K98 question

damosan · May 29, 2017

I picked up my grandfathers 98 over the weekend. He got it from another vet he served with back in the early 80s. He was told that the rifle came home with him in 45.

He was told that it was a German arsenal rebuild. So it's not a matching rifle at all.

It's a byf 44 with appropriate stamps everywhere but it's a parts gun. Milled parts vs stamped, etc.

I'm good with that. What's weird is that it has two sets of stamped serial numbers. It has a 5 digit set on the left side with the eagle.

On the right side there is a string of 6 digits in the same font. They are approximately the same age based on wear.

The rifle is in good shape and I'll shoot the hell out of it. I'm just wondering on the two serials.

Thanks.

rseymorejr · May 29, 2017

The best part is that it belonged to your Grandfather!

Doco Overboard · May 29, 2017

I think the 7 to the right of the numbers on the left side of the ring is the rebuild code, the ones on the right 9 (of the ring may be subcontract numbers). Somebody on here will most likely know.

damosan · May 29, 2017

rseymorejr said:
The best part is that it belonged to your Grandfather!

Oh definitely.

The short version goes like this.

My gramps had some developed film from some combat photographer. He was apparently a semi-famous guy. Who knows.

This other guy rotating back knew gramps had this film. It magically went missing from the duffle when they landed in the states.

Fast forward a few years and gramps is at an 8th Air Force reunion and this guy walks up to him and hands him the rifle out of the blue. Gramps got the backstory in the gun and the guy jets.

Gramps sort of assumed this was the dudes way of saying sorry.

D.

MilsurpDan · May 29, 2017

Do you have any other pictures of the rifle that you can post? Like of the entire rifle overall and any stock markings. Is there anything stamped on the buttplate? I might be able to help a little bit.

The K98k forum on Gunboards is probably one of, if not the best K98k forum on the web. I'd post pictures there also.

damosan · Jul 1, 2017

I'm told the "7" is actually a build code of "L" placing its construction in Dec 44 to Jan 45.

Also the six digits on the right of the ring are the first three and last three of the vets service number.

Combloc · Jul 1, 2017

Need many more pictures before we can tell you just what you have.

Straightbolt · Jul 1, 2017

Yugo Capture ?
As stated need more pics

damosan · Jul 2, 2017

I posted a thread over at k98kforum.com. More pics, etc. I think the guy who brought it back (he was Army Air Force) probably bought this off a local guy who was putting parts together to make a buck after the Germans surrendered.

I contacted NARA with regards to the service number (or what I think the service number is) and the initials. The email was rather hilarious -- "Yeah I'm looking for a WW2 Army Airforce vet with a service number like XXXYYY or XXX ending in YYY with initials of ABC -- I'm interested in the paperwork he had filled out to bring back a rifle from Europe."

NARA, in all their wisdom (and I agree with this), said they got a hit on the papers BUT couldn't release them without the family's permission. I'm down with that.

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?27162-BYF-44-question&p=196121

Combloc · Jul 3, 2017

It looks like the butt plate is blued?? That rifle is almost certainly a post war rework by someone other than Germany or built from old parts. It for sure wasn't done by Germans for Germans and is almost certainly was not brought home in 1945 like that.

damosan · Jul 3, 2017

Combloc said:
It looks like the butt plate is blued?? That rifle is almost certainly a post war rework by someone other than Germany or built from old parts. It for sure wasn't done by Germans for Germans and is almost certainly was not brought home in 1945 like that.

Not having been in Germany in 1945 I'm leery to make such statements with any certainty. They certainly were producing rifles the correct way - but I'm also pretty sure that in January of 45 some rifles were simply put together from a pile of parts and thrown out the door.

That said I agree with you - I don't believe it was built by a German for Germans. *If* the rifle was brought back from Europe I suspect someone was slinging together parts to make a buck.

Was there a (large) commercial market for mix masters in the late 1970s? As I said someone gave it to my grandfather, out of the blue, at an Army Air Force reunion in the early 80s.

At the end of the day it's gramp's gun and it shoots well so it really doesn't matter. He was given the rifle by another vet who I suspect was trying to clear his conscience of something - so he came up with a story on it. Gramps just laughed about it and put it in the closet.

I have another k98 that's mostly matching (everything but the floor plate and follower) so I get how people are with these things.

D.

K-43 · Jul 6, 2017

Enjoy it. If the story your Grandfather was told isn't true, so what? The story he told you about the film and being given the rilfe later is probably true. It did belong to your grandfather who was a WWII Vet and he like it.
My buddy has a chopped up "sporterized" 98 his Dad purchased in the 1960s. It is mixed parts, WWII barrelled reciever, bolt is a half bent down straight bolt and not even German, stock is chopped with WWI style rear sling loop, no handgaurd or barrel band on it. No one can convince him it isn't "original" because he doesn't care. It was his dad's.

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