Kar98 question

[Chalback]

Hey guys, I'm new to the forums and to kar98's just got my licence up here in Canada and wanted to start collecting some mausers, I am trying to learn as much as i can right now but Kars up here are super rare from what i have seen. I have come across one store sellingt the following and was wondeirng if anyone might have some imput on these as they dont last that long when they get listed. Any help would be great.

Top:
K98 Mauser
Marked AR43, forced match, headspace OK.
bore dark, stock varnished
1450$

Middle:
K98 with original German markings
Marked AR41, mismatched, headspace OK.
Bpre is VG, comes with sling
missing front sight hood and cleaning rod, has straight bolt
1150$

Bottom:
K98K
Mismatched but complete with capture screws
Markings have been peened, missing cleaning rod, headspace OK.
Brand new wood stock, not original
1350$

 

[72usmc]

That bottom rifle was most likely a former RC, look for RC attributes. Or, it may be an RC converted by Mitchel Mauser, look for Mitchel Mauser attributes and MM import mark. It certainly has a black blue like RCs. Generally Candian rifles do not have import marks. Attribute traits are mentioned here in this ancient post:

K98k rifle overview- commonly found on the US market

Back a few years ago 2018, I had a very long post on the now gone forum SRF (Surfpusrifleforum.org) about military surplus K98K rifles commonly found on the us market. In the 2000s there was a flood of surplus Mausers. I wrote a post describing the attributes of each specimen with many research l...

www.treasurebunker.com

If it was me i'd favor the top two, are all three RCs?

 

[Sauer_Kraut]

Middle rifle doesn't have a k98k pattern bolt. Probs why it's 200 less. Bottom one has a weird stock, maybe after market?

 

[Cyrano4747]

IMO all three are RC's, but with the bottom being in a replacement stock. You did see some RC's come in with straight bolts, I don't think the Soviets cared much for correctness during the reassembly process and it doesn't take much imagination to figure how some Vz24 (or whatever) bolts would end up in the mix.

In your shoes I'd go for the top one. It's the most honest of the three. That varnish looks to be the standard Soviet shellac they put on the RCs, in general it stuck way better to the hardwood stocks than the laminates. Of course on some it was flakey shite regardless, there's a lot of variation in how well they applied it. If it's what I think it is, it will come off with a little denatured alcohol, if that's a thing you want to do (there's a debate to be had about that). That said, for all I know it could be some polyurethane hell, squinting at photos doesn't make for good diagnoses.

Getting a replacement bolt for the middle one will be a pain in the rear, and the replacement stock on the bottom one is just going to be a headache. It also doesn't even look right. If a representative K98k is what you're after, grab the one up top.