Third Party Press

1st K98 - DOU 44

PAD141

Senior Member
I'm new to the board and milsurp collecting. I just picked up my first K98k today. It is a DOU 44 that I found at my local Gander Mountain and am hoping it was an ok buy.

Serial number on the left side of the barrel is 4498 gg, which I believe makes it a late 1944 production gun from Bystrica. Wa80 marking above DOU on the receiver ring. Lxr marked follower that is stamped and blued. Magazine housing marked byf with Wa135. No markings on the trigger guard.

No cleaning rod or bayonet lug. The firing pin disassembly disk is in the stock. No serial numbers on the floor plate or barrel bands. The rear sight has two digit "98" on both the base and leaf. No import mark that I can see, no RC number on the stock, and no markings peened.

The bolt is a mismatch. It is a straight handle bolt in the white that appears to be from a Vz.24 or other Czech rifle. Serial number is 2526H3, and it has a rampant lion on the knob. It has circle Z stamps on the safety flag , the cocking piece, and the bottom of the bolt handle. It is also marked S3 on the bottom of the handle.

Pictures attached. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/comments.

Best regards,
Paul
 

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Thanks

Looks like it has some potential. If you post more it will let you post more photos.

Thanks! I'll try to get some more pictures up. The tang screw is frozen so I couldn't get it out of the stock to check for more markings under the wood line and on the stock. The hand guard isn't numbered and feels very brittle/fragile.
 
More Pictures

All:

Here are a few more pictures. On disassembling the bolt to clean out all the old grease, etc., I found circle Z marks on the sleeve and the firing pin as well. On looking more closely at the stock, I found what looks like an e stamped on the bottom of the wrist area (see attached picture).

Overall, I'm worried about the byf trigger guard because it looks like there is an "8" or a "B" that shows up faintly where an old serial number might have been (see original post for picture). I also think that the "98" stampings on the rear sight leaf and base look odd.

Any thoughts on this one overall?

Thanks in advance.

Paul
 

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The 98 on the rear sight looks like dou type font to me. I can't say what the "B" or "8" mark is on the TG. I believe the trigger guard and floorplate as well as the bands would be not numbered by the time of gg block. Hard to get details from the overall photo but looks correct from whats shown, except for the bolt. What do the band screws look like?
 
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Thanks, Stan. The band screws are simple wood screws. The front band screw looks older based on its patina. The rear band screw is much brighter and looks like it may be a later replacement.
 
Thanks, Stan. The band screws are simple wood screws. The front band screw looks older based on its patina. The rear band screw is much brighter and looks like it may be a later replacement.


The dou rifles with the semi-Kriegsmodell stock are usually found with recycled VZ 24 stock disc type spanner screws that had the two holes in the head. A slot was added to allow a flat head screwdriver to be used. The original screws are often lost and replaced over the years.
 
The dou rifles with the semi-Kriegsmodell stock are usually found with recycled VZ 24 stock disc type spanner screws that had the two holes in the head. A slot was added to allow a flat head screwdriver to be used. The original screws are often lost and replaced over the years.

The front band screw may be the type you describe. It has a rounded head, is blued and at first glance looks like a chewed up flat head screw. I couldn't get a good picture, but it could be the type you described. The lower band screw is definitely a later replacement. It has some patina on the screw head, but the body looks like it just came out of the bin at a hardware store.

I still can't get the tang screw out of the trigger guard, so I think I'm at a standstill on any more information. I definitely don't want to do anything to damage the rifle. Suggestions welcome on any next steps. Thanks!
 
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The upper band screw sounds like it might be original. When the slot was cut through the spanner holes it can present a "buggered up" appearance.
If the rear action (tang) screw is the one stuck you can soak a little Kroil, or other penetrating oil from the top and let it do it's thing for a day or so. The threaded end of the rear screw can be seen in the top of the tang just behind the rear receiver bridge in the bolt raceway. Make sure you are using a good set of gunsmithing screwdriver tips that fit properly to help prevent any damage to screw heads.
 
So far looks and sounds like a solid semi-Kriegs bolt mismatch. What did Gander Mountain take for it? They are generally not known for low prices.
 
