K98k S42 1937 I need some help!

MichaelD

MichaelD

Active member
Hi everyone Sorry I dont have pictures but I want some advice which does not require pictures I hope.

So I got a K98k marked S42 1937 like in the title.

Everything is matching
Sights,barrel Band,bolt,reciever floorplates everywhere where i could find a serial it matches and even the butt plate,but i cannot find the stock serial number.

The stock is Laminate but not sanded down,the gun went threw a rough time as she also lost the Blueing on her barrel and bolt.

So I actually want to know what would a k98k all matching except maybe the stock be worth? She sadly is without cleaning rod.

Disclaimer:Thank you for any help, I dont have fotos as the place I found the rifle i was quite suprised and thanks to SA gun laws have to wait 3 months for a weapon,but i will visit again in 1 month time and post images. But I want a fair price estimate, It has by some miracle not rusted up really after losing its blueing,I know its a hard ask but any help I wouls really apperciate.
 
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It's very hard to say what you have without photos... Remember, just because a rifle has numbers that are all the same doesn't mean it's truly matching. Many are faked, restamped, etc. You need to know what is correct and what isn't. The stock serial number would be external on the bottom of the butt. As for value, a true matching rifle would be north of $2k US dollars. Condition is a factor. Here's a laminated 1937 S/42 as a reference.
Thread 'S/42 1937 Laminated 6040w' https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/s-42-1937-laminated-6040w.51/
 
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Zeppelin5000 said:
It's very hard to say what you have without photos... Remember, just because a rifle has numbers that are all the same doesn't mean it's truly matching. Many are faked, restamped, etc. You need to know what is correct and what isn't. The stock serial number would be external on the bottom of the butt. As for value, a true matching rifle would be north of $2k US dollars. Condition is a factor. Here's a laminated 1937 S/42 as a reference.
Thread 'S/42 1937 Laminated 6040w' https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/s-42-1937-laminated-6040w.51/
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Thank you in advance, I knew what i Asked is pretty hard.

Oky so looking at the other images, and knowing the little I do i will say this. The numbers doe not appear the be force matched and are all on the correct location( as far as my knowledge goes)Colour of stock is the same as one mentioned, just the safety on the bolt serial isnt really visible anymore or well is atleast extremly faded to where i can barely see it, although the one on the bolt itself is still visible

So I will put it like this, A rifle thats like the one in the images, just in a worse condition and without a matching stock what would a fair offer be.

I Offerd hom 400 USD and well just want to know if it was a reasonable offer or did I completely overspend.Thats why I am asking for a theoretical worst case scenario with a non-matching stock.

Thank you in advance for even spending time reading this nonsense
 
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As mentioned photos are critical, especially all numbered parts. 1937 would be the beginning of laminated stocks, and they are fairly uncommon that early. Stock would need evaluation as to originality.
 
MichaelD said:
Thank you in advance, I knew what i Asked is pretty hard.

Oky so looking at the other images, and knowing the little I do i will say this. The numbers doe not appear the be force matched and are all on the correct location( as far as my knowledge goes)Colour of stock is the same as one mentioned, just the safety on the bolt serial isnt really visible anymore or well is atleast extremly faded to where i can barely see it, although the one on the bolt itself is still visible

So I will put it like this, A rifle thats like the one in the images, just in a worse condition and without a matching stock what would a fair offer be.

I Offerd hom 400 USD and well just want to know if it was a reasonable offer or did I completely overspend.Thats why I am asking for a theoretical worst case scenario with a non-matching stock.

Thank you in advance for even spending time reading this nonsense
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In the United States for $400 it could be a Russian capture and you would be doing pretty good as long as you wanted a shooter and not a collector's piece. I think nice, honest RC guns are up to $800 now. That said, things are relative, and I don't know what the South African market looks like.
 
$400 is a great price for a 98k in military configuration, regarless if it's a stock mismatch or even a Russian capture. A stock mismatch is a big hit on value, but not at low as $400 imo. If it's truly a stock mismatch, it's probably worth double that, maybe a little more. Again, condition is a factor...
 
Stan said:
As mentioned photos are critical, especially all numbered parts. 1937 would be the beginning of laminated stocks, and they are fairly uncommon that early. Stock would need evaluation as to originality.
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Quickly looking at the gun I could not find serial but I looked at the wrong spot, and I first thought that it was maybe a armory repair.
 
Is
Zeppelin5000 said:
$400 is a great price for a 98k in military configuration, regarless if it's a stock mismatch or even a Russian capture. A stock mismatch is a big hit on value, but not at low as $400 imo. If it's truly a stock mismatch, it's probably worth double that, maybe a little more. Again, condition is a factor...
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What would be the most obvious sign of a russian capture,like what should I look for.
Again sorry for no images but I have a theorie if maybe its a Vet bringback from South African troops in North Africa as that us how we go alot of our german WW2 firearms were bringbacks
 
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Dradzk said:
In the United States for $400 it could be a Russian capture and you would be doing pretty good as long as you wanted a shooter and not a collector's piece. I think nice, honest RC guns are up to $800 now. That said, things are relative, and I don't know what the South African market looks like.
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The South African market is Largely dependent on the US firearms market,as thats were we get most of our imports products etc.. I am lucky that in South Africa the Collectors market is not very vast, but is starting to Sky rocket now..

