Onwrd Farm
Ultimate Member
I thought for sure it was being as shiny as it is. But yes it does have a very nice grain.
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I thought for sure it was being as shiny as it is. But yes it does have a very nice grain.
Onwrd Farm
Ultimate Member
I got this from Alan’s Armory about 10 days ago, described accurately as a German Kar 98 with a Czech VZ 24 stock and damaged Kar 98 upper hand-guard. Sold for $160 as a project gun because it appeared to be in quite rough condition. It was a pretty nice project, not too difficult, no real repairs, just taking it apart and cleaning, removing rust, etc. Conservative cleaning and some light BLO on the stock as much to strengthen the wood as for appearances. The rifle did not come apart easily due to rust and corrosion but went back together with no problem.
Although produced as a Kar 98 it is really de facto a Czech gun. The receiver and barrel were assembled at the Brno factory (dot) in Bohemia in 1944 under German occupation (barrel according to the barrel mark “JK” made either in Germany or Hungary.) The Waffenamt marks are peened. The peened mark on the top of the receiver between the “dot” and “1944” could be an SS rune as it is a large peening and those appeared there. Almost certainly at the time when it came off the production line it was mated with a Kar 98 stock. But at some later time it was mounted on a VZ 24 Czech stock with a Kar 98 upper handguard. So most of the gun is Czech.
Interesting to guess at how it got into its present condition. I suspect that the original Kar 98 ended up in Yugoslavia after the war, tossed into one of Marshal Tito’s more obscure armories to await the apocalypse. I say this because Alan’s seems to get a lot of ex-Yugoslav Mausers, some marked as such, some just described as “rearsenaled” from somewhere. I bought one about a year ago with three “kill marks” on the stock—something that you would not likely see on an original German Kar98 or even Russian rebuild, but which I can easily believe was done by some Balkan gunman sniping a people crossing a bridge in Bosnia.
Anyway, this gun was in rough condition and has some elements that make me think that the original Kar98 only made it as far as the fall of Yugoslavia. Then some Balkan guy took it out of the armory (or the original got messed up in Balkan fighting) and the receiver/barrel was rearsenaled. The armorer grabbed a VZ 24 stock and mated it with the receiver. There would likely be a lot of VZ 24 stocks in former Yugo as it was one of the first major customers of these Czech guns in the 1920/30s. He then threw on a Kar 98 handguard, which was either already damaged or got that way. He forced on a Czech barrel band (screw messed up hard to remove) and viola—a mongrel of a Kar98.
Now the oddest part. Having done all this he had to record the force match of the receiver to the stock. He peens out the original VZ 24 stock markings and then looks at the receiver for a serial number. He sees the manufacture date “1944” and that is good enough for him—he cuts that into the stock. A real mutt of a gun. Have yet to shoot it—maybe tomorrow—but seems to function ok.
Although produced as a Kar 98 it is really de facto a Czech gun. The receiver and barrel were assembled at the Brno factory (dot) in Bohemia in 1944 under German occupation (barrel according to the barrel mark “JK” made either in Germany or Hungary.) The Waffenamt marks are peened. The peened mark on the top of the receiver between the “dot” and “1944” could be an SS rune as it is a large peening and those appeared there. Almost certainly at the time when it came off the production line it was mated with a Kar 98 stock. But at some later time it was mounted on a VZ 24 Czech stock with a Kar 98 upper handguard. So most of the gun is Czech.
Interesting to guess at how it got into its present condition. I suspect that the original Kar 98 ended up in Yugoslavia after the war, tossed into one of Marshal Tito’s more obscure armories to await the apocalypse. I say this because Alan’s seems to get a lot of ex-Yugoslav Mausers, some marked as such, some just described as “rearsenaled” from somewhere. I bought one about a year ago with three “kill marks” on the stock—something that you would not likely see on an original German Kar98 or even Russian rebuild, but which I can easily believe was done by some Balkan gunman sniping a people crossing a bridge in Bosnia.
Anyway, this gun was in rough condition and has some elements that make me think that the original Kar98 only made it as far as the fall of Yugoslavia. Then some Balkan guy took it out of the armory (or the original got messed up in Balkan fighting) and the receiver/barrel was rearsenaled. The armorer grabbed a VZ 24 stock and mated it with the receiver. There would likely be a lot of VZ 24 stocks in former Yugo as it was one of the first major customers of these Czech guns in the 1920/30s. He then threw on a Kar 98 handguard, which was either already damaged or got that way. He forced on a Czech barrel band (screw messed up hard to remove) and viola—a mongrel of a Kar98.
