Identifying Markings on a K98 - German Made with Belgian Proofs, Possibly from a China Collection

[@freedomjeep1]

Hey everyone, Bruce Karem and Michael Steves,

I'm hoping someone here can help me identify a K98 I'm looking to purchase. It's German made, which I know is common, but it also has Belgian proof markings on it. This is where things get a little less clear for me.

Adding to the mystery, there's another marking on the buttstock that I can't identify at all. It was in a private owner collection that some K98s were brought over packed from China. I'm wondering if this rifle could be one of those and if the unknown marking on the buttstock could be related to its time in China.

Could anyone shed some light on what the Belgian markings might indicate on a German-made K98? Also, does anyone have experience with K98s that were part of collections brought from China, and what kind of markings might be found on them?

Any help in properly identifying these markings and the rifle's history would be greatly appreciated! I'm eager to learn more about this piece.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cyrano4747]

It's an absolute hodge podge of random parts assembled into a K98k. Pre-war receiver and barrel, late war bands, I'm not going to even pretend to know what the deal is with the bolt. I'm pretty sure, but not 100%, that the Belgian proofs are post war and indicate it was privately owned there at some point. Plus I don't think I see any two serial numbers that match. Non-standard sling arrangement on the stock, plus there's something else that I can't put my finger on but looks wrong from the photographs.

If you want a shooter, sure, maybe, if the price is right. It all depends on what they want for it. For me, it would top out at about a $500 rifle.

 

[@freedomjeep1]

I'm trying to identify a symbol located on the buttstock of a rifle and haven't been successful in finding any information about it online.

The original owner of the rifle believed the symbol might be associated with the Chinese government or something similar, perhaps even a "strengths" symbol.

Would it be possible for you to help me identify this marking? Any insight you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and assistance with this.

 

[corifleman]

I wouldn't buy the story on this one... It's a Mixmaster shooter at best to me. Willing to accept I'm wrong but unless there is strong evidence to the contrary I wouldn't pay for the story.

 

[Cyrano4747]

I agree that it's not worth buying the story without documentation, and I'll add that it doesn't look like any Chinese arsenal or militia marking I've ever seen on a rifle buttstock, be it a K98k or a Hanyang 88 or an SKS or what have you. Usually they're less geometric and with some writing.

That said, Chinese use and markings might be the final frontier in Mauser collecting and research. There is so much that is poorly undertood and documented there, especially when it comes to the assorted markings that local militia, police, etc. put on them once they trickled down to local / extremely rear area use in the 60s-70s.

Which is all to say. . . . maybe? But, again, none of that makes the gun particularly valuable or desirable. You can get Chinese contract and Chinese used guns pretty cheaply, usually (like this gun) due to their over-all condition.

If you like the gun and it's priced cheaply, get it as a shooter and something to think about. But don't spend real money on it thinking it is desirable (in monetary terms - beauty is in the eye of the beholder with this stuff) in the collector market.