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Going price on a K98a?

Kcode98

Well-known member
Well I found a local gun shop that had 1 or 2, I can't remember. I didn't look at them because I was in a rush, but I do remember the curved rod under the rifle. How hard are these to come by and what is the going price on one? I know I don't have any details or pictures but I would like to just get an idea if I could, and figured here would be the best place to ask.
 
These types of questions are impossible to answer with so little information, - $100-$2000 or more...

If it has the stacking hook that is a good sign I guess, but you will have to at least look at them and get the basics, maker-date, what matches, stock condition, finish on bolt (should be bright metal if WWI). Generally what applies to the Gewehr98 in what to look for applies to the 98a at least as much. Though mismatch is a much bigger issue with them, - they take a huge hit if it has stock problems, and personally if the stock is m/m or is nasty, you would do best avoiding them.
 
Great information Loewe! I will have to go back sometime and check them out. Now I know some of what to look for. :thumbsup:
 
They were used by all sorts of oddball outfits after WWI and the appropriate markings (on receiver, or stock, or buttplate) can factor in as well.
 
They were used by all sorts of oddball outfits after WWI and the appropriate markings (on receiver, or stock, or buttplate) can factor in as well.

Such as? And what are some things to look for? I need a crash course on K98a's! :facepalm:
 
Such as? And what are some things to look for? I need a crash course on K98a's! :facepalm:

I'm looking at one in a local gunshop that the guy has priced at $375. It's an Erfurt 1918 with the 1920 acceptance stamp on the receiver and stock. It's a birch stock that appears to have been arsenal refinished. The biggest issue is that it has a K98k bolt. I'm thinking that it still might be worth what he is asking since it still has the front stacking hook and looks very correct and shootable.
 
How do you tell if it has a correct bolt or not? (assuming the numbers don't match on the rifle)

Also this does shoot the 8mm round right? I would like to learn as much as possible before I go back.
 
The two rifles (Kar.98a and Gewehr98 - 98k too, though originally the Imperial rifles were designed for S patrone, they will all shoot sS patrone fine, most interwar rifles will have a rearsight designed for the sS patrone anyway) use the same ammunition, the bolts are interchangeable, though have different handles. The Gewehr98 has a straight handle, the 98a a curved bend that is different than the 98k, and has a flattened handle knob that is checkered.

CB's comments relate to the unit markings and the associated interwar service the Kar.98a is known for (police and training). Generally, look at the buttplate, top tang usually but can be on the main part of the buttplate, here there is sometimes unit markings, they can influence value significantly if the rifle is original. The take down also sometimes has a unit marking, though it will be an interwar unit marking and often police or training related. Stocks can have markings too, HH recently had a "G.A.L." marked 98a, not sure what it represents but it is typical of the possibilities, which seem endless, - PwB, EWB, REV are known on stocks, RFV and DR are known on the buttplates, the purpose of these are known, but other possibilities exist and the interwar Gewehr98's have several other organizational markings not yet seen on Kar.98a.

The $375 98a sounds like a bargain as described, though only an examination of the rifle will tell. Interwar rifles are generally not as valuable as Imperial rifles, though interwar rifles that are 100% matching are rather rare, ones with rare or unusual markings can be worth significantly more to the right collector but matching is more important when it comes to a rifle having any value. (simple fact is a mismatched interwar rifle, even with nice markings, will generally be worth much less than a matching rifle and often less than $300 to most collectors. I wouldn't buy a interwar rifle that the stock is mismatched, they really aren't worth much and are hard to flip - usually they are worth more parted out, usually much more...)
 
Also I've seen the date (usually 1920) stamped above the original marking and date. Does that affect value any?
 
I have an old computer and lousy internet service so I do not click on external links, especially these popular sites the youth seem to like so much... so not sure about the youtube site or how useful it is to this subject (typically history is best learned from old books, - history channel, television, the internet, and modern books are usually written by leftist retards, often “professors” with an agenda and lack of training in reality…).

The property marking isn't necessarily good or bad, it alone means nothing, though typically rifles that stayed in German hands were reworked and they consequently have less value to most collectors. The actual marking is discussed in a sticky thread in this forum, - it was a German marking used to differentiate rifles in government hands during the governments efforts to get military rifles out of civilian hands. It just means the rifle was government property at the time of the amnesty and buy back.
 

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