Can anyone tell me about this K98?

[Daren Thompson]

I am a C&R holder and I just bought one of SOG's Nazi WWII K-98 rifles. The rifles are said to be in Very Good condition. I recieved mine today and I believe that it is unissued. The stock is a little dark and soft from years of cosmoline but that is it. Can anyone tell me where this rifle was made and any thing else about it. Would you fire it, might it be worth something some day. What is the best way to bring the stock back to life? The top of the reciever has byf
x

43

On the left side of the gun it says Mod. 98

The serial number is 12304I

Thanks
Daren

 

[Jim K]

That rifle is a K.98k (Karabiner 98 kurz, or Carbine 98 short). It was made by Mauser at Oberndorf (code byf) in 1943. If it is truly unissued (which I doubt) it should have all the Nazi proof and inspection stamps, complete with swastikas, with none defaced or removed. The numbers should all match, including the bolt and stock, which will have the number across the bottom of the butt stock. The stock may be either walnut or laminated, more probably the latter.

The bolt handle is turned down and the stock has an area cut out for grasping it. The sight can flip up to 90 degrees and has numbers on the bottom so it can be adjusted without the soldier exposing himself to enemy fire.

In 1943, there could have been a mixture of stamped and milled parts, but offhand I can't say which parts would be which.

Jim

 

[Daren Thompson]

If this gun was issed it saw little use. Did they arsenal recon them? The numbers on the stock, reciever, trigger plate all match. All parts have a clearly vissible eagle with swastica. Some of the eagles have a number below them instead of the swastica. The bolt has numbers on it along with a faint eagle stamp with a number. The bolt has very small numbers on it that do not match the reciever, but I am not sure that they should as they are very small. If the number should match there are two sets stamped on the bolt. one set done very well right behind the chraging handle and the other (hand stamped maybe?) on the safety lever(very faint) The condition of the bore is bright and shiney. Anybody else know any more?


Later
daren

 

[cracked butt]

If you got it recently from SOG, I would guess that its probably a Russian capture. Hundreds of thousands of Germans carried these to the eastern front and not many of them made their way back home. The Russians, not being wasteful people, reused these rifles. They melted down the ones in bad condition to make other weapons, and repaired and refitted the rest. The bolts on most of them probably don't match, but the Russians did know how to use headspace guages and put bolts back in rifles that would make them in spec. You rifle probably doesn't have a sight hood or cleaning rod, as steel was scarce and these items weren't seen as critical accessories so they were melted down.

Are they rare or worth much- no. You cab also get K98's that were reworked or built postwar in czechoslovakia and Yugoslavia- many of these have the receiver markings and waffenampts ground off or new crests stamped on the receiver rings. This doesn't mean that they won't go up in value though, I hear alot of stories from old timers that after WWII you couldn't give a K98 away let alone get any money for one, nowadays, a matching K98 with its original markings in good condition is worth alot of money.


Your rifle should be a good shooter, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it with good quality ammo or handloads, you might be really suprised how well it shoots.

 

[Zangetsu]

About how rare is a K98 coming from 1942, in very good condition (only defect I can find is where someone scratched their name into the stock) with all matching serial numbers? To be more specific, it has a M33/40 stamp on it as well.

 

[Vaarok]

A Gew 33/40 is not a K-98. It's a much rarer and more valuable Czechoslovakian-made Nazi-issued carbine if it's in unaltered condition.

 

[Jim Watson]

Agreed, the G33-40 is the German occupation version of the G33 Czech mountain carbine.
Not only short, it has several machining operations and cuts to reduce weight. Back when they were just another cheap Nazi surplus rifle, a lot of them were stripped to the action and used to built lightweight hunting rifles. If it has not been Bubbaed, leave it be, it is probably worth a bit of money these days.

 

[1944jimh]

K98 value

Sounds like you've have a nice rifle, but most of the value was lost when the importer stamped there name on it. Likely imported by CIA

 

[Jim K]

An "X" on the receiver indicates a Russian capture rifle. The Russian acceptance stamp was in theory crossed M1891 Moisin Nagant rifles, but usually it just looks like an "X" with the lower arms slightly larger (butt stocks) than the upper.

Jim