? about 1941 duv mauser serial #

[schaumann]

i just bought a mauser in great shape from a guy who says he got it from the widow of a soldier who brought it back from north africa. my question is that it is matching numbers but the numbers on the barrel parts are a little different style(namely the "7") than that on the bolt parts. the seven style on the barrel i have seen on many 98k, but the bolt i question.he said it is real matching and that this is normal because the parts were made in different locations, does anyone know if this is common or faked numbers on the bolt...thanks

 

[Jim K]

Did the guy take a trip through Mitchell's Mausers on his way home from North Africa? That bolt has been "force matched" and not by the Germans. You can see where the old number has been ground off and the new one, in a different font, put on.

BTW, I think I know that widow; she is the same one who drives used cars only to church on Sundays.

Jim

 

[schaumann]

thats what i am thinking, the strange thing is that the magazine plate has the correct font but the floorplate seems wrong, i would think that this part would have been lost with the floorplate... all in all it is a great gun and i didnt pay an "all matching" price, thanks

 

[Old Shooter]

I don't know if it's faked or not but if you got it at a decent price who cares? If it's in great shape those old mausers are a lot of fun and a piece of history also.

 

[Dr.Rob]

I think I disagree with Jim as you can see the raised impressions around the stamped 7's on the bolt. The double 7's in my serial # are not the same font or size, though on my bolt the #'s are in a line rather than diagonal. (Mine was made at BRNO and while the reciever ring was scrubbed (making it a post-war surplus buy most likely) but you can see here... they are obviously hand stamped on the bolt.

I suspect parts were numbered as the rifles were assembled, with each 'department' matching the number on the receiver, rather that one guy at the end adding all the markings, so some variation in stamps (and size) sort of makes sense.

 

[schaumann]

DR. Rob ,so your mauser bolt is war time production? it does have the same font as mine... but if you look close at mine, were the numbers are stamped, it does look like it has been ground down some though. most ive seen in pics appear to be raised with a small dished portion below the # were the bolt attatches . mine is lower. thanks for the input!

 

[Dr.Rob]

Mine is a 1945, never issued to the German army.

 

[Jim K]

The usual numbering practice, AFAIK, was to bring all the parts together at assembly stations, where the gun, still "in the white" was assembled and functioning checked. The parts were then numbered and sent off for final polishing, hardening, and bluing. The gun was then reassembled (which is why the parts were numbered), tested and shipped. It was not an assembly line process.

FWIW, raised impressions will appear around any stamped marking unless they are polished off as they are in most commercial production.

Jim

 

[schaumann]

thanks for the input!