Another Karabiner 98k from Germany (42 1938)
- Thread starter peter98
- Start date
Nice looking rifle, someone did a good job on the delicate clean-up, the pitting on the takedown and buttplate is sure sign of some neglect, but the stock looks like it shows little sign of a cleaning. There is another p-block nearby it (in trends) with a walnut stock that didn't fair as well, someone screwed up the stock sanding the takedown clean.
Trends are based upon my databases, each maker of the Modell98 1898-1945, basically the statistics developed on the rifles I have encountered over the last 20+ years, - while not complete I have developed trends sheets for each maker that list patterns which can be used to monitor changes, serialing patterns, barrel patterns, stock patterns, sub-contracting patterns.
When I filed your rifle in my database and trends sheets, I looked at the others in that year-block as i often do, to see if there is anything interesting that I can share, sometimes a rifle has been recorded before, sometimes the stocks or barrel is interesting enough for a comment, - most of the time nothing is worthwhile sharing and I make no comment (especially if no questions are asked, but generally if someone does a good job illustrating their rifle, beneficial to my projects, I try to answer questions if i have the time or make a comment if one is worthwhile to make)
When I filed your rifle in my database and trends sheets, I looked at the others in that year-block as i often do, to see if there is anything interesting that I can share, sometimes a rifle has been recorded before, sometimes the stocks or barrel is interesting enough for a comment, - most of the time nothing is worthwhile sharing and I make no comment (especially if no questions are asked, but generally if someone does a good job illustrating their rifle, beneficial to my projects, I try to answer questions if i have the time or make a comment if one is worthwhile to make)
And you did hit a good angle (picture), the "K" on the lower buttstock, above the serial and acceptance pattern... this is well known, this "K" in this position of the stock, however it is a poor cousin of the more common "P" found in this location. No one knows the meaning of the "K" or "P", though they are both found on early laminate stocks, the "P" is next to universal and rarely do we encounter the "K", Mauser is known to have the most recorded examples that use the "K", several 1937 S/42 carry the K rather than the P, some grouped together (clusters in the v-y blocks for instance)
I am not sure if Bruce or Mike came up with some theories in their book, I suspect not, but this additional "K" in the p-block of 1938 is interesting and I had assumed it was marked here with a "P", but now I can add the report as a "K", a minor thing, but collectively enough reports might lead to the answer of what this represents, my guess is the laminate maker, possibly two firms that made the earliest laminate stocks, later codes would be used (internally or under the BP) but these stocks upon introduction may have used these characters to distinguish the supplier. All guesswork, however I had gone down this path before, searching out plywood and laminate makers of the period and got nowhere, I kept the files on the makers, maybe something will occur to me once I go through them again.
For me an interesting and useful picture!
I am not sure if Bruce or Mike came up with some theories in their book, I suspect not, but this additional "K" in the p-block of 1938 is interesting and I had assumed it was marked here with a "P", but now I can add the report as a "K", a minor thing, but collectively enough reports might lead to the answer of what this represents, my guess is the laminate maker, possibly two firms that made the earliest laminate stocks, later codes would be used (internally or under the BP) but these stocks upon introduction may have used these characters to distinguish the supplier. All guesswork, however I had gone down this path before, searching out plywood and laminate makers of the period and got nowhere, I kept the files on the makers, maybe something will occur to me once I go through them again.
For me an interesting and useful picture!
heavy_mech
RKI- Reasonably Knowledgable Individual
Welcome! Did you do the clean-up? If so congrats as you did a great job. All the stamps in the wood remain strong, especially for laminate and the remaining bluing is nice too. You did good with your photos and I think this plays out about exactly as expected. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for the friendly welcome.
I did not do the clean-up, I got the rifle in this condition.
I am glad that the "K" picture is helpful.
A similar "K" is marked in my early S/27 from 1937 (but not in the wood), so I thought it was a supplier for several parts ?
Very interesting theme.
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Stephan98k
aka 8x57IS
In this case it's different and the "K" isn't a supplier. This "K" stamped on stock and sight components means "Karabiner" to differentiate parts made for Gewehr 98 rifles.
