Help ID - Unit marking on RC 243/1940 Mauser barrel...

R

rcxrc

Member
I have a Russian capture, "243/1940" Mauser made K98.

"X" receiver stamped (as a Russian capture) with an "M" stamped below the X / crossed rifles stamp; re-blued and red-shellac'd stock.

Bolt, safety, and a couple of other parts electro-pencil marked with the original 3 digit serial number (as per usual Russian refurbishment process). Stock stamped on left side with 3 digit serial number. It is mostly matching (except magazine floorplate and barrel band, and no peened (struck out) markings at all. All markings are very sharp.

Oddly, there is a roll-marked marking on the barrel just in front of the receiver of "29" in large characters, then "39" in smaller characters, then "E" in large size lettering again. So "29 39 E", with the 39 in smaller size letters in the middle. Font style appears to be close to "Unica", or "Six Caps" font style. Unsure if this was a unit marking, but if so from which country I do not know, and no one has been able to say (German, Russian re-issue, E. German, etc).

If anyone reads this, any help would be appreciated ! This is what the marking looks like:



98 bbl.jpg

or at https://youtu.be/lcToDyQunfM
 
Last edited:
That is the barrel lot code. It shows the lot number, date and steel provider. The 29 is the lot, 39 is the year, and the E is the steel provider, I’ll have to look it up.


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Ok, I had no idea and thought it might be something else, since I haven't seen this kind of marking on most of the close-up pics of other 98's I've seen. The mfg code and date on the receiver ring are approx. 4.1-4.2mm in height and in a very different font than this string of characters, which are about 4.2mm in height and centered on the exposed end of the barrel itself (just over the chamber), just in front of the receiver ring.
 
The reason you might have seen some K98s with out a mark in that location is because sometimes the barrel is clocked in such a way that the mark is either completely or partially hidden under the stock, but virtually every rifle will have one.
 
And here's my 30 39 E barrel code on my Norwegian 'surrender' 243/1940 K98k :thumbsup:
 

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