Yes, that is why I wrote this below, - the depots often sanded the stocks, the factory markings are often weak and hard to make out, but the depot markings are usually clear, or at least more clear than the factory markings:
OP, yes, this rifle should have a depot marking somewhere, usually the wrist, sometimes on the side of the buttstock or along the bottom. Oftentimes the stocks original markings (factory) will be sanded by the depot, often they are weak but the depot markings more clear, sometimes they are small or worn if they are at the wear points (wrist etc..) If it is lacking, it is probably worn away or sanded.
Looking at the pictures of the stock I think the stock is problematic, possibly period sanded, but if so sanded again since, as it looks harshly sanded to me and that isn't typical, not even of Polish stocks reworked by the Germans (
often Polish markings can be clearly made out when reworked). Also the application of this varnish, coating or substance that is on some of the metal parts is over this harshly sanded stock. Regarding this coating, when I said original to the period, I didn't mean to the depot, but to the period (
this topic has been discussed on Gunboards-Mauser recently, a collector, in Norway I believe, owns two rifles with a similar coating. It looks like it might be period applied). Perhaps in the other cases it is or isn't original to the period, every rifle should be judged individually, but I see no reason for a depot to bother with such an application. If applied it probably was done at the unit level and for a purpose. In this case it looks like the coating is applied sloppily on the stock and just found its way onto some metal parts, whether it is period is doubtful, not because of its sloppy application so much as the appearance of the stock, it looks significantly sanded to me, far more than typical and that would have been done after the war in my opinion and as the coating is over the harshly sanded stock it would have been postwar applied in this case too.
Of course that is only an opinion.
I will also say that BigD has a rifle similar to this one, an Amberg/17 shown above, some similarities; it is Su HZa marked, and would be a good example to what this rifles stock should have looked like. I do not own the rifle and it hasn't been shown on the forums so far as I am aware, so I can't post his pictures, but if he has the interest perhaps he will show you a rifle that probably had a stock much like yours should have looked like during the war. Before it was harshly sanded and varnished.
BTW, I am not trying to be disagreeable about your rifle, it is a nice rifle, a rather rare rifle, but I do not want to give you the wrong impression of my opinion. Here we all speak our minds and try to be truthful about the rifles collectors bring to us, - some forums focus on manners rather than truth, - both have a place, but here we place truthful opinions over courtesy, though try to be both where ever possible..
If the marks are sand it out at the depot would they not be replace with some of the depot?
