Need help Identifying my K-98

F

frenchie321

Inactive
I have just purchased a k-98. Paid the equivelant of 270 USD for it. Wood is a bit rough. It was purchased here in Switzerland. Regarding the markings, It has what appears to be the Imperial Eagle stamp (Pre Nazi regime I guess) Also, the Waffenamt stamp appears to be the Bavarian state stamp?? There does not appear to be a year or mfg. code as I have seen in many pictures of other k-98s. The numbers match on bolt, butt, and receiver. There is a consistent stamp on just about every part of the rifle. It appears to be an M. There is also a V in several areas.
If anyone can advise on what the stamps indicate and how to ID the year of Mfg. on this and where it was made, I would VERY much appreciate it.
 

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Here are more pics of my k-98

Here are a few more pics. I have noticed on other k98's that the year is stamped on top of the receiver. Curious why mine doesn't. I am assuming that the absence of the eagle/swastika means it was produced pre-Nazi regime??
 

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More pics of my k-98

Also, there is not a notch under the bolt on the wood, I am also missing the cleaning rod and the metal disk that goes into the Butt. If anyone can share a resource where I could get originals, I would appreciate it.
Does anyone know what the 2750 stamped under the bolt indicates?
 

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It looks like it might be a VZ24, the handguard is wrong for a K98k.

Is there any marking on top of the receiver ring?
 
The reason it does not have Waffenamt stamps is that it was not produced in Nazi Germany. In fact it was not produced in Germany at all. Your rifle is not a K98k. Note that it has no steel thimble in the stock, the buttplate is rounded at the top, the handguard and rear sight are not correct for a K98k, and it has no bolt handle cutout in the stock. Since it was not produced under the Nazi code system, it does not have a factory code or date stamp.

It looks like a Belgian short rifle, or possibly a Vz24. Without having it in hand, it is hard for me to tell exactly what you have (I am sure one of the forum experts will come along soon and give us his opinion), but it is not a K98k.

Just as an aside, the Mauser 98 in its many variations was at one time the most common and desired military rifle in the world. Many, many millions of M98 rifles were produced in Belgium (FN), Austria (Steyr), Czechoslovakia (CZ), Poland (Prague arsenal), Yugoslavia (several arsenals), Spain (La Coruna), Mexico, Brazil (Ibatuba), and yes, even in Germany by numerous makers.
 
I could be daft and know virtually nothing about mausers but if memory serves the K98K should have a large square inlet carved in the stock where the bolt handle sits when locked shut. as yours is not inletted it is not a K98 per say but it is a mauser type rifle based off of the K98. possibly a Czechoslovakian VZ24 but my knowledge of them is pretty low so I could have missed the mark completely. however $270 is not all that bad of a price.
 
That looks like a Czech VZ-24 or a Belgian Model 24. A K.98k will have "Mod. 98" (just like that) stamped on the left side of the receiver. The serial number will be four digits and a letter (there are a few exceptions, but that is not one of them.)

What is the marking on the top of the receiver ring?

Jim
 
SCORCH

totally agree with you with the exception of...

The butt doesn't look rounded to me...Looks like a normal, angled top 98k butt-plate to me. Please educate me on the "thimble" your referring too...I'm curious about that...I am un-familiar with it.
 
It has NO crest or markings on the top of the receiver ring ? That would be unusual.....and might indicate a "scrubbed" receiver. The stock and bolt handle resemble a Yugoslav M48 series rifle. However, the absence of certain markings appear to eliminate this possibility, unless those marks were scrubbed. Also, the hole for the bolt takedown disc in the stock is not a feature found on the Yugo rifles. I don't see finger grooves in the sides of the forend (of the stock).....so that mitigates against a Vz24 (unless it's not the original stock). Absent further info, my money is on the Belgian short rifle (I can't remember the model designation)....or a contract Mauser, made in Europe for a country outside of Europe.

The (possible) scrubbed crest/markings (missing from) the receiver ring are intriguing.

One other possibility, that's just come to mind..... a Yugo M48 series "BO" ? Those were deliberately produced without normal markings, to hide the country of origin. But then, there is the hole for the bolt takedown disc to consider.