I collected Lee enfields and for a while and then I saw the Light and fell in Love with Mausers..

But back to the point a Lee- Enfield was selling for 100$ here up until last year and there prices are now climbing to where a very nice one is going for 300-600$

Regular gun owners and shops in SA dont know mauser worths yet, thats why If i Buy a really shite one or an absolute beauty they all cost around 300-500$ now,because most people here just want to take there actions and do the 308 conversion.

Also thank you for any help.
 
MichaelD said:
What would be the most obvious sign of a russian capture,like what should I look for.
Again sorry for no images but I have a theorie if maybe its a Vet bringback from South African troops in North Africa as that us how we go alot of our german WW2 firearms were bringbacks
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There should be an X or * mark on the receiver. The bolt will also likely have a force matched serial number etched into it with an electro-pencil. Most that I'm aware of are largely mix masters, and they have a thick, black tar that the Russians passed for bluing in order to preserve them for the assumed WW3 that would be coming.

From everything that has been said so far, and assuming the gun is in decent, working shape, you are getting a nice price. I and everyone here will be interested when you get some pictures to post.
 
MichaelD said:
Is

What would be the most obvious sign of a russian capture,like what should I look for.
Again sorry for no images but I have a theorie if maybe its a Vet bringback from South African troops in North Africa as that us how we go alot of our german WW2 firearms were bringbacks
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X on receiver, electropenciling, shellac, black dipped metal, left side of butt numbered. Sometimes they'll have all of those attributes, sometimes they'll have a couple.
 
Zeppelin5000 said:
X on receiver, electropenciling, shellac, black dipped metal, left side of butt numbered. Sometimes they'll have all of those attributes, sometimes they'll have a couple.
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Oky so from memory, Reciever was all good looks excatly like the one in the images you showed from the refrences library.

Is there somewhere I can get a image of how electropenciling looks like,just not sure..

Think the metal is fine though like I said its almost white/Silver due to loss of blueing. The only thing i think is there may be marks on the left side of the stock butt.

But Ill be back in 1 month time with images and maybe some more because the old timer also has a completly mixed match 1944 model ( cant remeber code sorry) which he wants to give away.

So assuming its a Russian Capture K98k with some miracle matching parts 400$ still a fair offer?
 
If the misc. parts you mentioned in the original post are matching, that would normally rule out it being an RC as those are complete mismatched rifles. Photos should tell what you have. Stocks would have been numbered externally on the bottom edge of the buttstock and internally in the barrel channel. The external marking could have been worn away and hard to impossible to read due to use and wear.
 
MichaelD said:
Oky so from memory, Reciever was all good looks excatly like the one in the images you showed from the refrences library.

Is there somewhere I can get a image of how electropenciling looks like,just not sure..

Think the metal is fine though like I said its almost white/Silver due to loss of blueing. The only thing i think is there may be marks on the left side of the stock butt.

But Ill be back in 1 month time with images and maybe some more because the old timer also has a completly mixed match 1944 model ( cant remeber code sorry) which he wants to give away.

So assuming its a Russian Capture K98k with some miracle matching parts 400$ still a fair offer?
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This expired listing has a lot of good pictures showing what an average Russian Capture gun looks like.
$400 is a good deal from what has been said and not seeing any pictures.
 
Stan said:
If the misc. parts you mentioned in the original post are matching, that would normally rule out it being an RC as those are complete mismatched rifles. Photos should tell what you have. Stocks would have been numbered externally on the bottom edge of the buttstock and internally in the barrel channel. The external marking could have been worn away and hard to impossible to read due to use and wear.
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Alright, oky guys thx for everything Ill be back as soon as I can with Images, thank you all for the Help.
 
So the good news for you is it looks to be all matching and correct except for the front action screw. As you mentioned the finish loss is significant and almost looks like it was hit with steel wool or fine sandpaper in some spots? Normally when the butt plate, bayo lug and bands fully match the stock does too but inside the barrel channel would tell for sure. In any case you stole it for $350, even with the finish loss.
 
heavy_mech said:
So the good news for you is it looks to be all matching and correct except for the front action screw. As you mentioned the finish loss is significant and almost looks like it was hit with steel wool or fine sandpaper in some spots? Normally when the butt plate, bayo lug and bands fully match the stock does too but inside the barrel channel would tell for sure. In any case you stole it for $350, even with the finish loss.
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nice,, the bayo lug fron images is bad but,, if you look at it on the one side the 31 is still visible but the other side the 77 is gone i belive
 
MichaelD said:
nice,, the bayo lug fron images is bad but,, if you look at it on the one side the 31 is still visible but the other side the 77 is gone i belive
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No, it's correct. It would have the last 2 digits on the right side and a e/63 on the left side as viewed from the front. Looks like some impact damage near the 31 but I could still make it out.
 
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