Auction offering - opinions please

This rifle is offered by an east coast house. Here are some pics. The description indicates matching numbers. May I have your thoughts. It looks too good to be true. It comes with a repro sling and tge estimated sale price is extremely low.

Gerst,

We are going to need a few more pictures than that. Trying using the picture reference as well!

wolfgolf96 said:

Gerst,

We are going to need a few more pictures than that. Trying using the picture reference as well!

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Here are some more photos.

sight hood looks like a repro you said the sling is repro. potential problem

if you walked up my table with that rifle, I would not be interested because if the condition of the metal and the use of repro parts sends up a massive red flag to me

lastly auctions sites wtf minefield

sprat said:

sight hood looks like a repro you said the sling is repro. potential problem

if you walked up my table with that rifle, I would not be interested because if the condition of the metal and the use of repro parts sends up a massive red flag to me

lastly auctions sites wtf minefield

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The listing states that the hood and sling are repros. What about the rest of the weapon?
If a Russian capture mixmaster with ping marks and a heavy coat of paint goes for six hundred bucks, would you give five hundred for an apparently matching set of numbers and a decent looking stock if it were offered to you at your table?

JP Sauer 1943

I took a look at the pics on the forum and the stamps on the various chamber rings vary a great deal from year to year. I did not find any 43 stamps that look like the ones on this auction rifle nor did I find any three-digit serial numbers. Please let me have your thoughts, gentlemen.

Gerst said:

The listing states that the hood and sling are repros. What about the rest of the weapon?
If a Russian capture mixmaster with ping marks and a heavy coat of paint goes for six hundred bucks, would you give five hundred for an apparently matching set of numbers and a decent looking stock if it were offered to you at your table?

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IMHO From what is pictured it is worth at least as much as a Russian capture or shooter grade k98.

bb57sodak said:

IMHO From what is pictured it is worth at least as much as a Russian capture or shooter grade k98.

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If this rifle were offered on the GB site it would have a starting bid of a thou and would sell for twenty-five hundred!

Does anyone see anything being “faked” here? Is the bolt genuine? Any signs of tampering?

I found a similar rifle with the same “font” on the ring and a much higher serial number which sold for 2500.

Gerst said:

If this rifle were offered on the GB site it would have a starting bid of a thou and would sell for twenty-five hundred!

Does anyone see anything being “faked” here? Is the bolt genuine? Any signs of tampering?

I found a similar rifle with the same “font” on the ring and a much higher serial number which sold for 2500.

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With the way things are on GB lately, you may be right. I can't see the bolt root number so no opinion. The bolt gas shield flat looks really ground down and the serial font on it doesn't look right to me. The rest of the serialized parts pictured look good to me. After looking at the safety numbers again, they don't look correct to me. IMHO.

If your still interested in the rifle the best advice I could give is to call the auctioneer and ask for more pictures. Otherwise, just forget it and put a WTB ad in the trader section--you'll have better luck there, know exactly what you are getting from vetted collectors and most likely at a better price. Auctions are rolling the dice with the house stacked against you. If your knowledge isn't advanced then I'd highly suggest you avoid auctions and the appeal of a quick "fix" to scratch that Mauser itch. There are plenty of other rifles out there which you will be able to get better information on which will allow you to make a more informed decision and save you from the risk of flushing money down the toilet.

What drew you to this particular rifle? Are you looking for a particular maker, year?

Gerst said:

If this rifle were offered on the GB site it would have a starting bid of a thou and would sell for twenty-five hundred!

Does anyone see anything being “faked” here? Is the bolt genuine? Any signs of tampering?

I found a similar rifle with the same “font” on the ring and a much higher serial number which sold for 2500.

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That would be an insane price to pay for this rifle given it's wear....

WreckTangle said:

What drew you to this particular rifle? Are you looking for a particular maker, year?

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The mauser itch,” as you call it, is hard to scratch. I have three and I’m still scratching! Two were purchased from one of our local members.

Being a retired widower - five years next month - I have plenty of time to “surf” auctions and dealer sites. I am constantly amazed by the junk I see selling for big bucks, but once in a while, I see what looks pretty good, at least on the surface. This rifle is listed in the 200 to 500 dollar range. It has a couple of bids so far. I have asked the auction house for details on the bolt. The bolt may be a faked re-work, but even if that is true, the rifle is far better than an RC and frankly, looks very nice.

If it is a mixmaster, as you suggest, I won’t bid on it. My own 98k has matching numbers but the stock is not original to the weapon. It is beautiful.

What I am really looking for is a Karab. 98b. This was the rifle my father carried as a young soldier and NCO in the Reichswehr.

But that won’t stop me from looking. The auction houses often have excellent prices for Yugo mausers and capture weapons. Some need a lot of work, but I have never seen one go for more than 500 bucks, 350 for the Yugos, and that is a fair price. Junk on GB sells for a lot more.

Many thanks for your helpful replies, my forum-friends. I really like it here!

DaveDavis said:

That would be an insane price to pay for this rifle given it's wear....

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You are right, especially if is a mixmaster with a non-matching bolt that has been renumbered. I am waiting for more info on the bolt.

Insane prices are common to all things people collect - coins, art, militaria, old cars. Fakes are common too. Money draws crooks like sugar draws flies. Greedy people often prefer stealing to working. But it isn’t the crooks who are the problem it is the idiots and there is no shortage of these. One of our political parties would be out of business were it not for all the idiots! And they make more and more every day!

No, this rifle, even if all numbers match, isn't worth 2500 bucks, but it would probably sell for that if listed on GB with lots of pretty pictures and a glowing description!

see post # 4

Bidding

DaveDavis said:

That would be an insane price to pay for this rifle given it's wear....

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The rifle is up to $900 with a few days to go. I don’t intend to bid.