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1917 v.chr.schilling reunited

oldmannow

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My father had sent back several rifles back from WWII. This one was finally reunited with the two I have. He had sent them to close friends and relatives. This one has me confused. It's a 1917 but looks like a K98k. Most of the metal matches the stock. The bolt is a miss match to the rifle, but matches itself. The other items are the trigger,bolt release and magazine feed ramp don't match anything. I would appreciate some insight in what I have.
 

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1917 v.chr.schilling reunited more pitures

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Looks like a Gew98 too K98k conversion. Would like too see a picture of the whole rifle and if there are any stock stamps as well.
 
The rifle is clearly shortened, the original barrel has been retained and someone shortened it to 98k, though whether it was period done would depend on a number of factors. Take pictures of the muzzle and front sight area, the steps in the barrel and their relationship to the muzzle (distance from muzzle for each step) and look closely for stock acceptance stamps.

I would have liked it much more if it had a new fireproof and the rear sight matched, but it seems there are a couple authentic rifles that are similar to your rifle. Be sure to take pictures of every marking on the stock, inside and out.

I am going to move this rifle to the interwar section, it is probably more appropriate in the National Socialist era, but this rifle straddles all three eras.

My father had sent back several rifles back from WWII. This one was finally reunited with the two I have. He had sent them to close friends and relatives. This one has me confused. It's a 1917 but looks like a K98k. Most of the metal matches the stock. The bolt is a miss match to the rifle, but matches itself. The other items are the trigger,bolt release and magazine feed ramp don't match anything. I would appreciate some insight in what I have.
 
Astrawerke actually, and it could be 1939 through 1941 (AW components stop using the waffenamt in early bcd/42 production)

It alone tells us nothing, though collectively (the sum of parts from the same era), the NS era parts tell us it was reworked to one degree or another during the second war (after 1939). Really, the best evidence so far is the stock, being a 98k stock and numbered to the rifle, it stands to reason the barrel was probably shortened during the war.

But, the barrel should be shortened in the proper manner and the steps reduced, - I would have preferred to see a new FP, but there are a couple others like this that aren't. I suppose these were done at a lower ordnance staff and fireproofing was not done because the original bolt was available. They had such ordnance staffs throughout Poland and Western Europe, I have a map I used in an article regarding Krakow in the GG, but they seemed to be a little lawless like everything else in occupied Poland (the east in general - people wring their hands over the occupation in the west, well that was Disney Land compared to what occurred in Poland... a lot of scores were settled 1939-1944, and returned with interest in 1945)
 
1917 v.chr.schilling reunited more pitures

Took more pictures of the barrel and stock. The last picture is of the butt of the stock with a barely perceivable 40 next to an odd stock repair or odd built stock
 

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Your pictures are pretty low quality and or size, can you do a closer picture of each barrel step? I assume they are 5.5 inches from muzzle and then about 12 inches from muzzle? It would also be good to see the muzzle crown and the front of the front sight to see the maker (if shown, OS depot FS usually are)

I am sure it is right, it compares well with the three others known to me, - all of which are a little confounding in that they show so little in the way of acceptance and new fireproofing. Recently a shortened 98b was sold by Larry and it too had this apparent trait or characteristic.



Took more pictures of the barrel and stock. The last picture is of the butt of the stock with a barely perceivable 40 next to an odd stock repair or odd built stock
 
1917 v.chr.schilling reunited more pitures

more pictures
 

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Imo, your rifle is probably authentic and quite rare, - "true conversions" like yours are actually rare. 95%+ that people call G98/98k conversions are nothing of the sort, most are simply recycled G98 receivers, even the SS conversions typically use an ordnance spare 98k barrel (though they are generally still conversions as the SS retained elements of the original G98 in many cases)

Very few, relatively, go this extra mile and shorten the barrel, fewer still shorten an original stock to 98k. Though your rifle apparently also followed this easier method of using ordnance spare components were practical. I suspect these rifles had their original barrels shortened because an ordnance spare wasn't handy and the rifle and barrel was serviceable, which suggests it was done by a ordnance staff or smaller HZa (a large Wehrkreis depot would probably not have this problem, - or maybe they had the time to do the extra work if it was early enough. We know the ordnance depots were combed for men later in the war, if it was done in 1940 maybe they had the time, though the NS era isn't known for their frugality... Imperial era they re-used everything to the point of absurdity, but the superman generation tended to resort to the parts bin whenever possible)

Anyway, of the other known rifles like yours they have some similarities, including in serialing fonts (larger, more generic, similar style); one rifle in particular stands out in some of its similarity, Danzig/1916 4597 nn, 1920 property marked, but is the only mostly matching original in good condition known. It carries a HZa depot marking at the wrist, not decipherable unfortunately, looks like E(eagle)/HZa*an1 or maybe 4, hard to say, the owner tried to go the extra mile on photographs, but still in was too indistinct. Has a lot of similarities, a Walther e/359 ordnance spare stock (like yours seems to be), the bolt a recycled Amberg bolt, bent and re-serialed to the rifle. It was posted somewhere in 2015, probably here or Gunboards-Mauser as I do not go elsewhere generally. There was a discussion then as I recall, which like always discussing these had a lot of skepticism, but it is clearly good and so too is this one probably because of the similarities. I would still like to see a fireproof once in awhile for these...

I would look with a magnifying glass at the stocks wrist and lower buttstock for a acceptance, something like I mentioned before, E/HZa***, if one is found and it is authentic it would greatly add to the value as it would support its authenticity. When dealing in reworks the less doubt the better, all will have some doubt, - being done by dozens of facilities by hundreds of individuals (armorers) over a wide variety of circumstances (peacetime, slow and hectic periods) means variety in style and quality, but the more consistency to other (believed) authentic rifles the better.

Also, is their a number near the wrist or anywhere on the stock, a simple single digit number, typically near the wrist? (while looking photo the wrist area, there might be remnants of a HZa acceptance)
 

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