Japanese Contract K98k

[Glen71]

Chinese contract has Mauser Banner on the receiver.
Japanese contract will have 42 code (per standard production).

B.

Did not the Chinese contract rifles also have a "Chrysanthemum" receiver stamp?

 

[nirvana]

The Japanese Carcano rifles did not have the flower on them.

 

[Luft1]

Again, when I looked at Bob's, it was not stamped on the metal or on the receiver, but clearly stamped in the wood on the bottom of the stock

 

[bruce98k]

Chinese

That rifle you looked at was a straight Chinese contract.
I know of no direct sales from Mauser to Japan for left over Chinese contract rifles.
There were limited deliveries to the German Navy for some of these late Chinese K98ks
as evidenced by 2 examples shown on this forum.

Certainly possible that large numbers of Chinese k98s were captured by Japan.

 

[John Wall]

Amazing find. I still can't believe what turns up these days. I just wish some would turn up in the Middletown, CT area!!! Nice score and a truly amazing piece.

My Chinese contract K98k never saw China, and in fact came from the Middletown CT area many, many years ago. The collector I bought it acquired it from was Winchester executive during WW II when it was given to Winchester-Western for cartridge testing. See pages 98-99 of the 5th edition of MMRotW for photographs. It appears unused.
Regards,
John