First post on this forum so wasn't certain the best place for posting. Trying to authenticate this "bnz 4" rifle I have with SSZZA2 marking on the barrel and death head marking on the stock. All numbered parts match, stock may have been sanded? Need help identifying any issues.
Authentication of Steyr K98 with SS markings
- Thread starter CLJ
- Start date
Another 'SS' train wreck. Run away as is the case for most of these creations.
I especially love the 'bnz' shield stamped on the stock..must be a variation!
About the only original aspect of this rifle is the barrelled action and floorplate, and that does not include the bolt.
I especially love the 'bnz' shield stamped on the stock..must be a variation!
About the only original aspect of this rifle is the barrelled action and floorplate, and that does not include the bolt.
Fake bolt, fake stock, fake SS marking on the barrel.
If you want to learn, we have a picture reference forum you should look through. Picking up copies of Karabiner 98k is also a very good idea if you want to collect these.
Is this a Legacy Collectibles rifle? Pics kinda look like their work, but I don't see it on the website.
hale1940
Canadian Fabio
Its hard to say exactly why what is bad is bad. But I can tell you that a bunch of the stock markings just aren’t a thing. The ‘bnz’ and the shield, stocks just weren’t marked like that. The deathshead is the wrong size. The font on the bolt components is wrong. And to me the SSZZA4 stamp looks fake too.
Ryan is right. Best thing to do is look at some examples in the picture reference index to get an idea of what we are talking about.
Zeppelin5000
Senior Member
Bruce98k can tell because he IS Karem.
This rifle is so wrong that it's laugable to be honest. There are certain things the Germans did and did not do. Certain things SS rifles should and should not have. There are no letter block on SS rifles, no waffenamts, it has an Army marking on the stock (eagle/H), many stock markings on this one are just made up... If you picked this one up, I hope you didn't spend that much... Would you mind letting us know where this was listed?
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Warrior1354
ax - hole
Haha. I love that Mike wrote the SS section but Bruce gets credit. Poor Mike, always living in Bruce's shadow.
OP, this is not an original SS rifle. Don't just read the SS chapter, read the Steyr one as well and start to compare this to original SSZZA4 rifles as well as bnz43 and bnz4 rifles. And welcome to the forum. SS rifles are the most sought after K98ks. The learning curve on them is steeper then most.
OP, this is not an original SS rifle. Don't just read the SS chapter, read the Steyr one as well and start to compare this to original SSZZA4 rifles as well as bnz43 and bnz4 rifles. And welcome to the forum. SS rifles are the most sought after K98ks. The learning curve on them is steeper then most.
CLJ, I will do my best to breakdown the rifle but its difficult if you have no knowledge base.
Lets start with the barrelled action as that is the only original component along with the floorplate.
1. Barrelled action is from a correct 'e' block 1944 Steyr production rifle using a subcontracted receiver built by Astrawerke and coded 'bcd 4'
2. Floorplate is correct for the action but the trigger housing is from a late war Mauser Oberndorf assembled rifle without the locking screws and has dual E/135 inspections, indicating in-house use at Mauser.
The original trigger housing on this rifle would have bben likely supplied by Mauser but would have had locking screws and a single E/135 inspection stamp.
3. Stock should be laminated and not walnut.
4. The "bnz shield" along with the 'bnz' code stamp were never stamped on stocks, period; so this is a total creation by guy that made this masterpiece.
5. The "SSZZA2" was for SS Double Claw snipers and has no business being on a standard issue K98k
6. The "Deathshead" is wrong and in this grip position did not exist at this time in the war; furthermore, has no business being on this rifle in the first place.
(There are "Deathshead K" SSZZA4 rifles with the Deathshead stamp farther back on the bottom of SS depot assembled rifles in this period.
7. The bolt is a complete fabrication and a poor attempt at engraved or pantograph matching.
I could continue but you can see where this is going. The biggest minefield regarding K98k collecting appear in two realms: snipers and SS rifles.
Hence my classification of this example as a "train wreck."
You can now see why.
Lets start with the barrelled action as that is the only original component along with the floorplate.
1. Barrelled action is from a correct 'e' block 1944 Steyr production rifle using a subcontracted receiver built by Astrawerke and coded 'bcd 4'
2. Floorplate is correct for the action but the trigger housing is from a late war Mauser Oberndorf assembled rifle without the locking screws and has dual E/135 inspections, indicating in-house use at Mauser.
The original trigger housing on this rifle would have bben likely supplied by Mauser but would have had locking screws and a single E/135 inspection stamp.
3. Stock should be laminated and not walnut.
4. The "bnz shield" along with the 'bnz' code stamp were never stamped on stocks, period; so this is a total creation by guy that made this masterpiece.
5. The "SSZZA2" was for SS Double Claw snipers and has no business being on a standard issue K98k
6. The "Deathshead" is wrong and in this grip position did not exist at this time in the war; furthermore, has no business being on this rifle in the first place.
(There are "Deathshead K" SSZZA4 rifles with the Deathshead stamp farther back on the bottom of SS depot assembled rifles in this period.
7. The bolt is a complete fabrication and a poor attempt at engraved or pantograph matching.
I could continue but you can see where this is going. The biggest minefield regarding K98k collecting appear in two realms: snipers and SS rifles.
Hence my classification of this example as a "train wreck."
You can now see why.
If double claw sniper correct. Mike did a first class job on both the Steyr an SS chapters with no input from me so he gets all the credit for that as well as groundbreaking research regarding both Steyr and the SS in regards to small arms production....well done brother!