GEM
Senior Member
I am new to this forum but not new to Mausers. Joined specifically to see if any of the members can help ID an unusual G98 that I picked up recently. The guy I bought it from said it was a WW II vet bring back from the late WW II Volksturm.
The receiver and associated parts have been completely “scrubbed” of all markings. First one that I have seen like this and I have handled many of these rifles. I also visually compared this to other G98s including a Stern Gewehr and 98b.
This is obviously a German action which is in the white that has not been cleaned in my lifetime. Based on the dried grease,character of the metal discoloration and grinding marks, the marks were removed a very long time ago. The only markings are the shop marks on the underside of the receiver and some small imperial inspection marks on some of the small parts. It is mounted in a duffel cut beech late war finger groove stock. The stock, hand guard and mounting hardware are numbered with the same three digit sn. These stamps appears to be in a German font but are not the same as a production sn mark. The barrel, firing pin, lange sight have the same number (different from the stock set) which appears to be the original rifle production serial number or last two digits. All other bolt parts have been scrubbed clean but appear to be original to the bolt and receiver.
All firing proofs have been erased and there are no commercial proofs. (I am informed by a knowledgeble collector that Commercial makers often made small lots, but by German law, even under the Nazi regime, all rifles were required to have fireproofing.)
There is a large “B” stamped in the right side of the butt stock that is about .5” high. I have been told that that is a WWI German mark indicating a substitute standard beech stock.
The butt plate has a large “W.K.” mark. This was crudely incised or chiseled by hand long ago. Initials of someone or of an organization?
This is seems to be a mating of two rifles and it never went through the post war modification process to replace the rear sight. In every respect this could be a wartime emergency assembly or a Stern Gewehr except it is not marked as such.
Since all date, proof and manufacturing marks have been removed I wonder if this was assembled very soon after WWI as a Reichwehr contraband weapon and/or one provided to the Freicorps or other early paramilitary force? Done by a small shop in a very small lot?
Apologies for the quality and placement of photos.
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