a kar98a stock question

I have a 1918 Erfurt barreled action, and all of the unobtainium metal parts i.e the stacking hook, bayonet lug, barrel bands, and the screws to go along with them. I wanted to know if these rifles were still found with the type 1 stock, the one without the grasping grove and takedown washer.

Nice handle, - are you a ÖWG/Steyr collector?

Nice parts for these rifles are always difficult to come by, worse than that there is sometimes fit issues, though mostly in regards to stocks and handguards.

Generally, variation can be found throughout production (meaning anything is possible, walnut, beech or grips/TD or their absence), but the vast majority of 1918 production should have grips and TD and be beech.

I should also make a point of mentioning that in 20 years of collecting Imperial rifles, I have never seen a Erfurt/1918 with its original stock that wasn't with grips and a TD.

Paul, for the 1918’s that is Beech on the stock itself right, as many or all turn up with walnut HG’s? I am trying to decide this matter myself on a restoration that I will be starting soon and don’t have nearly the experience with 98a observations.

Yes, handguards are often (usually) walnut, it has been awhile since i specialized in the 98a, but as i recall almost all are walnut, it use to be that beech meant Polish, but i would have to review my database to know if my recollection is still accurate.

In short, stocks can be beech or walnut, but almost all will have walnut handguards. I wouldn't rule out beech handguards, but they are rare enough to warrant a discussion.

flynaked said:

Paul, for the 1918’s that is Beech on the stock itself right, as many or all turn up with walnut HG’s? I am trying to decide this matter myself on a restoration that I will be starting soon and don’t have nearly the experience with 98a observations.

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MauserBill's comments on the subject of 98a handguards

Two comments by MauserBill, 15 years ago, but they hold true today (back then Bill was the master and I the student regarding Imperial). Beech handguards are rare, but they probably exist in some number. A quick review of my database (I do not have trends sheets on the 98a - too many of them...) and the vast majority of 98a that are unquestionably "German" have walnut handguards whether the stock is beech or walnut.

Paul ; that's a roger on kar98a handguards. The Germans I believe found the beech to be lacking in durability for the kar98a material application.They made gew98 handguards out of beech , but never seen a beech German kar98a handguard. Now the poles made beech handguards almost exclusively - and they doweled the ends before milling to help insure the beech would stay together on those stress points. (June 2003)

Paul; The handguard is bonafide beech. And for the love of money I don't think it's polish. I stared at it and thought maybe there was a vestige of an imperial proof on it where one would be expected.If it is German it would be a first for me , but short of finding it on a German kar98a I still can't say the Germans made kar98a guards from beech.Now if it had a fraktur proof on it - all doubts would be cast aside.No problem on the parts - gotta scratch a buddies back every now and then..no ?. (October 2003)

Thanks for the information Loewe! I started with ÖWG rifles, and I'm branching into imperial mausers. I was skeptical of a 1918 Erfurt I found on a UK website, which had a TD and not the grooves.

I wanted to get a stock for my rifle and I was interested to know if a 1918 Erfurt's original stock could be one without a TD or grooves (or both).

Just an educated guess but i would say w/o grips is possible, without a TD I seriously doubt. I haven't trended Erfurt 98a production because I have hundreds of recordings and it would take a lot of time to trend them, but Erfurt was pretty consistent in how they did things, - typically sloppy (compared to other makers- but to be fair, no other firm came close to their production totals, plus one must consider that they made pistols and MG's throughout the war also...), and typically self-reliant, probably more prone to using old stock. Some makers seemed dependent on components made by others, but Erfurt was a enormous producer for others (receivers were sent to the consortium and supposedly Erfurt supplied wood material or stocks according to Storz), they also seem to have recycled pre-war receivers into their G98 sterngewehr program. Much of this is probably a product of their unique situation (for most of the war the only 98a maker), but in many ways Erfurt seems to be the most important arsenal. Its versatility, its massive production capacity, - perhaps this was in part due to its location, in the middle of so much skilled labor and not burdened by some of the problems Berlin created (at times in German history Berlin was considered the least "German" city in Germany... kind of like our New York City, a city of the avant garde, foreigners/immigrants and depravity...).

Anyway, I think a earlier stock without grasping grips or grooves is far more likely than a take down being overlooked. Though I have no recollection of seeing an Erfurt/1918 without both.

ŒWG;237312 said:

Thanks for the information Loewe! I started with ÖWG rifles, and I'm branching into imperial mausers. I was skeptical of a 1918 Erfurt I found on a UK website, which had a TD and not the grooves.

I wanted to get a stock for my rifle and I was interested to know if a 1918 Erfurt's original stock could be one without a TD or grooves (or both).

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Thanks Paul, much appreciated as always.

Loewe said:

Yes, handguards are often (usually) walnut, it has been awhile since i specialized in the 98a, but as i recall almost all are walnut, it use to be that beech meant Polish, but i would have to review my database to know if my recollection is still accurate.

In short, stocks can be beech or walnut, but almost all will have walnut handguards. I wouldn't rule out beech handguards, but they are rare enough to warrant a discussion.

Click to expand...