help with possible K98 purchase

Long time lurker- first time posting (hopefully I can avoid getting added to the turd-alert thread).
I have modern Mausers, but have been longing for a K98 for a long time. After selling a few guns, I have been looking out for a WW2 era K98 (I'm a history buff, and my grandfather served in the war-- and passed down some really interesting souvenirs from the war).
I am not, however, an expert at the K98 at all, so I was hoping that perhaps the experts on here could help me to not get ripped off.

Here is what I was looking at, as it purports to have matching serial numbers, but I am not enough of an expert to determine whether anything could have been filed and restamped (or contain potentially problematic/fraudulent markings, etc.). I also was wondering if there were strong opinions about the seller (Legacy Collectibles) or if I would be paying inflated (current gun panic) prices if I paid this much (I'm ok with 'a little pricey' -- not ok with 'this gun would be selling for 1K less last year):

https://www.legacy-collectibles.com/nazi mauser k98 - 1940 mfg 114.html

I very much appreciate any thoughts, and hope to be a more consistent contributor to the forum once I join the ranks of K98 owners (hopefully). I plan to buy the Karabiner 98K book advertised on this forum to better aquaint myself with the gun's history, but fear this gun will be long gone by the time I get far enough through the book to be slightly less ignorant.

I'm not a big fan of the front band numbers and it looks like the buttplate has some type of scratch marks on it or something. Like someone got pretty aggressive with steel wool or something for $3,000 for a rifle like this I would want no doubt in my purchase.

Personally there are far better rifles out there than this one a lot of nice rifles get listed in the trader here. I would stick around and get some knowledge under your belt before you start dropping $3,000 on a k98k.

Warrior1354 said:

I'm not a big fan of the front band numbers and it looks like the buttplate has some type of scratch marks on it or something. Like someone got pretty aggressive with steel wool or something for $3,000 for a rifle like this I would want no doubt in my purchase.

Personally there are far better rifles out there than this one a lot of nice rifles get listed in the trader here. I would stick around and get some knowledge under your belt before you start dropping $3,000 on a k98k.

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Very helpful- thanks a lot for taking the time to look.
Just for my knowledge and curiosity- is your concern for the serial numbers on front band that they are worn down, or that the font/etc. may appear fraudulent?

Warrior1354 said:

there are far better rifles out there than this one a lot of nice rifles get listed in the trader here. I would stick around and get some knowledge under your belt before you start dropping $3,000 on a k98k.

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Warrior's right -- it's okay, but it certainly isn't worth $3K.

Mauser Borsigwalde are known for their glossy blue appearance in their finish. For one you can clearly tell there was surface rust or something on the butt plate and it was scrubbed off with steel wool for a better look to the buyers. But that front barrel could be original but I don't like it, it's not factory. I believe this rifle is a depot rifle instead being cut for a sight hood and it looks to be depot marked behind the trigger guard area.

Still $3000 for a well worn depot rifle is pretty high.

You could do so much better for that price tag.

Rather have a cooler depot using a leftover Gew98 receiver being used in a depot build with alot neater parts.

Warrior1354 said:

Mauser Borsigwalde are known for their glossy blue appearance in their finish. For one you can clearly tell there was surface rust or something on the butt plate and it was scrubbed off with steel wool for a better look to the buyers. But that front barrel could be original but I don't like it, it's not factory. I believe this rifle is a depot rifle instead being cut for a sight hood and it looks to be depot marked behind the trigger guard area.

Still $3000 for a well worn depot rifle is pretty high.

You could do so much better for that price tag.

Rather have a cooler depot using a leftover Gew98 receiver being used in a depot build with alot neater parts.

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Wow- I’m very glad that I asked— you guys really are as knowledgeable as they come. I appreciate the insights.

So here comes the incredibly stupid question that that will clearly illustrate my ignorance (I apologize in advance):

I am well aware of what a depot is, but what does it mean for this to be a ‘depot rifle’ in this context (saw no actual service...?)? And is that generally a good thing or a bad thing?

The wrist looks like it has the usual WaA26 acceptance to me, but that might be a Psn2 next to the E/H. Pictures are really not sufficient, certainly not for the crazy 3K asking price.

A decent carried gun, but not at this price.

hurlow8 said:

I am well aware of what a depot is, but what does it mean for this to be a ‘depot rifle’ in this context (saw no actual service...?)? And is that generally a good thing or a bad thing?

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It means the rifle was sent back to a depot for repair. Usually, they have the barrels replaced since unit armorers were not allowed to replace them, but could be for any number of reasons. Depot repaired rifles will almost always have the depot acceptance stamped on the wood somewhere.

Depot rifles are very cool guns that often saw real combat use, but you generally should not pay "factory matching" prices for them because they are often renumbered and verifying them is sometimes a matter of opinion.

I agree 3K is too much, even if it was 100% good to go. I’d be careful with Legacy and K98k’s. They know their German pistols, but not so much rifles. And they are always on the high end of price.

lots of dealers know very little about k98k's other than they can bring good money.. So of course now every one you see listed is way overpriced.. Decide what you want and wait it out and watch gun broker.. If you put the time in you will get one real reasonable.. Over the last couple months there have been some really nice examples selling real reasonable.. Reason, only so many buyers out there believe it or not... But dealers lurk GB also to buy and flip.. You need to know what specific year and code is worth. There is a pretty big swing in price in dates and codes. Also watch the trader here daily..

