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Mauser K98 Delivery Numbers from April 1938 to April 1940

bruce98k

Super Over the Top Moderator -1/2
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Ok Bob - here you go. This is the actual Mauser document that summarizes deliveries
of K98 per month for this period. Also the deliveries are broken down into solid (walnut)
and laminated (Buchen Schaft).

Why would Mauser want to break it down like that - simple, the cost was different between the solid wood stocked K98ks and the laminated version.

Of note is one really neat aspect of this document - the carryover (Ubertrag) from the previous years.

Up through March of 1938, Mauser Oberndorf delivered 550,419 K98ks. Interesting to say the least. Also look at August through Oct. of 1939.
A grand total of 564 K98ks with laminated stocks were delivered. This helps explain why there are so many more walnut stocked 1939
42 coded rifles versus laminated. A more than 2:1 ratio of walnut versus laminated for that year out of Oberndorf.
 

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Bruce, that's an outstanding doc and info, and I'm sure we'll see more in the upcoming book :thumbsup: Pic stickied
 
awesome, thanks for sharing.

would this help someone determine what month a letter prefix rifle was made, or is it still a shot in the dark?

for instance, i now have 2 1939 "243" code rifles, ones a "b" prefix under the serial number and one is a "p" prefix under the serial number.
 
Mauser doc

Remember this document is for Oberndorf only and not Wittenau (Berlin plant).
Also I will add more docs to this thread after I close the the loop with Jon on an issue on production numbers.

And also, this will be in Volume 1 along with a boatload of new original material.
 
This only concerns finished rifles, correct?

I asked this because I know a BSW 1937 with a number matching laminated 42 coded stock.
If a big part of the Mauser factory laminated stock was used to repair battle damaged rifles this could explain the August through Oct. of 1939 period.
 
Mauser doc

These numbers are for delivered rifles and not in-process.
 
I was wrong about a year.
There was no battle damaged rifles before September 1939 but they may have used this period just before the invasion of Poland to saved all damaged rifles.
 
Ok Bob - here you go. This is the actual Mauser document that summarizes deliveries of K98 per month for this period. Also the deliveries are broken down into solid (walnut) and laminated (Buchen Schaft).

Bruce... beautiful information and one hopes this breakdown exists for MO beyond '40?
 
I am new to the forum and I gotta say WOW I LOVE THIS PLACE! I have a 1939 Sauer bringback, all matching with a laminate stock down to the capture screws and firing pin . It even has the original bayonet and sling. Would the laminate stock make the rifle more desirable and valuable because it is a laminate in 1939?
 
sauer

No, j.p.s. started using laminate almost from the start. Sauer laminates show up in 1937 and really never stop. If it were walnut it would be a different story. Mauser O. was the other way around. The laminates came in more slowly and there is a pretty good blend by 39.. A mauser s/42 37 in laminate is a tough rifle to find. WHere a sauer 37 laminate is more common..But still scarce. You're rifle if correct is very hard to find in all matching orig condition... Mauser had a pretty good stock pile of solid blanks to work from. Where sauer relied on sub-contracted blanks. These blanks of laminated wood from the supplier were ready for use in 37.
 
Please disreguard my last post. I had a severe case of cranial anal inversion and thought the post pertained to all Mausers.... I appologize.
 

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