Fake K98 - What is it really?

[dre271]

So, I got this fake K98 many years ago in a package deal. So what was this rifle before bubba got a stamping tool and the ambitions to make a couple of bucks.

I believe that there are a couple Yugo parts on this ugly girl. Place your wagers...

 

[yellowsled]

I'm not a Mauser expert, but the stock carving is obviously added by bubba... Idk about the metal..

 

[-Z/28-]

Front barrel band looks wrong. The bayonet lug looks funny too. Definitely too many Nazi markings.

 

[ThePhantomPatriot]

What's "fake" about it? Just the stock markings and that sheet metal on the barrel?

Just wondering because one of my former neighbors inherited a Mauser that had been reworked, I was able to find out some of the history on the interwebs. It was rebored to fire .30-06 and it had a sporterized stock.

Here were my notes:
eight marking
czechoslovokian arms factory, inc., brno
http://www.gunboards.com/sites/mrj2003/Czech/Czech.htm#Top_Czech_Markings

K98 German reworked after WWII

Serial 1257- 53,827 produced in 1939 in Berlin @ Suhler Waffenfabrik (weapon factory) BSW

 

[dre271]

Gotcha, I have not done too much research on the rifle, the stock turned me off initially.

 

[ThePhantomPatriot]

Is it still the Mauser caliber or has it been redone as well?

 

[DarthZed]

Front barrel band looks homemade. The bayonet lug looks funny too. Definitely too many Nazi markings.

How can you tell when there are too many stampings? That old Nazi Mauser I bought from Classic had like 5 Waffen marks on it in various places. Is there someplace where they are not supposed to be? I know nothing about Mausers. You could have sold it to me as a collectible, and I wouldn't know any better.

 

[Drmsparks]

Are you sure it was a bubbha rebore? didn't some of the lowlands (belgium?) use a 3006 Mauser after the war?

The stock marking is an obvious fake but there are plenty of good stocks out there and barrel bands are cheap.

It's definitely fixable.

What's "fake" about it? Just the stock markings and that sheet metal on the barrel?

Just wondering because one of my former neighbors inherited a Mauser that had been reworked, I was able to find out some of the history on the interwebs. It was rebored to fire .30-06 and it had a sporterized stock.

Here were my notes:
eight marking
czechoslovokian arms factory, inc., brno
http://www.gunboards.com/sites/mrj2003/Czech/Czech.htm#Top_Czech_Markings

K98 German reworked after WWII

Serial 1257- 53,827 produced in 1939 in Berlin @ Suhler Waffenfabrik (weapon factory) BSW

 

[-Z/28-]

How can you tell when there are too many stampings? That old Nazi Mauser I bought from Classic had like 5 Waffen marks on it in various places. Is there someplace where they are not supposed to be? I know nothing about Mausers. You could have sold it to me as a collectible, and I wouldn't know any better.

Well the eagle on the stock is definitely added. Way too crude and large to be real. Could be "trench art", but I'm betting on a bubba trying to add value. Also I don't recognize the stampings on the bottom plate. Now the Waffenamts on the receiver and barrel are correct.

@dre: You're missing a retaining screw

 

[Oldcarjunkie]

Stock is fake but rest seems legit for a Mauser.

 

[BBQ1]

What is the factory code and year stamped on the top of the receiver ring ?

 

[Machodoc]

Now the Waffenamts on the receiver and barrel are correct.

Yeah ... they looked good to me. I was surprised, because the stock markings look pretty crappy. We can all be surprised by something new, though, and this one may hold some surprises. Whoever Bubba-ed up the stock went to a lot of trouble doing it.

 

[MilsurpDan]

Are you sure it was a bubbha rebore? didn't some of the lowlands (belgium?) use a 3006 Mauser after the war?

Norway converted most of the K98k rifles captured or left over from the German occupation to 30.06 caliber. Could be one of those but its hard to tell without pictures. Sounds like its just a bubba job though

 

[MilsurpDan]

Its hard to say exactly whats messed up with the rifle besides the obvious faked markings on the stock and it looks to have been sanded and varnished. The metal looks like somebody buffed it especially on the barrel bands and bayonet lug. Also I don't think that the Germans stamped the serial number on the side of the stock like that, i think they usually did that on the underside of the stock depending on who manufactured it. Seems like something the Yugos, Russians, Romanians, etc. would stamp the serial number on the side of the stock postwar. Also, the front barrel band is a late war type, it should not be on a rifle with an earlier walnut stock with a flat buttplate as far as I know. I could be wrong though, K98ks have so many different variations I could never be too sure. Whats the code on the receiver?

 

[tttongli]

The stock looks Yogo-ish.

do you want to get rid of it?

 

[Kondor]

Everything about this Mauser appears to be 100% original...except for the blasphemous stock cartouche.

Besides that, the front barrel band is late war, and all the other waffenamts and 'dirty birds' are legit.

 

[Funbrit]

Looks like an legit K98 RC to me and I agree with Kondor it has a late war band and missing the capture screws.

 

[Chaunsey]

looks completely legit other than that stupid stock carving, which was a pathetic attempt to make the stock match the rifle.

would like to see the receiver ring for the code and possible russian capture mark.


if its a russian capture, the stamped barrel band is pretty normal as any part can be found on any given rifle with RC's.

the sight hood is likely a repro if this is an RC, and even if not, at least in that picture, it looks like hte finish wear doesnt match with the rest of the rifle so its at least a replacement, but most likely a repro, most are since the russkies scrapped the originals.


its too bad about the stock, its a very nice stock, and the stock disc has unit markings, the N prefix meaning the rifle saw service in norway or nearby.

if its an RC you could always keep an eye out for a new stock and replace it, an RC will not have a matching stock anyway, so putting an unmolested RC stock on it would be more correct and actually increase its value.

these days a stock would not be real cheap though i imagine, so its probably not worth the cost.

 

[dre271]

Couple more pics

Thanks for all the info. I never really looked at what I had... This is all encouraging.

I assume it cannot hurt to remove the poly and sand the cheesy swastika off the stock and apply a couple coats of BLO?

 

[bbrown]

its too bad about the stock, its a very nice stock, and the stock disc has unit markings, the N prefix meaning the rifle saw service in norway or nearby.

IIRC, the script-N is a marking for the North Sea Fleet. You definitely see that on Kriegsmarine-issue bayonets.