First Karabiner 98b

[wolfgolf96]

Merry Christmas Eve y’all! Been after a
moderate condition 98b for a few years now and had this mid F block pop up on GB last week. Pictures were not great but got it for shooter grade price. It’s a hodgepodge of parts and has a mildly sanded stock, but it will gladly serve as a place holder till a better one makes my way. Some interesting take aways is the lack of an import mark and duffle cut G98 stock. The stock, hardware, and hand guard are all renumbered to match.

 

[wolfgolf96]

Pictures

 

[wolfgolf96]

Few more

 

[chrisftk]

Cameron, interesting rifle. I'm assuming the lack of import means it may have been a sporter rescue that someone turned into a 98m be a use of the difficulty in finding 98b parts.

 

[wolfgolf96]

Cameron, interesting rifle. I'm assuming the lack of import means it may have been a sporter rescue that someone turned into a 98m be a use of the difficulty in finding 98b parts.

Thanks for the input Chris, I was thinking that, or an early import. Is there any chance at a possible depot rework as the stock, hand guard, and hardware (even as a G98 material) are renumbered to match, or is that more than likely bubba at work?

 

[chrisftk]

Thanks for the input Chris, I was thinking that, or an early import. Is there any chance at a possible depot rework as the stock, hand guard, and hardware (even as a G98 material) are renumbered to match, or is that more than likely bubba at work?

The numbering on the stock and bands looks a bit hinky to me. I've seen a Gew98 stocks repurposed to a kar98b, but they typically have a sling cut and a bolt cutout added. Can you share a pic of the buttplate SN?

 

[wolfgolf96]

The numbering on the stock and bands looks a bit hinky to me. I've seen a Gew98 stocks repurposed to a kar98b, but they typically have a sling cut and a bolt cutout added. Can you share a pic of the buttplate SN?

 

[chrisftk]

If I were forced to make a definitive call, I would lean toward the numbering being bad, the full picture and context of a 98b being retro converted to a 98m is just odd and some of the fonts and scrubbing look spurious. It's so tough to conclusively say though with interwar. The other possibility is that someone got damn lucky and found a loose stock set with the right number. Stranger things have happened.

Either way, I would hold onto it. You didn't pay much and I can't 100% dismiss it, just give my gut feeling. Let's see what others say too.

 

[Loewe]

I agree with Chris, probably bad but good work... Such a late rifle (this is at the a$$ end of 98b Simson production, probably 1930 as the 6600 f block uses the Mod.98 SR) mated with this stock, the original rearsight unaltered (probably wouldn't need it but typically stock replaced carry a new RS and this looks factory); the serialing on the bands are more convincing than most frauds though, - really the stock selection is the most worrisome, why such a stock selection on a 98b made in or around 1930. Unexpected at least...

No way to know for sure, or even high probability but buyers must deal in probabilities and this is on the less than 50/50 side imo. Good work though, and I have no prior record of it.

 

[wolfgolf96]

Appreciate y’all’s expertise on the matter. Hate to see it’s on the wrong half of the line, but a good reminder to check your resources before a purchase. On the bright side, I can only trade up from here .

 

[Gerst]

Why not mate it up with a proper 98b stock and bolt and other hardware and go from there? it would make a great project!