Mauser Standard Modell K98k Short Side Rail Conversion

[bruce98k]

This gun was a local find, courtesy of my postman, a fellow collector.
Came from VFW member who my buddy randomly met at a hall dinner.
Anyway, the purchase was worked out and here we are. Unfortunately, no scope.

The rifle started off as a late B series Standard Modell, likely assembled in the 1938-early 1939 time period.
Originally fitted with a straight bolt and bottom sling, it was converted to full K98k configuration.

I do not believe the conversions were done at a HZa depot as none bear any depot marks or evidence of depot conversion (ie. Spandau secondary numbering).
At some point after the conversion to K98k, the rifle was equipped with a short side rail mount using the early stock "blind routing" for clearing the side mount.

While SSR examples are very difficult to measure, I am comfortable with this rifle being a legitimate example.

A secondary issue is how to classify these Banner conversions. I tend to lean toward a Police connection but without documentation its hard to prove.

Look forward to discussion on this unique rifle.

EDIT: Serial listing

To date I have the following rifles logged:

B76652
B80084
B80643
B81996

Mount as follows:

75930 Private collection
79180 Spielauer book
80455 w/SS Dienstglas marked scope




B.

 

[Wolfsburg]

Holy crap! That thing would be stunning even if it wasn't an SSR conversion. Just gorgeous!

 

[M1903A3]

Wow!! Awesome find, thank you for sharing it.


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[Warrior1354]

Wow Bruce that is one epic find for your collection and damn is that stock gorgeous. Love those early walnut stocks. As for being issued by gut leans toward the police connection.

 

[mdarnell19]

Neat rifle Bruce, great to finally see it. Hopefully we can find some more solid information on these. Police makes the most sense to me. Thanks for the good pictures.

I'll add it to the website.

 

[Absolut]

Please remove the stock and check the scope base for any pairing serial number on it, either at front, back or on bottom (or on the side, covered by the wood). Also please post a picture of the inletting on the stock since this is only documented by Sauer and rather distinctively made. Is there an additional commercial firing proof on bottom of the barrel, as with the SS rifles?

Wolfgang once told me Police sniper rifles (according to the official order) carry an additional marking on the receiver (plus required to be from a particular year and manufacturer), what your rifle doesn't. Therefore if it were a Police sniper, it would be one off the line.

In Robert Spielauers book you can also find Standard Model SSR conversions, but made by the SS with Deaths Heads markings. Maybe your rifle was one of those, but escaped the additional marking (just a guess)?

Finally, a last thing to point out: the SSR is the very late Type III mount, meaning it doesn't only have the securing screws in the late pattern, but it also has the additional pins plus the hole for the fixture screw from the scope mount atop. These represent the final form of the SSR mount and therefore would indicate being reworked at least in 1943 again. I also noticed miscolorations on the receiver in front of the scope rail which may result from heat.

 

[bruce98k]

Standard Modell SSR

The apparent "heat treating"marks on the receiver are simply glare. I have been at this game long enough to know
if a gun has been messed with. There is a 2 digit assembly number stamped on the bottom of the mount and will add
images of it, along with the stock routing.

Of all the snipers, the SSRs are the most problematic, and when he pulled it out of the sleeve I knew this was real.
Opinions are shared and respected, but thats mine.

There are no conversion marks on the update to K98k. Among all the examples I have looked at, none bear any.
They all carry the original MO commerical proofing stamps under the barrel, along with the barrel code.

B.

 

[Xavier]

Hello
Which additional marking on receiver for police ?
Do you have pictures ?
Regards


QUOTE=Absolut;269837]Please remove the stock and check the scope base for any pairing serial number on it, either at front, back or on bottom (or on the side, covered by the wood). Also please post a picture of the inletting on the stock since this is only documented by Sauer and rather distinctively made. Is there an additional commercial firing proof on bottom of the barrel, as with the SS rifles?

Wolfgang once told me Police sniper rifles (according to the official order) carry an additional marking on the receiver (plus required to be from a particular year and manufacturer), what your rifle doesn't. Therefore if it were a Police sniper, it would be one off the line.

In Robert Spielauers book you can also find Standard Model SSR conversions, but made by the SS with Deaths Heads markings. Maybe your rifle was one of those, but escaped the additional marking (just a guess)?

