 dollar rifle by putting it back into "correct configuration, not original parts."

Jimro
 
The guys on the kar98k forum of Gunboards would love to see this. They will want pics of the markings, and will advise on restoration.
 
Jimro, thanks for the links. So this gun was made in the Weimar, germany plant in 1944 according to the bcd stamp on the reciever. As many of you may know, the Weimar plant was located next to Buchenwald and was overtaken by US troops on August 24, 1944. My great grandfather was part of the unit that overtook this plant. He said when they went inside there was crates of these things stacked up ready to ship so the US troops busted the crates open and started handing them out. My great grandfather picked out this one and brought it home. He's told this stpry of how he acquired it to my dad and uncle when they were kids and now after looking into the gun ive come to find that the story is indeed true. He's 94 now and a week ago he gave me the gun. The story behind it and the fact that its a sniper rifle makes it priceless to me.
 
Is there any laws against bringbacks from the war? I would like to share the story behind the rifle but I dont want to get into trouble for doing so.
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no, many GI, filled out the proper paperwork to bring them back, others just cut them down and stuffed them in their dufflebags for the trip home. either way, statute of limitations is 35 years, we are long past anyone facing legal issues here.
 
Since the actual veteran sportered it, I would not touch it. It's part of the story of that rifle. Why reverse the work your great grandfather did? Just think, he took the time to pick out that rear sight, took the time to decide just what he wanted to do to make that rifle suit him. Decisions he made. I would not reverse that memory.
 
although I see that point, it cheapens the value for anyone but the person that sporterized it. some day, maybe not tomorrow, maybe not 40 years from now, that gun is going to leave the possession of the OP. when that rifle is sold, be it by a family member that inherited it and has no use or want, or at an estate sale, nobody is going to care that it was sporterized by the soldier that brought it home. they are going to care that it is no longer in original configuration and will pay 1/5 of the possible value of the rifle and fix it up themselves.
 
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