Nazi kar 98, what is worth??

[black bear]

A previous thread it was established that I have a Mauser kar 98, as seen in this thread:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=143540

It wetted my appetite to know more about it and the value. As I understand the Nazi marked 98 are collector's items.

Over the barrel next to the bridge there are some markings, probably to the unit that it was assigned.
It says 2E20 or probably 42E20 or if it is not a number 4 it is something like a + 2E20

I took a picture of it after smearing some gold into the numbers so they show up better, but the 0 don't show well in the picture.







The wood is pristine as is the rest of the rifle and barrel.
Very interested to know the value.
Thanks
Best regards
black bear

 

[armoredman]

Don't now the value, just that you have a gorgeous rifle - color me envious.

 

[Scoupe]

Soviet captured and refurbished K98s go for $179-$250. Non-import marked, non-Soviet captured K98k's with non-matching bolts tend to go $350-$450. A bnz with SS runes could go double that with matching bolt.

The wood looks a little too good to be true on yours, might have been "helped" a little along the way. But if it's not import marked, I'd still say it would start above $300.

Very nice looking K98k!

 

[black bear]

Armorredman and Scoup
Thank you for the information.
Best regards
black bear

 

[Jim K]

AFAIK, that barrel marking is not German and not original to the rifle. Remember that after WWII, K.98k's were scattered throughout the world. The Yugoslavs rebuilt thousands. The Czechs had tons in storage, many of which went to "revolutionary" movements from Vietnam to Latin America. The Russians also had hundreds of thousands in storage. Israel obtained hundreds of thousands, and rebarrelled many to 7.62 NATO. And so forth.

Many users added their own markings, perhaps unit marks, perhaps for some other purpose, so the meaning of the marking is open to discussion, speculation, or better info. It does decrease the value a little, but my guess on that rifle would be in the $600 range.

Jim

 

[black bear]

Jim Keenan

Jim, thank you for your evaluation, but I have send picture by E-mail to a Mauser collector and with respect to the numbers in the barrel smeared with gold, he has this to say:

The 42E20 on the barrel is the
>barrel
>codes. It says who made it in what year and where the steel came from.
If
>the little eagle number proof beside the 42E20 is eagle over 135 then
it
>was
>made by Mauser Oberndorf along with the rest of the rifle. Sometimes
>subassemblies where contracted out.

Well it happens that the Eagle have the number 135, so the barrel was made by Mauser Oberndorf.

I have dissasembled the rifle and took about fifteen pictures, all numbers match everywhere, even inside the stock and the hand guard, even inside the rear sight. The barrel is pristine, as good and bright as a barrel from a brand new gun.
So the wood is original to this rifle and all the parts are original and marked with the serial number.
If anybody is interested I can post more pictures of individual parts.





Thank you for your help, I am very exited with this gun!!
Best regards
black bear

 

[Jim K]

I believe your informant is correct and I was wrong. I have seen those "band" markings, but not quite in that form. More common is the date and a 2-3 letter code indicating the barrel maker. I have seen the Bo (umlaut o) indicating Bohler steel, but the E20 is a new one on me, which is why I thought it was not original. Perhaps your collector friend will be able to positively determine the full meaning.

My apology for the error.

Jim