Unknown Gewehr 98

Firstly, some dimensions - rifle is 125cm long, exact barrel length is unknown, but from reciever to the end of barrel it´s 72,5cm (so maybe about 74cm in total). Unloaded weight is about 4,03kg (cca). As far as I know, it pretty much matches standard Gewehr 98 configuration.

Of course it has Lange rear sight, but the first setting is "2". Maybe I am wrong, but according to my information, on most (or, at least, on a lot of) rifles the first setting is "4". Except this, it should be a standard Lange-visier.

Reciever is marked with crown over “SPANDAU 1901” and on the left part of the reciever is a serial number - 2346 and of course there is also a mark "Gew. 98". Rear part of barrel is also marked with little "S" mark and rifle caliber mark - 7,91. On the right side are (probably) imperial proof marks.

Main problem is the stock. It has a recess for a turned-down bolt handle. It´s not a replacement stock, serial number on it matches with serial number on rifle itself (on steel parts), so it should be original. As far as I know, standard Gewehr 98 has a straight bolt handle. However, bolt on this rifle is not original (it´s number doesn´t match with rest of the rifle). One more thing - I don´t know if it´s original or not, but in front of the rear sight there are remaining parts of two dark red stripes.

"Unit disc" on the stock seems also strange to me. It says "K. S. 11260.". That´s another problem. I don´t have any Mauser-specialized books or articles but according to internet, it can be a rifle issued to german colonial troops (Koniglichte Schutztruppe = K. S.). Maybe....

That´s everything I know. Many, many thanks for any help!

Compare it here: http://www.hermann-historica.de/de/...611?aid=104&lstatus=0&Accid=1310&currentpos=2

Pretty rare and desirable rifle. The rear sight is the original early pattern 200m. Many of these were upgraded. This would have had a turned down bolt, done post-manufacture in the field by an armorer, along with the bolt cut out in the stock.

The hand guard appears to be beech wood, which would not be original to the 1901 manufacture.

The front sight guard is from a Vz.24 rifle.

No clue on the red paint; I know the Brits marked rifles that way that were not standard .303 caliber.

Even bolt m/m, this would be a very valuable item here in the states.

Since the rifle in the OP should garner attention from some of the knowledgable figures in Imperial collecting, I'm including a pic of a similar unit mark I used to own that never got figured out--not even CB or Jeff Noll knew what it represented.

It would not be very valueable in the US too, it has been deactivated as visible by the welded in rod on top of the barrel shank.

This is extremely rare. Not only does it have the original base but original non updated Lang Vizier. Seen two others, one belonging to another member, the other was an 1899 WMO

Deactivated or not, they are rare enough here to keep this one of interest to most Imperial collectors. I do agree though that a steep discount would be in order.. while most collectors do not place a great deal of importance to bore condition, most do prefer them to be safe to fire. Not too many shoot G98's regularly, I have collected them since 1998 or so and can count on one hand how many times I have actually fired one... 98k are more practical for shooting.

Anyway, what a strange place to show up, in Slovakia? The Colonial rifles are almost always in South Africa or Australia when found, a few in the US and apparently Germany also, one of the nicest I have seen is in South Africa, where it was in danger of confiscation when the owner sent me pictures of it. A wonderful rifle that had been in a SA family for generations. Probably gone now.. really nice ones are impossible to find. Almost all KS rifles are Spandau 1900 or 1901's, though a few exceptions exist (all pre-1904 though and none are well documented, they could be just stocks)

Wow, you have one of the rarest Gew.98 variation known.
KS means "Kaiserliche Schutztruppen" and stands for the german colonial troops in Sudwest Afrika (nowadays Namibia)

For the mounted companies of these troops (essentially mounted on horses or camels), it has been developed a Gew.98 with curved bolt handle.
It's why your original soulder stock has a recess, and why your bolt doesn't match. The original bolt had a curved bolt handle.

The red stripes are probably a non .303 caliber rifle mark painted by the south african army when the KS troops surrended.



Hope it helps
François