Now the oddest part. Having done all this he had to record the force match of the receiver to the stock. He peens out the original VZ 24 stock markings and then looks at the receiver for a serial number. He sees the manufacture date “1944” and that is good enough for him—he cuts that into the stock. A real mutt of a gun. Have yet to shoot it—maybe tomorrow—but seems to function ok.
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yellowsled
Retired C&R Addict
160 was still a bargain. I like...
CasualObserver
Who Observes the Observer
Nice work jkeiler.... Hope she turns out to be a decent shooter for you.
smoothebore
Active Member
Cool that they stamped your initials on it.
toolness1
Ultimate Member
I would have been SUPER happy to pay that amount for such a cool rifle. Looks like a Bargain to me, I didn't see you mention it, how is the bore?
Thanks for the comments.
Yeah, it's weird about the initials, couldn't see them when I bought it, and in fact had to scrub away a lot of grime to make out the K at all. If I had seen the initials from the start, that would have clinched the sale even sooner.
Bore looks fair, very dirty and pitted with frost, but cleaned up somewhat well. Shows good rifling along with the pits. I don't have great hopes for it, but maybe will get it out in an hour or two and see.
Overall an oddball rifle but still a Mauser.
Yeah, it's weird about the initials, couldn't see them when I bought it, and in fact had to scrub away a lot of grime to make out the K at all. If I had seen the initials from the start, that would have clinched the sale even sooner.
Bore looks fair, very dirty and pitted with frost, but cleaned up somewhat well. Shows good rifling along with the pits. I don't have great hopes for it, but maybe will get it out in an hour or two and see.
Overall an oddball rifle but still a Mauser.
reverendbeer
Stiff Member
Interesting experience at the range with the Czech/German 98K/VZ 24 rifle I posted about earlier.
Initially, funtioned ok with exception of extractor. It pulled out the case but would not throw it. Occassionally with a real hard pull of the bolt it would throw the case an inch or two--not unlike some Enfields--but mostly I just had to pull them out. I'd suspected there might be a problem when I broke down the bolt just after I got the rifle. The extractor would not come off, and did not move smoothly around the bolt. I gave up on trying to wiggle it off. Now I'll try again, and maybe have to think about replacing it.
Now for the shooting itself. First pic is 10 shots standing offhand at 25 yards. Not too bad especially considering I am a mediocre shot, especially shooting rifle offhand (doing Appleseed in a week to work on that.)
Second pic is 4 rounds from a rest at 50 yards. God knows where the 4th one went. I could tell something was wrong after I shot, and sure enough, the whole (98K) front handguard had come off, and the barrel band was just hanging there. Obviously, the barrel band had slowly been working its way off as I shot (stupidly not noticing) helped by the heat and recent BLO applications.
Dumb on my part not to notice until the end, or to let the BLO cure a bit more. But it also explains the biggest problem I had with the rifle after I got it, which was removing that same barrel band. Whoever put it on torqued the nut on the bolt so hard that the bolt itself eventually bent so that I could not get it out. Getting the nut off required days of soaking in oil and solvents. That allowed me to tap the band off and put it back on. When I put it back, I did not tighten the bolt to the same extreme, with the result at the range.
Maybe this will happen no matter how much I tighten the bolt. After all, this is a 98K handguard on a VZ 24 stock with a VZ 24 barrel band. I guess not a good combination. I am not upset though. I bought this as a project gun, and now the project must go on.
Initially, funtioned ok with exception of extractor. It pulled out the case but would not throw it. Occassionally with a real hard pull of the bolt it would throw the case an inch or two--not unlike some Enfields--but mostly I just had to pull them out. I'd suspected there might be a problem when I broke down the bolt just after I got the rifle. The extractor would not come off, and did not move smoothly around the bolt. I gave up on trying to wiggle it off. Now I'll try again, and maybe have to think about replacing it.
Now for the shooting itself. First pic is 10 shots standing offhand at 25 yards. Not too bad especially considering I am a mediocre shot, especially shooting rifle offhand (doing Appleseed in a week to work on that.)
Second pic is 4 rounds from a rest at 50 yards. God knows where the 4th one went. I could tell something was wrong after I shot, and sure enough, the whole (98K) front handguard had come off, and the barrel band was just hanging there. Obviously, the barrel band had slowly been working its way off as I shot (stupidly not noticing) helped by the heat and recent BLO applications.