Finally, a last thing to point out: the SSR is the very late Type III mount, meaning it doesn't only have the securing screws in the late pattern, but it also has the additional pins plus the hole for the fixture screw from the scope mount atop. These represent the final form of the SSR mount and therefore would indicate being reworked at least in 1943 again. I also noticed miscolorations on the receiver in front of the scope rail which may result from heat.[/QUOTE]

 

[heavy_mech]

Really a beautiful piece Bruce! Congrats. The wood is fantastic as mentioned and I can't believe how little wear there is on the entire rifle. Even handling wear is nearly non-existent. I imagine this piece spent the bulk of the war in a weapons rack in an arms room somewhere. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Absolut]

Bruce, I then assume the two digit serial on bottom of the scope base is identical to the one on my ce 43 SSR sniper (click here to see the threat with pictures of it)?
Re the miscolorations, I only wanted to point those out. It is hard to tell something from pictures. Also the one showing your receiver from top makes it appear as if the side rail has miscolorations too, but this might as well be just smudged oil, but could also be a result of heat (possibly during D&T). It is not necessarily something negative, but just something that should be looked at.

Xavier, Wolfgang did not gave permission to share more details of what he knows based on original documents/orders of what needs to be done. You might either contact him directly or wait if he will share his knowledge here in public. I do not have a picture of this, to make it short.

 

[Amberg]

Xavier, Wolfgang did not gave permission to share more details of what he knows based on original documents/orders of what needs to be done. You might either contact him directly or wait if he will share his knowledge here in public. I do not have a picture of this, to make it short.

No worries. No real secret. It is mentioned in "Waffen- und Schiesstechnischer Leitfaden für die Ordnungspolizei".
The additional marking on Police sniper rifles is a "Z" on the top of the receiver.
Therefore I doubt this rifle has anything to do with Police.
Did the Police have any Standard Modell rifles? In the first place they had the K98A, booty weapons and some K98k. But Standard Modell rifles??
Thanks
Wolfgang

 

[flynaked]

Great rifle Bruce! No clue on the end user but damn that’s killer! Congrats!

 

[Fal Grunt]

Wow! Fantastic find and through a great connection.

 

[Hercules]

Ssr

Looks nice. I have not seen any others like it. SSR rifles are difficult. SS depot SSR rifles have a full scope rail cut out and the Sauer SSR rifles are usually cut in the fashion of yours. I suppose it could be an armorers job. I am sure you have more of an idea than me since you have personally inspected it. I would be guessing at that very best on this one.

 

[mauser202]

That’s a great looking rifle Bruce, I love how crisp the bolt cut is. When you say police use do you mean a rifle in a city police station armory or more of a combat unit like anti partisan etc?

 

[johnstanley]

The stock on that rifle is beautiful. Hard to believe it made it through the war.

 

[bruce98k]

SS Short Side Rail - Standard Modell

While we do not know the exact nature of the end user for these rifles, there is another possible end user here.
Should we not consider an SS connection also.

A forum member emailed me images of complete top end with SN. 80455. with recycled SS Dienstglas scope (line out rifle SN.5857).

I hope to add images of the scope given permission from our member.

B.

 

[Dave Roberts]

While we do not know the exact nature of the end user for these rifles, there is another possible end user here.
Should we not consider an SS connection also.

A forum member emailed me images of complete top end with SN. 80455. with recycled SS Dienstglas scope (line out rifle SN.5857).

I hope to add images of the scope given permission from our member.

B.

If I was to make an educated guess , which would be hard for me seeing how I am not well educated specially with regards to this subject . I would say its either SS Polizei or SS .

 

[bruce98k]

Standard Modell SSR

I added images of the stock relief and 2-digit number on the bottom of the base.

 

[Absolut]

If it helps, I have SSR mount with single wing locking nut matched to rifle 82118 in my collection.

Edit, listed in Spielauers book are the following additional Mauser Standard Modell SSR sniper rifles:

1. Standard Modell 1934, S/N B 10571
2. Standard Modell, S/N B 76652, comes with matching numbers mount and scope, but if you were to ask me a bit suspicious (this rifle here sold by RIA: https://www.rockislandauction.com/d...ndard-model-k98-mauser-short-side-rail-sniper)

Spielauer also shows the following scopes and mounts, serialized to 5-digit rifles:

1. Hensoldt Dialytan 4x, Nr. 61.339 with mount serialized to rifle 10.453
2. Ajack 4x90 (no focal adjustment, no rainshield), with type III mount which appears to carry a 5-digit rifle serial - but not readable
3. Zeiss Zielvier serial 49.502 with blue X, with type III mount serialized to rifle 79.180 (an original Weihrauch mount which was updated to type III spec)