Kar 98 Identification and Authentication (possible SS)

[searose101]

This rifle is at a local gun shop for $900. These are the only pictures I have right now, but I can take more tomorrow. My main concerns are the unblued bolt, the bright colored stock, and the totenkopf stamped on the barrel. Any input and information regarding this rifle and its markings will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Jakeman664]

The base rifle is a Mitchell's Mauser, can't speak to the skull but probably fake

 

[RyanE]

From what I can see it looks like it's probably a legit SS depot repair. Better pics are needed to confirm.

In it's condition, I don't think it's worth all that much. It's been ruined, unfortunately.

 

[searose101]

From what I can see it looks like it's probably a legit SS depot repair. Better pics are needed to confirm.

In it's condition, I don't think it's worth all that much. It's been ruined, unfortunately.

By condition do you mean its been restocked and reblued, or something else?

 

[RyanE]

By condition do you mean its been restocked and reblued, or something else?

It was a Russian capture that Mitchell's Mausers buffed, reblued, stripped the bolts, and then stamped fake SNs on all the parts.

They are bottom of the barrel as far as Mausers go, and are generally viewed as worthless.

 

[Herk1994]

Looks like a legit SS marking. It’s a Mitchell’s though, and someone further put a varnish on the stock to shine it up. For what it is, 900 is a bit much but having a real SS marked rifle in the safe may be worth it to some. Offer 750 and take that varnish off the stock and replace it with a very light coat of boiled linseed oil and I’d say you’d have a great shooter for a fair market shooter price at 750

 

[Stan]

To me these are worth less than an RC since Mitchells takes an RC and degrades it further from its already mismatched, Russian refurbished condition, especially the removal of original markings and re-numbering! Deceptive advertising also a shame for those. Just my opinion though.

 

[Cyrano4747]

To me these are worth less than an RC since Mitchells takes an RC and degrades it further from its already mismatched, Russian refurbished condition, especially the removal of original markings and re-numbering! Deceptive advertising also a shame for those. Just my opinion though.

Yeah agreed. I was pondering if it would be worth yanking the barreled receiver and parting the rest together with parts that hadn't been humped, since they don't screw with the SNs on that part (iirc they renumbered everything to match the receiver), but even that is just meh because of the refinishing.

Maybe, maybe worthwhile if it was a super rare gun or something that was otherwise impossible to get at all, much less at a reasonable price. As I recall someone around here has an swjXE that was polished and blued at one point and they had it phosphated or something similar to look close-ish. Obviously not original, but with something as rare as that you take what you can get.

So I wouldn't say "never" to discovering a rifle that Mitchell's had ruined that would be worth owning, but it's still going to be less desirable than an honest RC.

 

[searose101]

Here are more photos of the rifle up close, including a second totenkopf I found on the stock. If anyone is familiar with SS contract rifles, I was hoping you could chime in as that would be the only reason I would consider purchasing it; otherwise I could find a non deaths head marked rifle for probably much cheaper.

 

[runner]

The stock looks like a modified Gew 98. But what are the odds of an original Gew98 to K98k conversion stock getting paired to a SS reworked barreled receiver? Even the bolt is a reworked Imperial bolt, and it is not polished bright like a typical Mitchell’s Mauser.

Is the stock DH fake?

 

[flynaked]

Commercially proofed too. Mitchells simply matched DH + DH components from RC stockpiles IMO, even as an RC that was a terrible BR for them to further ruin.

 

[runner]

Even in it buffed out condition, I think the sum of the parts is worth the asking price.
If that stock is legit it would bring good money on gunbroker

 

[searose101]

Even in it buffed out condition, I think the sum of the parts is worth the asking price.
If that stock is legit it would bring good money on gunbroker

If only Mitchel didn't get ahold of it lol. I really have no way to tell if the stamp on the stock is real or not.

 

[hale1940]

Boys, you don't seem to understand! This is an ORIGINAL Mithcells Mauser SS deafs head rework. Straight out of the Durrchau camp in Commiefornia! Very desirable to those with fake SS dagger collections and who understand that the SS was made up exlcusively of 7ft tall cold blooded Aryan super men.