Thanks again, Stan. I'm giving the penetrating oil a try. As for price, I agree that Gander is outrageous on new guns, etc. This one came in just north of $600 after I talked them in to knocking off a little bit for the bolt mismatch. I know they didn't have much of an idea of what they had on the rack. I also picked up a 1941 K31 and a Yugo M24/47 from them. The K31 was a particularly good deal at $250 for a nice walnut stocked version with no beaver chew on the butt and a troop tag. The 24/47 was full of cosmoline, has a pristine bore, and is going to be my range gun in 8mm.
 
Fully Disassembled

All:

Finally got my DOU 44 fully taken down with thanks to penetrating oil and heat (not at the same time). The inside channel of the stock is marked "phf" and also what looks like an "8" and an "F." I haven't had much luck getting a decent picture.

The sight base is stamped "98" with an "M" or "W" towards the receiver on the bottom. The base of the barrel where it meets the receiver is marked "G O dou" and then two Waffenamt 180 stamps.

I'm adding some pictures, with apologies in advance for the quality. Any thoughts on value overall? I want to keep this one for the long haul, just interested in how I did on my first K98 purchase.

Thanks,
Paul
 

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Not a bad price.

The waffenamt is actually e/A80.

Brunn II is one of the only makers, maybe the only to number the sight sleeve.
 
The dou rifles with the semi-Kriegsmodell stock are usually found with recycled VZ 24 stock disc type spanner screws that had the two holes in the head. A slot was added to allow a flat head screwdriver to be used. The original screws are often lost and replaced over the years.

dou 45 055.jpg


This is the band screws that Stan was talking about. You can compare it to yours.
 
Thanks, Lee. Unless they sometimes cut the slot through the holes instead of between them, mine is just a chewed up old replacement wood screw.


Yes that is true. Here is another picture which the slot is through the holes.dou 45 054.jpg

These are off the dou 45 I use to have.:facepalm:
 
Thanks, Lee. Unless they sometimes cut the slot through the holes instead of between them, mine is just a chewed up old replacement wood screw.

The slot BETWEEN the holes is correct for late 44 dou's ff / gg block and on. I mean from hole to hole. o-----o , like that..
 
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I'm new to the board and milsurp collecting. I just picked up my first K98k today. It is a DOU 44 that I found at my local Gander Mountain and am hoping it was an ok buy.

Serial number on the left side of the barrel is 4498 gg, which I believe makes it a late 1944 production gun from Bystrica. Wa80 marking above DOU on the receiver ring. Lxr marked follower that is stamped and blued. Magazine housing marked byf with Wa135. No markings on the trigger guard.

No cleaning rod or bayonet lug. The firing pin disassembly disk is in the stock. No serial numbers on the floor plate or barrel bands. The rear sight has two digit "98" on both the base and leaf. No import mark that I can see, no RC number on the stock, and no markings peened.

The bolt is a mismatch. It is a straight handle bolt in the white that appears to be from a Vz.24 or other Czech rifle. Serial number is 2526H3, and it has a rampant lion on the knob. It has circle Z stamps on the safety flag , the cocking piece, and the bottom of the bolt handle. It is also marked S3 on the bottom of the handle.

Pictures attached. Thanks in advance for any thoughts/comments.

Best regards,
Paul
It appears that your trigger guard and floor plate ARE correct for your gun. my dou 44 gg block looks exactly the same. Do you have any pics of the whole rifle and closeups of the front end of it ? I would be interested in purchasing a good correct stock.
 
Sorry for the delayed reply. I haven’t had this one out of the safe in a while and don’t have any great pictures. I’ll see what I can do. Any specific requests for the front end pictures?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
yes, just the front end, showing the bands and screws. I have an all matching, non import rifle except that bubba fixed the stock.. I know your bolt is mismatched, but sounds like the rest is good to go.. Would you be interested in selling the whole rifle, or work a deal / trade on the stock. If interested, please PM to discuss, Thanks ...




Sorry for the delayed reply. I haven’t had this one out of the safe in a while and don’t have any great pictures. I’ll see what I can do. Any specific requests for the front end pictures?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

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