The "2750" , on the underside of the bolt handle, is just an assembly number....used to keep groups of parts together after initial assembly. After initial assembly and fitting of parts, the rifles were disassembled, the parts numbered, then the various parts were sent for final finishing, bluing, etc. The stock was also usually finished, at that point. After that, the parts were reassembled into a finished rifle. So, that number has no value for determining the origin or year of production of the rifle. It IS useful, however, for determining if the rifle has matching parts. If so, then the various major parts, such as the barrel, the receiver, the bolt, etc. should have the same assembly number.
 
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It could be an M48, It is hard to tell from the photos.

Check the spacing on the mounting screws, on a standard length K98 they would be a hair under 20cm, on an intermediate M48 they would be a little closer together, about 19 1/3cm.

On Edit: What has me confused is the location of the serial number. On most European Mausers, it is on the left side of the receiver, on yours it looks to be on the right.
 
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Emcon:

had a feeling that's what scorch was referring to...just never heard them called a thimble.


Scorch:

It looks like the bolt tool was present at one time and has been knocked out, there is still a hole where it should have been. I have seen lots of German Mausers without them at all though.
 
If you look at the first pic of the buttstock, there is no thimble (the bolt takedown). It looks like there was never a thimble, it would be to the rear of the sling cutout.

The first pic shows the buttplate, and the top looks more angled than the K98k angle, it looks very rounded to me, more like a Belgian short rifle (like the model 24 or 33). Could just be the picture.

The 2750 under the bolt handle is the serial number from the original rifle the bolt was matched to. The bolt is mismatched, not a big deal and fairly common.
 
Prior posters are clearly more expert than am I. However, based on my possession of a 98K rifle made by Steyr arms 1943, I agree that although the stock generally resembles that of the 98K, it does not have the metal insert for bolt disassembly. In addition, the upper handguard/rear sight location are not consistent with the issue 98K. So, I would conclude this is not a German/Austrian manufactured 98K WWII era rifle, but something else, likely a high quality bolt action neverthekless.
 
Thanks for the inputs

I assumed the round hole in the butt was where the metal disk was at one time?
No one has commented on the eagle stamp that is on several parts. Does it not appear to be what the germans used prior to Nazi regime. I am disappointed to hear that it is not a 98k, as now looking closer at pics of actual ones, I can see where mine has more wood on top of the barrel and also behind the rear sight. I am now intrigued to find out what I actually have.
There are no markings on the top of the receiver , the bluing is consistent and does not appear to have been brushed. I have yet to completely break it down to see if there are further markings.
I appreciate everyone's inputs. This one may remain a mystery. As for the price of under 300 usd, I don't feel I've been ripped off, as the seller couldn't really tell me much about it either. The 178 next to what I have been told is the Munich Waffenamt stamp supposedly indicates the date Jan. 1978, when it was officially registered in Germany in Munich. So that is prob. evidence that it was brought in from another country.
 
I missed it before, the round hole in the right side of the stock could have been for a unit disk of some sort, It is hard to tell, but the takedown hole would go all the way through the stock.

Please measure the distance between the screws on the bottom of the action (behind the trigger guard to front of magazine floorplate).
 
Hey Emcon5,
I measured from the outer edges of the larger screws on both ends.Approx. 20.5cm

from the inside edge of the screws is approx. 18.5cm. Assuming you don't recognize the eagle stamp? The stamps on the bolt and just rear of the muzzle have what almost looks like an N Under the Eagle.
 
Sorry, I don't recognize the eagles, but I think you may have just solved it.

On my German K98K the inside to inside measurement is about 19.3 cm, although outside to outside is not much more than yours, about 20.8cm

If I average your measurements to try and get the center to center length, it comes out to 19.5, which would mean it most likely has an intermediate length action, and is a Yugoslavian M48.

The stock is correct, the bent bolt is correct, the sling slot in the butt is correct, and some were made without markings, (M48BO )

I think we have a winner.
http://www.surplusrifle.com/yugom48/index.asp
 
yep, I believe so. I was new to the k98 when I bought this, and wasn't sure what to look for. This has definately been a learing experience!

Oh well, newbie mistake. What is your take on the m48bo. What is the reputation of these rifles? I would have an option of returning it, Not sure, It kind of lost it's appeal since it doesn't have a wartime story to it.... :-(
 
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