vanfunk
Member
Hi Folks,
I just had to post and tell you about my latest acquisition. Even a blind pig gets a truffle sometimes...
I was at my local gunmonger's establishment the other night, drooling over a pristine Winchester 1917 (gotta go back for that) when I spied this unassuming little Mauser k98k in the rack a few spaces over. At first I thought it was a Yugoslavian 98k rework 'cause it looked too nice at first glance. However, the receiver revealed that it was an unmolested byf 44, with, yuppers, all matching numbers on receiver, bolt, and bolt shroud. I found all waffenampts were where they should be (I almost took the stock for a fake - the eagles and "WaA 135" marks had razor-sharp edges). The bluing was original and 98%, with just a bit of fine, powdery rust on the receiver and exposed prtions of the barrel. The boltface showed no signs of being fired at all, and the bolt raceways and follower revealed only scarce signs of action cycling. The barrel was a mirror. The price? $375. I asked the trusty proprietor for the story..."That's a nice one, just came in from the son of the vet who brought it back. He says his dad took it out of a depot in France, brand-new right off the rack somewhere". Okay, buy the gun, not the story. I offered $350 and we were off to the cash register and the C&R on file.
Disassembly upon return home was exciting. The rifle is most undoubtedly correct and un-messed-with, and shows absolutely no signs of having ever been fired. After removing the action from the stock I found a very nicely repaired "duffle cut" behind the rear band, and, surprisingly, a 1936 US penny in the magazine well. The light rust came off easily with a little CLP and 0000 steel wool. The piece is a transitional model, with the "L" suffix on the S.N. denoting manufacture in December 1944. The rifle is not a "kriegsmodell", however, and has milled and welded barrel bands with retaining spring, and a bolt takedown disk in the stock. Sadly, the sling suffered a dry-rot self-destruction on the way home, but was obviously original to the rifle. Interestingly, this rifle and others of its ilk show final stock finishing after asembly - there's red stain on the barrel bands, stock disk and floorplate - even old brushstrokes are visible. The sight hood is still on and it hasn't budged in 60 years.
Similar rifles on the auction sites are routinely fetching 800-1200 bucks. I think I made out allright on this one.
I'm looking at the Mauser right now, propped against the sofa next to my 12-44 Winchester Garand, and I can't help but feel awed by their presence. I'm just amazed to think of the brothers of these two beasts facing off against eachother in the Ardennes, in Bastogne...
Sorry - got a little carried away there. But damn, these things sure do it to you, don't they?
Now I just have to go back and get that 1917 Winchester. I lost 5 Great-Uncles in WW I. One has the distinction of being the first American soldier (apparently) to have been run over by a tank in combat. He carried a '17.
Thanks for listening,
vanfunk
I just had to post and tell you about my latest acquisition. Even a blind pig gets a truffle sometimes...
I was at my local gunmonger's establishment the other night, drooling over a pristine Winchester 1917 (gotta go back for that) when I spied this unassuming little Mauser k98k in the rack a few spaces over. At first I thought it was a Yugoslavian 98k rework 'cause it looked too nice at first glance. However, the receiver revealed that it was an unmolested byf 44, with, yuppers, all matching numbers on receiver, bolt, and bolt shroud. I found all waffenampts were where they should be (I almost took the stock for a fake - the eagles and "WaA 135" marks had razor-sharp edges). The bluing was original and 98%, with just a bit of fine, powdery rust on the receiver and exposed prtions of the barrel. The boltface showed no signs of being fired at all, and the bolt raceways and follower revealed only scarce signs of action cycling. The barrel was a mirror. The price? $375. I asked the trusty proprietor for the story..."That's a nice one, just came in from the son of the vet who brought it back. He says his dad took it out of a depot in France, brand-new right off the rack somewhere". Okay, buy the gun, not the story. I offered $350 and we were off to the cash register and the C&R on file.
Disassembly upon return home was exciting. The rifle is most undoubtedly correct and un-messed-with, and shows absolutely no signs of having ever been fired. After removing the action from the stock I found a very nicely repaired "duffle cut" behind the rear band, and, surprisingly, a 1936 US penny in the magazine well. The light rust came off easily with a little CLP and 0000 steel wool. The piece is a transitional model, with the "L" suffix on the S.N. denoting manufacture in December 1944. The rifle is not a "kriegsmodell", however, and has milled and welded barrel bands with retaining spring, and a bolt takedown disk in the stock. Sadly, the sling suffered a dry-rot self-destruction on the way home, but was obviously original to the rifle. Interestingly, this rifle and others of its ilk show final stock finishing after asembly - there's red stain on the barrel bands, stock disk and floorplate - even old brushstrokes are visible. The sight hood is still on and it hasn't budged in 60 years.
Similar rifles on the auction sites are routinely fetching 800-1200 bucks. I think I made out allright on this one.
I'm looking at the Mauser right now, propped against the sofa next to my 12-44 Winchester Garand, and I can't help but feel awed by their presence. I'm just amazed to think of the brothers of these two beasts facing off against eachother in the Ardennes, in Bastogne...
Sorry - got a little carried away there. But damn, these things sure do it to you, don't they?
Now I just have to go back and get that 1917 Winchester. I lost 5 Great-Uncles in WW I. One has the distinction of being the first American soldier (apparently) to have been run over by a tank in combat. He carried a '17.
Thanks for listening,
vanfunk
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