Dumb on my part not to notice until the end, or to let the BLO cure a bit more. But it also explains the biggest problem I had with the rifle after I got it, which was removing that same barrel band. Whoever put it on torqued the nut on the bolt so hard that the bolt itself eventually bent so that I could not get it out. Getting the nut off required days of soaking in oil and solvents. That allowed me to tap the band off and put it back on. When I put it back, I did not tighten the bolt to the same extreme, with the result at the range.
Maybe this will happen no matter how much I tighten the bolt. After all, this is a 98K handguard on a VZ 24 stock with a VZ 24 barrel band. I guess not a good combination. I am not upset though. I bought this as a project gun, and now the project must go on.
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Oldcarjunkie
R.I.P
Good thread idea
My new Swiss rifle pig sticker from the recent Cope's Distributing July 4th sale.
Model 1914 Pioneer Bayonet (top) and one of my older 1918 bayonets for size comparison.
The Model 1914 bayonet was issued with the K31 rifle to the following select troops.
Blade Length - 18.9"
Handle Length - 4.9"
Total Length - 24"
Model 1914 Pioneer Bayonet (top) and one of my older 1918 bayonets for size comparison.
The Model 1914 bayonet was issued with the K31 rifle to the following select troops.
- Genie Truppen (Engineers)
- Fahrerkorporale und beritten Wacthmeister der Artillerie (Driver Corporals and mounted artillery Sergeants)
- Hufschmeid, Hufschmeid -Gefreite, -Korporal, -wacthmeister (blacksmiths, blacksmith Private First Classes or lance corporal, blacksmith Sergeants.)
- Trainsoldaten, traingefreite, trainkorporal, trainwacthmeister (Horse transport soldiers, PFCs, corporals and sergeants)
- Sattlers (Saddle makers)
- Fahrer Feld Artillerie, Fahrer Feld Haubitze, Fahrer Schwer Feld Haubitze (Drivers for Motorized Field Artillery, Howitzers and Heavy Howitzers)
Blade Length - 18.9"
Handle Length - 4.9"
Total Length - 24"
My new Swiss rifle pig sticker from the recent Cope's Distributing July 4th sale.
Model 1914 Pioneer Bayonet (top) and one of my older 1918 bayonets for size comparison.
The Model 1914 bayonet was issued with the K31 rifle to the following select troops.
- Genie Truppen (Engineers)
- Fahrerkorporale und beritten Wacthmeister der Artillerie (Driver Corporals and mounted artillery Sergeants)
- Hufschmeid, Hufschmeid -Gefreite, -Korporal, -wacthmeister (blacksmiths, blacksmith Private First Classes or lance corporal, blacksmith Sergeants.)
- Trainsoldaten, traingefreite, trainkorporal, trainwacthmeister (Horse transport soldiers, PFCs, corporals and sergeants)
- Sattlers (Saddle makers)
- Fahrer Feld Artillerie, Fahrer Feld Haubitze, Fahrer Schwer Feld Haubitze (Drivers for Motorized Field Artillery, Howitzers and Heavy Howitzers)
Blade Length - 18.9"
Handle Length - 4.9"
Total Length - 24"
Holy shit that's nice. How much was shipping?
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Thanks, which maker did you get?m also, what is the free shipping code?
Free shipping is FREE50
I bought this one (Waffenfabrik Neuhausen mfgr is what I received of the 3 options):
http://www.copesdistributing.com/ju...14-pioneer-bayonet-w1906-scabbard-p-7829.html
They also have the 1914 with metal scabbard, and the 1906. All for the same price.
I bought this one (Waffenfabrik Neuhausen mfgr is what I received of the 3 options):
http://www.copesdistributing.com/ju...14-pioneer-bayonet-w1906-scabbard-p-7829.html
They also have the 1914 with metal scabbard, and the 1906. All for the same price.
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Royal Tiger SKS
Took a chance on one of those Royal Tiger SKS's with their 'no returns' policy. Even the box was soaked with cosmo, but on first glance I 'm happy. Looks to be an all-matching E-prefix Sino-Soviet; no cracks in the wood but lots of character, with bayonet. Overall in pretty decent shape, will be cleaning it up later today and checking the bore, but I suspect that will be in pretty good shape as well. I don't think I'm worried about the 'no return' policy.
Took a chance on one of those Royal Tiger SKS's with their 'no returns' policy. Even the box was soaked with cosmo, but on first glance I 'm happy. Looks to be an all-matching E-prefix Sino-Soviet; no cracks in the wood but lots of character, with bayonet. Overall in pretty decent shape, will be cleaning it up later today and checking the bore, but I suspect that will be in pretty good shape as well. I don't think I'm worried about the 'no return' policy.
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