RyanE said:

The wrist looks like it has the usual WaA26 acceptance to me, but that might be a Psn2 next to the E/H. Pictures are really not sufficient, certainly not for the crazy 3K asking price.

A decent carried gun, but not at this price.



It means the rifle was sent back to a depot for repair. Usually, they have the barrels replaced since unit armorers were not allowed to replace them, but could be for any number of reasons. Depot repaired rifles will almost always have the depot acceptance stamped on the wood somewhere.

Depot rifles are very cool guns that often saw real combat use, but you generally should not pay "factory matching" prices for them because they are often renumbered and verifying them is sometimes a matter of opinion.

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Ah- Thank you very much for the explanation, this is certainly been a great start tomorrow educational experience on these kinds of purchases.

Just so I can learn more about this, if you don’t mind me continuing to pick your brains, if the rifle was sent back to the depot for a new barrel would they actually re-number every single part? So in this matching-serial-number gun they would have scrubbed the original serial numbers (or replaced all numbered parts) and then re-numbered everything? And is there any way to know what year this could have happened by the serial #s (Since I know the serial numbers are regularly cataloged and included in many of the books that I’m purchasing)?

Thanks again-

hurlow8 said:

Just so I can learn more about this, if you don’t mind me continuing to pick your brains, if the rifle was sent back to the depot for a new barrel would they actually re-number every single part? So in this matching-serial-number gun they would have scrubbed the original serial numbers (or replaced all numbered parts) and then re-numbered everything? And is there any way to know what year this could have happened by the serial #s (Since I know the serial numbers are regularly cataloged and included in many of the books that I’m purchasing)?

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Good questions.

A depot would only renumber those parts that were replaced. Even then, depots often did not bother renumbering some of the smaller parts (bolt release, sight parts, etc.), either because they were following the current TL (document that dictated how rifles were inspected and numbered) or they just didn't bother. I have a 243 1940 that cycled through the depot at Posen that must have caught a piece of shrapnel on the rear sight base. The depot replaced the base as well as the sight parts, and they didn't number any of them. Everything else on the gun, including the barrel, is the original factory part.

There is no way to know exactly when a rifle cycled through a depot. You might take a guess based on what is numbered and what is not, but I don't know that is all that definitive.

RyanE said:

Good questions.

A depot would only renumber those parts that were replaced. Even then, depots often did not bother renumbering some of the smaller parts (bolt release, sight parts, etc.), either because they were following the current TL (document that dictated how rifles were inspected and numbered) or they just didn't bother. I have a 243 1940 that cycled through the depot at Posen that must have caught a piece of shrapnel on the rear sight base. The depot replaced the base as well as the sight parts, and they didn't number any of them. Everything else on the gun, including the barrel, is the original factory part.

There is no way to know exactly when a rifle cycled through a depot. You might take a guess based on what is numbered and what is not, but I don't know that is all that definitive.

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Gotcha- thanks again.
Though I am still a tiny bit confused. If the barrel, receiver, band, etc. all have matching serial numbers (660), Would that mean, based on what you just said, that those parts were not replaced at the depot? Or that they all were replaced together? And if I looked up the serial number 660 from the 243 1940 Mousers could I not find out when and where they were made/depoted (like all other military guns)?

hurlow8 said:

Though I am still a tiny bit confused. If the barrel, receiver, band, etc. all have matching serial numbers (660), Would that mean, based on what you just said, that those parts were not replaced at the depot? Or that they all were replaced together? And if I looked up the serial number 660 from the 243 1940 Mousers could I not find out when and where they were made/depoted (like all other military guns)?

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Serial numbers, generally speaking, would start the year 1-9999, then 1a-9999a, etc. At the start of the next year they would go back to 1 and start over. It gets more complicated later, but this is a good way to start. The code on the top, 243, is the maker, Mauser Borsigwalde. Spend some time in the picture reference forum, and it will eventually all make sense.

The depots would match the replaced parts to the rifle's factory serial number. You have to look at the serial number fonts and other small details to figure out it a part was replaced. Honestly, depot rifles are a very advanced topic, the "deep end" of K98k collecting, and would be best explored only when you have a good handle on the the normal factory matching rifles. Best way to start learning is to go to the Picture Reference forum and start studying, Mauser Obendorf (42, byf) is probably the easiest to learn so start there. The books will certainly help too.

RyanE said:

Serial numbers, generally speaking, would start the year 1-9999, then 1a-9999a, etc. At the start of the next year they would go back to 1 and start over. It gets more complicated later, but this is a good way to start. The code on the top, 243, is the maker, Mauser Borsigwalde. Spend some time in the picture reference forum, and it will eventually all make sense.

The depots would match the replaced parts to the rifle's factory serial number. You have to look at the serial number fonts and other small details to figure out it a part was replaced. Honestly, depot rifles are a very advanced topic, the "deep end" of K98k collecting, and would be best explored only when you have a good handle on the the normal factory matching rifles. Best way to start learning is to go to the Picture Reference forum and start studying, Mauser Obendorf (42, byf) is probably the easiest to learn so start there. The books will certainly help too.

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Thanks for the good advice. I spent most of the evening reviewing this (with a long way to go obviously). It seems that if this particular rifle spent at a depot it should (might?) have a a stamp to that effect (e.g., Psn2). I requested better pics of the rifle and I’ve started browsing the forum postings and web for other examples. I didn’t really see information on different fonts/details per depot yet though (if anyone has any links).