Here is an interesting and sad tale. I was on trading forum today and saw an advertisement for a 98 Model Mauser. This caught my attention and I clicked on the link. The seller described it as a K98 Chinese refurb with a link to a photo bucket. Knowing that the Chinese ordered several Mauser Banner rifles and received RC’s to supply the N. Koreans and Vietnamese I decided to check it out (remember when these RC’s commanded high three figure and low four figure sales prices before the collapse of the Iron Curtain).
To my surprise the rifle wasn’t a K98 at all. At first I thought it was a VZ24 but after closer inspection I realized it was a G33/40.
The stock is not correct and is Chinese marked and has Chinese produced Mauser bands. The bolt is also some type of mix-match, but the receiver, barrel and rear sight clearly have G33/40 heritage.
Knowing that the G33’s are not rare but do command a premium collectors price I asked the guy how much he was asking for the rifle, $350 CAN was the reply.
Tempted to work on this as a project rifle, I attached his clearest pic, the rest were not that good. I am trying to determine which original markings are left or if they were ground off in the Chinese refurb.
Thoughts?
To my surprise the rifle wasn’t a K98 at all. At first I thought it was a VZ24 but after closer inspection I realized it was a G33/40.
The stock is not correct and is Chinese marked and has Chinese produced Mauser bands. The bolt is also some type of mix-match, but the receiver, barrel and rear sight clearly have G33/40 heritage.
Knowing that the G33’s are not rare but do command a premium collectors price I asked the guy how much he was asking for the rifle, $350 CAN was the reply.
Tempted to work on this as a project rifle, I attached his clearest pic, the rest were not that good. I am trying to determine which original markings are left or if they were ground off in the Chinese refurb.
Thoughts?
