S/147 1938. My first K98k

[PeteM1965]

Hi all

I’m new to K98 collecting. I bought this on GB and would like a good critiquing. Here are some of my thoughts. The gun is matching except for the bolt which matches itself and is missing the cleaning rod. The hand guard is unnumbered as is the rear trigger guard screw. The front band spring is unnumbered. The stock was duffel cut and rejoined using pegs or screws/filler. I don’t know if the stock has been sanded but the waffenamts are very faint. The gun was sold as a KM issue based on stock disk. The disk sits a bit cockeyed in the stock.

This is the listing while it lasts:
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/846225163

I’d appreciate any comments. Thanks!

 

[PeteM1965]

Some more photos

Some additional photos. Please let me know if I should post any more.

 

[BadAim]

Is it me or does the stock look sanded?

 

[grimlin13]

the pic of

Is it me or does the stock look sanded?

In the second set of pics, pic #3, the one of the take down disk, you can see the marks left by perhaps an orbital disk sander or palm sander. Also in first set, pic #5, you can see more swirl marks made by sanding.

 

[u96]

Would you expect a KM disc with an E/H stock? Maybe this happened but I'm not sure about the seller's contention that OKW was overly concerned about a navy rifle shortage at the time of the Czech and Austrian occupations and the ramp up to the Poland invasion. Anyway, it's pretty common to find a replaced hand guard and band spring on a duffle cut. As for sanding, sometimes you can tell by the cross bolt/lug area. Look at the seller's pic #45. The bolt isn't recessed but is flush with the wood line.

Congrats on your first. Mine was a much more common byf44 with a totally replaced stock!

 

[Bob in OHIO]

Congrats on starting into K98 collecting. It's actually nice to see someone start at the mid level on a first rifle. The learning jumps when you have the first, and open it up and clean and re-assemble. So many guys want to step right up into a matched example that seems like a big first step. Price was about right and it has a few warts.... but you are on your way.

 

[heavy_mech]

Congrats on starting into K98 collecting.

...Price was about right and it has a few warts.... but you are on your way.

Congrats! I also think this is a pretty nice first rifle. Looks like a later JPS bolt too.

 

[flynaked]

Sure it’s sanded but so are a lot of other posted rifles that no one has said a word about, so in my opinion let him enjoy his first rifle for what it is. It’s a far better example than many of us had for a first, myself included. Congrats on your first 98k, being Navy to boot is especially cool

 

[PeteM1965]

Thanks for the comments so far. I'm glad that my observations weren't too far off. I'm glad to have people point out the warts, how else will I learn.

I started collecting military rifles when my eldest son was 14 (he's 20 now). I've mostly focused on US rifles and Russian (Mosin and SVT). But never felt I had enough knowledge to buy a K98k without getting taken over a barrel. So after lurking around here for a bit I decided to take the plunge.

Am I correct in assuming that I need a 10.5" cleaning rod? I'd also like to add a sling but don't want to pay crazy money, I'll wait til I get a matching numbers for that. Is there a recommended source for slings? Also for a bayonet would any bayonet do? Or should I look for something in particular?

Thanks again for the comments, I really appreciate it.

 

[pzjgr]

I agree, great 1st 98k!

Slings...well, first off, originals are pricey anymore, and are also a minimum of 75 years old at this point, so I would suggest if you buy an original, never actually try to carry the rifle with it, use it strictly for display...why chance it breaking?

You can buy an excellent reproduction sling from At The Front... https://www.atthefront.com/category-s/220.htm

The texled sling is pricey in its own right, but is very nice and can be used as a sling...their regular slings are also very nice, but almost half the price...

Bayonet...any WWII 98k bayonet will do, they were issued at the unit level with no regard to maker or date...if you want to have a bayo that matches as far as year, any 1938 manufactured bayo will do. The rifles were never matched to bayonets from the manufacturer...so there is no "matching" bayo out there for the rifle. (Port contract 98k's are a bit different in that regard, but thats a whole 'nother thing...).

Cleaning rod...will likely take the 10.5", but one way to tell is to take off the barrel bands...if you can see the cleaning rod holding nut under the rear band it is the short rod, if not, it will take the long rod...

Congrats on a nice one, it will multiply....

 

[Stephan98k]

Would you expect a KM disc with an E/H stock? Maybe this happened but I'm not sure about the seller's contention that OKW was overly concerned about a navy rifle shortage at the time of the Czech and Austrian occupations and the ramp up to the Poland invasion.

If a Sauer & Sohn Kriegsmarine K98k would have a E/M, then the alarm bells should ring because all Sauer & Sohn should have the E/H at the stock.

In 1938 a major reorganization of the Kriegsmarine began and the personnel of the Kriegsmarine grew a lot in this time frame, they needed and got a lot of K98k rifles already in 1938/1939. In summer 1939 the Navy had 78,000 men and at the beginning of the war already 122,000 men.

 

[u96]

If a Sauer & Sohn Kriegsmarine K98k would have a E/M, then the alarm bells should ring because all Sauer & Sohn should have the E/H at the stock.

In 1938 a major reorganization of the Kriegsmarine began and the personnel of the Kriegsmarine grew a lot in this time frame, they needed and got a lot of K98k rifles already in 1938/1939. In summer 1939 the Navy had 78,000 men and at the beginning of the war already 122,000 men.

Good to know

 

[heavy_mech]

If a Sauer & Sohn Kriegsmarine K98k would have a E/M, then the alarm bells should ring because all Sauer & Sohn should have the E/H at the stock.

I had pretty high certainty that all JPS production during that time would be e/H but was not 100%. Thanks for the confirmation Stephan.

 

[PeteM1965]

The knowledge on here is amazing. So is it likely that my rifle was in fact sent to the KM? Or are these kinds of things faked?

Thank you Stephan.

 

[heavy_mech]

..So is it likely that my rifle was in fact sent to the KM? Or are these kinds of things faked?

That's exactly what it means. Rifle was built for the Army then diverted to the KM and fleet marked (Ostsee in this case) on the disc. And for the 2nd question, yes apparently humpers will fake ANYTHING if there's a nickel in it.

 

[40caliber]

Sure it’s sanded but so are a lot of other posted rifles that no one has said a word about, so in my opinion let him enjoy his first rifle for what it is. It’s a far better example than many of us had for a first, myself included. Congrats on your first 98k, being Navy to boot is especially cool

As always Clay.........well said

 

[PeteM1965]

Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge with me!

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.