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S/42 1937 Serial #149

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Hello all,

I'm a newbie in the K98 thema but I'm very interested in history and shooting. So I found this K98 at a local rifle store. Can you tell me something about the rifle? No eagle/swastika on it. What means the "orion" marking?
Thx in advance,
Gerald
 

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Hello Gerald,

maybe it's a diverted standard production K98k from Mauser Oberndorf to Portugal and the portuguese designation for these unmodified K98k's was model "M937". This rifle was imported by the German company Zeughaus Hege and "Orion" was their import marking. The complete serial number is "149n" and in June 1980 it got the new firing proof in München.

Regards,
Stephan
 
8x57IS said:
Hello Gerald,

maybe it's a diverted standard production K98k from Mauser Oberndorf to Portugal and the portuguese designation for these unmodified K98k's was model "M937". This rifle was imported by the German company Zeughaus Hege and "Orion" was their import marking. The complete serial number is "149n" and in June 1980 it got the new firing proof in München.

Regards,
Stephan
Click to expand...



Interesting. Could the Orion mark also be applicable to a rifle exported from Germany to Austria, or only on import to Germany? Also, no Nazi Eagles since Mauser Oberndorf started using that style proof a bit later in 1937. The rifle shown still has the earlier style proofs.
 
Stan said:
Interesting. Could the Orion mark also be applicable to a rifle exported from Germany to Austria, or only on import to Germany? Also, no Nazi Eagles since Mauser Oberndorf started using that style proof a bit later in 1937. The rifle shown still has the earlier style proofs.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your answers, this sounds good for me so far. The seller wants 500€ for it. Is this a fair price? What do you think?
 
That is approximately $570, which would be a decent buy in the US, if given it is indeed all matching numbers and no major condition issues. You don't show the bands and stock numbers. I would defer to Stephen, or some of the other European based members to confirm going rates there.
 
Stan said:
Interesting. Could the Orion mark also be applicable to a rifle exported from Germany to Austria, or only on import to Germany?
Click to expand...

Zeughaus Hege and Frankonia Jagd imported a big amount of M937, M937-A and M937-B from Portugal and here you can see a commercial from that time: Link
Zeughaus Hege has used the "Orion" marking and Frankonia Jagd has used "Brigant" (end of the 60's/beginning 70's), later the "FWW" marking. A rifle exported from Germany to Austria also would get these markings. If a M937 or M937-B in Germany and Austria doesn't have these, the chances are higher the rifle was in German service.

I see a price around 400-450€ and not more. The triggerguard screws already doesn't match to the rifle. I guess the rifle was converted to a single-loader because of the laws at that time. Often they converted it and glued the triggerguard screws, later when the law changed the gunsmith drilled out the screws to remove the blocker and replaced the screws.

Regards,
Stephan
 
8x57IS said:
Zeughaus Hege and Frankonia Jagd imported a big amount of M937, M937-A and M937-B from Portugal and here you can see a commercial from that time: Link
Zeughaus Hege has used the "Orion" marking and Frankonia Jagd has used "Brigant" (end of the 60's/beginning 70's), later the "FWW" marking. A rifle exported from Germany to Austria also would get these markings. If a M937 or M937-B in Germany and Austria doesn't have these, the chances are higher the rifle was in German service.

I see a price around 400-450€ and not more. The triggerguard screws already doesn't match to the rifle. I guess the rifle was converted to a single-loader because of the laws at that time. Often they converted it and glued the triggerguard screws, later when the law changed the gunsmith drilled out the screws to remove the blocker and replaced the screws.

Regards,
Stephan
Click to expand...

Very helpful information Stephan, thank you and all others. I will going to shoot the K98 to prove its accuracy. And, of course, try to lower the price.
 
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