Depot build pick up!

[Pete R.]

First of all I want to give a big shout out of thanks to Swjxe and RyanE. Last Saturday I was at a gun show and spotted a unique BSW blank topped K98 that I was unfamiliar with but I knew looked kinda special. Without any photos these two knowledgable gents quickly identified what I was looking at enabling me to make an informed purchasing decision. Also many thanks to those who operate this wonderful web site! On to the rifle: Appears to be a depot build, numbers matching externally minus the cleaning rod (missing) and flag safety has been etched ”on” ”off” I have included the best pics I could get. I have not been under the wood. Stock has no external markings that I can find not sure if that is how these were made or if the stock has just been worn down or altered. Enjoy the pics and let me know what you think!

 

[Pete R.]

Additional pics:

 

[Pete R.]

More:

 

[Pete R.]

And the bolt:

 

[Welder1]

Oh wow! Very nice find

 

[Pete R.]

Last set:

 

[heavy_mech]

Very nice grab. I love the early parts mix. The safety is a pretty minor ding IMHO. Good eye OP to realize this was something worth exploring.

 

[SVW1945]

Awesome. Nice Pick Up.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Glad you got it. When you said you left it at a show I was cringing a bit, expecting it to be another “one that got away” story.

 

[RyanE]

I'd say this qualifies as a home run. It may be the only 'complete' Wehrkreis V depot build around. Low production, and almost all of them are RCs.

Stock has been sanded and cleaned, but would have been mostly unmarked. Too bad about the safety, but when it comes to the unicorn stuff like his, sometimes you take what you can get. It wouldn't bother me too much.

 

[Turbo Archie]

What kind of stock lug is that..

 

[heavy_mech]

What kind of stock lug is that..

It's neat huh? I love the early multi marked parts. When Heimag first started making these they had the e/221. They were the primary supplier of these to Gustloff but also made ordinance spares.

Jory just got a killer '40 Gustloff this month with almost all the parts marked with both the sub code and waf.

 

[heavy_mech]

I'd say this qualifies as a home run. It may be the only 'complete' Wehrkreis V depot build around. Low production, and almost all of them are RCs.

I suspected as much. Do you have a 'known high' serial number?

 

[Pete R.]

I'd say this qualifies as a home run. It may be the only 'complete' Wehrkreis V depot build around. Low production, and almost all of them are RCs.

Stock has been sanded and cleaned, but would have been mostly unmarked. Too bad about the safety, but when it comes to the unicorn stuff like his, sometimes you take what you can get. It wouldn't bother me too much.

Thanks again Ryan for the quick reply last weekend it really helped out. It’s by far my nicest K98 and I paid up for it but felt comfortable doing do knowing it was something unique. From your previous post you mentioned these were most likely assembled in 1941/42 correct? Was this ordered because of a production shortage and/or operation Barbarossa?

 

[mauser99]

What kind of stock lug is that..

f coded. but early with added proof mark. Most just have the f

 

[mrfarb]

Very cool, sometimes you just have to get what you can on depot builds, they are all neat.

 

[RyanE]

I suspected as much. Do you have a 'known high' serial number?

That would be a question for Loewe. The few I have seen are all 2 or 3 digit SNs.

Thanks again Ryan for the quick reply last weekend it really helped out. It’s by far my nicest K98 and I paid up for it but felt comfortable doing do knowing it was something unique. From your previous post you mentioned these were most likely assembled in 1941/42 correct? Was this ordered because of a production shortage and/or operation Barbarossa?

We don't really know for sure. But all of the depots starting assembling rifles from their spare parts at some point, likely due to shortages. 1941/42 is just an educated guess, but the depots could have been doing this as late as 1944. Some IX builds are dated 1943 and I know of a XXI depot built MG34 that is dated 1944.

 

[THunter]

Awesome depot build. I agree with everything stated above. The recoil lug looks like it was perhaps reinstalled upside down and the recoil lug nut was put on with the holes facing to the inside. If thats the case its a simple cosmetic fix. This was all probably done when the stock was dinked with.

 

[racerlee]

Awesome pickup OP! This forum has helped me a lot with information on rifles and a few other odds and ends. Great people here.

 

[mrfarb]

When I wrote the chapter on depot builds several years ago, there was only 1 "V" depot build reported at that time - granted before then not many people paid attention to them or even understood what they were. I had 1 confirmed report of SN V26 and it was a Russian Capture, but i estimated 100-200 assembled there based solely on the small reporting sample -- that isn't to say that there aren't more made, but when you have just 1-2 reports its rare. I suspect that yours may be one of the only all matching ones left alive. I consider it impossible to put a complete collection together of the depot builds, but the XX and XXI are most plentiful with I, IV, V and VII really hard to find even as RC's.

I can't seem to find the photo of the V26 rifle, but I did not add any to the book that I didn't confirm with a photo, if I find it I'll post it.