Foundan old Mauser--Need help with identification

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rshackleford

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This rifle was pulled out of my grandfathers basement. I believe it is a "carry back" from World War II.

Can someone help me with the details pertaining to this rifles history?


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Wow! If that's really a Gew98 with genuine SS marks then it should fetch $1000 + . Not sure how legit those markings are though...........

You should probably post a pic or two on gunboard for identification. But what i can tell you right now you've got a WWI era Gew 98 long rifle in 8x57, please refrain from ANY modification.
 
This is genuine. It is a carry back and hasn't seen the light of day in forty years. Also found is a 9mm radom and fn baby browning along with a sportsterized mauser.

What is "gunboard"?
 
Gunboard's forum. It's a forum mostly concerned with military surplus , older style firearms, they have some VERY knowledgeable people on there.

all of the firearms you've mentioned above would fitch top dollars in today's market, i've been lusting over a Radom 9mm pistol for a long time.

Your Gew 98 seems to have all the proper Weimar inspection mark and would fit into a "SS converted Gew 98m" catagory. The theory is that in the earlier days of WWII the Wehrmacht got all the new K98ks and the SS/Waffen SS were handed the reworked WWI rifles.

again, check with Gunboards and experts on there to make sure you've got something genuine on hand. I have no doubts on your words but SS markings are one of the most faked markings on WWII era firearms.
 
That gun has so many confusing and contradictory marks that I am just confused. They just don't make sense.

It started out as a standard Gew. 98, in or before WWI. Probably after that war, it entered civilian life and appears to have been converted to some 10.?mm cartridge, since the barrel shoulder is marked to show a bore diameter of 10.2mm. It underwent commercial proof apparently with a steel jacket bullet of 157 grain (10,2 grams) bullet, which is not consistent with the 10.2mm bore. Then there are Weimar-era military eagles all over, stamped at random, plus the normal original inspection markings (one almost obliterated) on the right side of the receiver.

Then there is a number on the barrel that doesn't match anything, though the barrel serial number looks original.

Then we have the Totenkopf and the "SS" marking. And the original receiver markings on the top have been removed.

At some point, the barrel was shortened (or replaced), the bolt handle was turned down and the sights and stock replaced with those of K.98k configuration.

The first thing I would check is the actual caliber. After that, I would love to hear other ideas.

Jim
 
Gun Addict wrote: "The theory is that in the earlier days of WWII the Wehrmacht got all the new K98ks and the SS/Waffen SS were handed the reworked WWI rifles."

Well, if that really is an SS rifle, it sure was reworked. The real puzzler is the commercial proof and the 10.2 barrel marking.

Jim
 
Was the stock cut and repaired with tape under the barrel band? Or is that just left over storage wrappings? I

One of the 10,2 marks might be a mis-mark? if the SS/Wermacht 'supply chain' story is right the early SS didn't have 'army' armorers doing this work... it's possible they made mistakes.

Then again, that action saw some hard use based on the cracks.
 
That is indeed a duffle cut. (For those of you that don't know that's cutting the stock so the rifle and action will fit in a duffle bag home.)

It's impressive that for all the re-arsenaling it's still a 'matching' numbers rifle.
You can easily clean up the surface rust witha bronze brush and not hurt the bluing. You can apply a clear coat of paint to the 'in the white' butt of the rifle after it has been cleaned and degreased, that will help with it showing rust again.

It's sad that a matching numbered stock was cut, but I don't think it's affected the value much.

That barrel marking looks like it says 7,9 at the top (7.92mm or 8mm Mauser) and 10,2 on the right side. So it's a 8mm proofed for a 10.2 gram bullet. The armorer was being a tad overzealous with the stamps.
 
Jim is on track. The left side of the receiver and underside of the barrel bear commercial proofs. 13 grams would be the typical bullet weight for a 7.9X57 not 10.2 grams as indicated. The Imperial military marking indicate it was a full blown Gewehr '98 of course the arsenal and year of manufacture have been ground off. My guess is that post WW I it was reworked as a Wehrmann's rifle. This would be to comply with the Versailles Treaty for civilian use. A likely caliber, 8.15X46R (in the .32-40 class). Later it got another barrel and a more extensive re-birth as a 98K-style. As for the Totenkopf symbols, they are new to me. If I was betting I'd guess this gun was a civilian's or at least spent many of its middle years as a civilian
 
The 10,2 in the commercial proof would have been the bullet weight in grams. The barrel shoulder marking SHOULD be the bore diameter as checked with a plug gauge, but the bottom barrel marking does indicate 7.9. So, as I said before, that rifle has so many stamps that nothing makes a lot of sense. The OP still has not indicated the actual caliber; I wonder if it is 7.9.

Also, the stock has the original Gew. 98 sling swivel location patched and the new sling cut put in, indicating that it was the original Gew.98 stock, supporting the idea that the barrel probably is also original.

The cut under the band is a "duffle cut." But the broken stock ahead of the recoil lug may have another story. Backbone of the Wehrmacht has a picture of an American GI breaking up German equipment; he is swinging a K.98k at a tree trunk in a way that could result in that type of crack.

Then, I just noticed an even more interesting thing. The cut off piece of the foreend is numbered to match the receiver! Why don't I believe that a German worker knew that the rifle would be captured by an American and cut to fit in a duffle bag?

Somehow, a word keeps rattling around in my empty head. Humbug. Could someone with a bunch of stamps be having a bit of fun with an old rifle???

Jim
 
If someone faked this rifle it was done forty years ago as this is the first time it has been thought about since the 60's!

How do I check the caliber? Only tools I have access to are dial calipers.
 
Gently drive an oversized lead slug through the barrel is "slugging" the barrel. Your calipers should confirm .323 as an S bore caliber. If it measures .318 comeback and ask more questions. I doubt it or the chamber dimensions are an issue. But if you wish to check..............

A common technique involves an old tire and 30' of closeline to remote fire the sucker.
 
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