yeeyee123
Active member
Hello all, I do not frequent this forum, but I have recently won something that is out of my realm of knowledge (unit mark wise) and may be of interest to y'all. I collect Astro-Hungarian arms more than German ones and I'm pretty good at translating and tracking Astro-Hungarian units, have had luck translating and tracking my other German unit marked pieces, but I have nowhere to begin on this 98a. Well, outside of the fact it appears to be a completely matching (outwardly) 1911 dated Erfurt example with no usual signs of wartime or post war work. It has the plainer "kar 98" script on the receiver as well which I thought was stopped before this time but that's of little consequence. Of course, I will post photos of this rifle and all of its parts once it is in my hands for those more knowledgeable than me to judge. It's a bit burnt if you can't tell but doesn't look sanded, it will make an excellent display piece at the minimum.
Anyways I am reading the units as 13 AFE 261 and 2 MGK 26. I know the latter means 2nd machine gun company weapon 26 and my knowledge ends there. A German collector friend thinks the former unit mark is the 13th foot artillery ersatz regiment but was unsure. Assuming those readings are correct, I have conflicting trains of thought. I associate the term ersatz with a wartime substitute unit or good so part of me reasons the artillery unit is the most recently assigned unit. Problem being is that mark is located where unit marks would typically go on a 98a without a takedown disk and the machine gun unit mark is in an abnormal spot perhaps signifying it came second instead. Hell, maybe it's all one big unit mark because one apparently refers to a regiment and the other a company and nothing is lined out, I do not know.
Again, not really my area of expertise so if anyone has the knowledge to translate these units, determine which unit mark is the most recent one, or perhaps even has access to the history of these units through the war I would greatly appreciate any of those things. I do again promise to provide detailed photos of the parts and serials when the rifle is in my possession. Thanks!
Anyways I am reading the units as 13 AFE 261 and 2 MGK 26. I know the latter means 2nd machine gun company weapon 26 and my knowledge ends there. A German collector friend thinks the former unit mark is the 13th foot artillery ersatz regiment but was unsure. Assuming those readings are correct, I have conflicting trains of thought. I associate the term ersatz with a wartime substitute unit or good so part of me reasons the artillery unit is the most recently assigned unit. Problem being is that mark is located where unit marks would typically go on a 98a without a takedown disk and the machine gun unit mark is in an abnormal spot perhaps signifying it came second instead. Hell, maybe it's all one big unit mark because one apparently refers to a regiment and the other a company and nothing is lined out, I do not know.
Again, not really my area of expertise so if anyone has the knowledge to translate these units, determine which unit mark is the most recent one, or perhaps even has access to the history of these units through the war I would greatly appreciate any of those things. I do again promise to provide detailed photos of the parts and serials when the rifle is in my possession. Thanks!
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