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Help Identifying Mauser and restoring

I am new to these types of weapons. My father-in-law passed a way earlier this year and one of the guns he had was this Mauser 98. It has been sporterized and drilled for a scope. The barrel is marked dou 44. The trigger guard and magazine base plate are marked qnw. The only serial numbers I have found are 3039. On one of the websites listing factory codes the dou 44 serial numbers start at 3360, so I am a little confused. I have attached some photos of the rifle and parts. Can anyone help identify if this is a 1944 Model 98? or some other variant.

I would like to return this to it's original military stock. I would like to have this to go along with my M1 Garand. I am not sure of what type stock and other parts I need. I know I will need front and rear sights, hopefully I can remount them with out too much trouble.

I appreciate any info. I have been chasing this down the internet rabbit hole and I am starting to get a little confused.
 

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There is a letter below your serial number on the bolt and probably receiver as well. It belongs to that letter block. they made about 10k rifles per block and then started at zero and a letter and went up from there.

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Yes it's a t block made in 1944 at the Považská Bystrica plant (dou) in Czecholslovokia. The contract supplied bottom metal parts coded 'qnw' are correct and original. Finding a stock and handguard is getting increasing pricey. You also have the sights missing. This would have to be a labor of love or familial connection. It will not be a money maker. The buffing of the original barreled action also hurts collector value as (obviously) the drilled and tapped does. Another thing to consider is dou 44 is a fairly common rifle with many made. Here's a good bit of info by a guy who 'might' know something about these things.

http://www.latewar.com/html/dot.htm
 
I think (IMHO) that one is too far gone to try and restore, as its a family rifle, I'd leave it as is, put a scope back on it, and keep it as a humdinger of a deer rifle....
 
I would agree with the other guys here, to restore this gun would take a lot of money and still would not be valued anywhere near what you would spend to get it close. You would be WAY ahead money-wise to keep this one exactly as it is, ENJOY it as it is, and look for another K98 in closer to original condition.


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Did your father in law purchase the rifle as it is, or was he the veteran who brought it home?
 
Right after college, my best friend sneaked his father's deer rifle out of the closet and sent it off to a first rate gunsmith to have it completely transformed into an up-scale hunting rifle. The rifle started out as a minty M1903A3 that had the original stock shortened. There were no other modifications. That gun got ruined at the hands of the gunsmith. This happened a lot in years past. It was called "sporterizing". I was there when the son proudly presented the "new" rifle to his father. His dad said nothing, and didn't crack a smile. He'd taken a deer every year for many years with that iron sighted '03, and it had a lot of history for him. The rifle was now virtually unrecognizable.

Try to find an intact M1936 Mexican Mauser today. Most of them were sold off by the Mexican government and imported to the US, where they were transformed into small ring Mauser custom rifles. It took me years to find a nice intact example. These are chambered in 7mm Mauser. They're extremely accurate and have a superb trigger. Here's mine:
 

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