Help with Mauser 98 from auction

[Flyboy73]

I was at a auction yesterday and picked up I am pretty sure a masuer 98. I picked it for $150 as a project gun. Maybe a new stock and hand guard so its back to orginal look.

Its dated 1936 with S/243 with a 23 1/4 barrel

Is the S/243 a factory code and if so what factory.

I am guessing its a pre WWII K98. Maybe a vet bring back and some bubberzing with a cut in half stock.

Are pre WWII 98 more rarer than WWII production.

Any info would be appreaciated.

Brion

 

[jlmurphy]

The book "Mauser Bolt Rifles" by Ludwig Olsen says your rifle was made in 1936 by Mauser-Werk,A.-G., Werk Borsigwalde, Berlin-Borsigwalde, Eichborndamm. The side receiver marking is an early Waffenamt ( ordnance ) stamp, with the eagle having drooped wings. Hope that helps.

 

[Limeyfellow]

You have a sporterised Kar98k.

S/243 is a production marking for the factory it came from. In this case it stands for Mauser-Werke AG, Werk Borsigwalde, Berlin-Borsigwalde, Eichborndamm.

1936 is the year of production.

8154a is the serial number.

That funny symbol infront of the 8154a is a German Waffenamt stamp.

 

[Ian Sean]

Looks good, not bubba'd to bad at all.

New stock/handgaurd...metal for the stock etc...Numrich should have everything you need to fix her up to original look.

 

[Flyboy73]

I see there are two type of buttplates a cuped and flat one. Which one would be correct for a early model 98?

Brion

 

[Limeyfellow]

Early ones tend to come with the cupped plate.

 

[byf43]

Flyboy73 wrote:

I see there are two type of buttplates a cuped and flat one. Which one would be correct for a early model 98?

Brion,

Your S/243, according to the book "Backbone of the Wehrmacht" by Richard D. Law, (page 44) your rifle should have a solid walnut stock (polished and stained) with a flat buttplate.
Your rifle should also have a milled "H" configuration Upper Band on the stock and a milled Lower Band.

 

[byf43]

Limeyfellow wrote:

Early ones tend to come with the cupped plate.

For Russian Capture (RC) rifles, anything goes.

As for what should be on the rifle (as they left the appropriate factory) the first correct 'cupped' buttplate was shown as being in 1940, from the "660" coded (early 1940) Steyr - Daimler-Puch AG rifles and the later 1940 "BNZ" coded Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG rifles.

Reference "Backbone of the Wehrmacht" by Richard D. Law, (ppgs 164-165).

1940 is about the middle year of production, possibly considered late-early years.
Whatever the case, I am no expert on the K98k, nor do I profess to be one.

Thanks for reading.

 

[cracked butt]

The earlier rifles have flat buttplates. The cupped buttplates are stamped, cheaper to make, and came later. Some of the rational behind the cupped buttplate is to help prevent the laminated stocks from delaminating from the butt end.

 

[4fingermick]

You could make the ifle look a lot better by cutting the forend square (don't make it any shorter, it is short enough believe me) and fitting a forend tip that was a darker biy of wood. Cut a template of the new forend 'end' where you have cut it off, mark a couple of dowel holes and fit the new tip with the dowels and wood glue. Trim the new tip after you fit it, then it doesn't matter if you drill the holes off a bit.

 

[Flyboy73]

I oreded a new stock, handguard and metal from Numerich. I think the rifle is a bring back and not one the russian captures on the market right now.

Glad to save the gun from being bubba'd. Hopelly the gun will look close to orginal when i am done.

Brion