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DAK British Capture “duv 40”

MilsurpDan

Junior Member
I met with an older collector friend of mine yesterday and he was kind enough to pass off to me three of his most cherished possessions.

I’ll make separate threads for the other two, but this particular rifle is one of the DAK British captured K98k’s. My friend said he picked it out directly from Hunter’s Lodge (Interarms) when it was in Alexandria, Virginia in 1967.

He was told at the time that these British captured rifles were in a shipment of approximately 200 rifles that came out of Portuguese Goa (Portugal’s former Indian colony).

He looked through them all and picked out what he could afford. They were sold for $45.

All matching down to the screws and in beautiful condition. The British applied some kind of varnish to the stock like I’ve seen with some other British captured equipment.

It’s got the “AA” marking for Alexandria (or Allahabad) Arsenal as well as the MP stock disk and “R.P. SRI.” Painted on the stock.

Pictures in the imgur link below. If they don’t work, let me know.

 
Link to my 2017 post about my 1938 Sauer rifle from Interarms/Ye Old Hunter, Alexandria, VA acquired about the same time as yours. I remember picking it out with my dad and still have it.

 
Cool history on these . I’d almost be tempted to add some varnish back where it was removed on the stock e/H so it doesn’t stick out
 
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That's a hell of a friend.

Cool history on these . I’d almost be tempted to add some varnish back where it was removed on the stock e/H so it doesn’t stick out

I wouldn't. Matching varnish and lacquer can be tough, you have to know what was put on originally. And if you screw it up you've done way more harm than good.

Years ago I ordered some shellac flakes - the actual raw flakes - direct from Russia that were supposed to be some traditional shellac that is basically identical to what the Soviets put on their rifles. I had a m91/30 sniper where a bit of the shellac had rubbed off from my ear protection. It should have worked fine. New shellac will merge with the layer under it and it should end up being more or less seamless. I even ordered two different colors to test and see what came in closest.

I'm glad I tested it on a bog standard 91/30 first. The shellac did its job, but it was visible a mile off and looked worse than just leaving the bare patch of wood. One looked like some wear on an old rifle stock, the other looked like an obviously new patch.
 
Thanks guys!

He also gave me a data sheet that he made back in the 80’s with serial numbers and information on a couple dozen other British capture 98k’s that were in the same shipment. I’ll post it later when I get a chance.
 
a good friend indeed!
interesting that the front sight base is grooved for a hood, given the year
the ‘AA’ mark, is that the mark on left receiver that looks like a bug?
 
What a cool example, I love it! Earlier this year a well used but matching 237 1940 popped up on GB and sat for 2 or 3 months till maybe 2 or 3 ish weeks ago it sold. Woulda been super neat seeing both a 237 40 and a DUV 40 side by side of each other.
 
a good friend indeed!
interesting that the front sight base is grooved for a hood, given the year
the ‘AA’ mark, is that the mark on left receiver that looks like a bug?

So the AA marking is actually right above the added stock disk on the buttstock.

The mark on the receiver appears to be an asterisk that was added after the rifle was captured. The other British capture I got (that I’ll post later) has the same asterisk marking on it.
 
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My favorite maker/year, aside from BNZ 44.

There was a DUV 40 that I saw ages ago with a piece of shrapnel stuck in the stock. It sold on Gunbroker way back when, and then showed up here not too long ago. Loved that one.
 
Excellent duv 40. Legitimately a “rare” code / date. I suspect the “plant / asterisk” stamp indicates an inspect or mod, such as the slight filing / removal of the follower edge so that the German bolt hold open feature is like an Enfield (no hold open) I’ve researched the Goa connection long ago during the thread below and in discussion with probably the same collector that Dan is friends with as he had several of these and the origin story is the same.


I thought I had posted this before but the rifles have a long traveled history and if the various markings are treated as progressive and not contemporaneous it makes more sense. IMHO:

1) These were captured / booty as a result of the surrender of the DAK. None date after 1941. They were routed through Alexandria in Egypt and picked up the AA (“Alexandria Arsenal”) or into India as Commonwealth victor in North Africa (“Allahabad Arsenal”). They all have the AA stock stamp.

2) They ended up in Goa, as supplied by India after the “Goa War” for their occupation after liberating Goa from the Portugese. The Portugese used the K98k and 8mm so there was more that there than .303. OR, the Indians captured or recaptured these in Goa.

3) Some of the rifles (not all) bear MP stock disks. These are Commonwealth style for Military Provost with a weapon number. This would be consistent with Indian / Commonwealth military police issue / use. Obviously the disc came later than the AA stock stamp as they are usually on top of or otherwise obscure the AA stamp.

4) Some, not all, have the stocks painted with SRI which could indicate Sri Lankan Police use. Sri Lanka was a British possession until 1948 and off the coast of India. The “RP” could be “Regimental Provost” or something else and the “SRI” may have nothing to do with Sri Lanka.

5) All seem to have the asterisk / plant stamp on the receiver. We haven’t conclusively identified this but it would logically be part of an inspection process of whomever ended up with these.

6) Most or all with the original followers appear to have had the followers slightly milled or filed to not hold the bolt open.

These rifles were surplused in the 60s-70s when India went to 7.62 NATO. Origin lore / background from that period consistently points to being sourced from Goa before surplus. This makes sense given the foregoing. Were they captured / recaptured when the Indians liberated Goa or did India supply them to there troops or MPs in Goa? In any event, they’ve got quite the exotic history.
 

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