The notion of “camp gun” has little merit in relation to any Steyr K98, this is just one of those long standing collector folklores born from a simplistic attribution of markings without sound reasoning or even a basic understanding of the production scheme in this timeframe. The meaning of the circle V7 marking is unknown at this point, but we have solid theories on research based reasoning. It can however be determined what it is NOT based on addition evidence. The simple fact that this marking occurs in 1945 production (on bnz45 proper receivers, and not rejected/left over 1944 units) effectively kills any relation to the SS as the contract for such was already concluded at this point. The same goes for any rune marked parts in 1945 production, the most likely of which will be barrels and sight bases, these are simply left overs from the mass of parts that were continuously built to supply this contract before it’s dissolution, and are only observed on army accepted rifles, because there were no longer any weapons being built directly for the SS. This also proves that the application of rune markings occurred before final assembly therefore discounting any “final” attribution of the marking with the SS. That being said, these markings and references are all in relation to the singular component production occurring at Gusen as that IS what occurred there. These rough finished components were shipped to an outside location for final deburring, fitment of components, barreling/headspacing, stock fitting and final assembly before test firing. This was NOT at a camp and occurred under far different conditions than the component production. If you want to call any product “camp made” because some of its sub components were built in a KL or by a work force supplied by a local KL then you will have a hard time finding any product in this timeframe that isn’t affected by this scenario.
Unlike other makers who slowly transitioned in regard to stock configuration or that pulled stocks from other sources to further convolute the change over, Steyr had a solid in house production supply of the new KM configuration by late 1944. Of course, exceptions to rules occur so it’s possible, but given the fact that there hasn’t been a single Bnz45 observed in anything except full KM form doesn’t bode well for your rifle’s legitimacy, nor does the lack of e/h, a feature (or lack there of) that has only been observed in the later T block. I once owned 7799q that completely touched on all these points, a fully army accepted rifle with V7 marked bnz45 receiver, rune marked barrel, and laminate KM.
So you can see the V7 has no relation to this presumed scenario. I believe it is likely a tracking mark for its exact production location, possibly the number of the Lager it was forged at or final machined at. Interestingly among Steyr’s list of Lageplans, one production location is numbered “V7”.