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New here, looking for some info on my new K98k!

Ollie67

Member
Hello all. I recently picked up a K98k from auction. This is what I know about it:
Mauser Byf/42 stamped

After doing some reading, this suggests that it was made in the Mauser Obendorf factory in 1942. Looking over the rifle initially, everything looks in great shape and is matching and proof marked. I believe it was refinished at one point.

I am just confused on one thing. Every Byf 42 K98 I have seen and similar year rifles have the takedown/disassembly disc in the stock. Mine does not. I cannot find any good information on why this could be. Does this mean the stock could be from a different time? Was it changed post war? Or was it simply produced without one.

I’ve read something about "Semi Kriegsmodell" stocks, but those were late war typically and not Byf stamped, right?

Any information would be helpful :)

In the photo where there are two rifles, my rifle is the top one! The other is my friends, which is a Steyr 660/1940.
 

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your rifle has been placed in an Israeli replacement stock, note the finger grooves, & it is made from solid beech wood. (i have 2 of them) as manufactured, the butt plate would have had a (kriegsmodell style) holes in the side for bolt takedown. I can’t see the holes in your photos, but there may be one under the butt plate. looks like all the metal has been reblued (very dark, no signs of edge wear) and where are the bolts for these 2 rifles? we’d like to see them.

the rifle looks very much like a Mitchell’s Mauser, which were mostly the best looking russian captures, refinished & parts renumbered to match by a company in california. they are good functional examples, but due to the refinishing, have very little “collector value”. they do generally make decent shooters. is the bolt all polished to silver color, or is it blued like the rest? if you do a search on mitchell’s, here on the forum & internet you’ll learn more about them.

an Israeli used surplus K98k would likely have been converted to 7.62x51 which would be marked on the receiver & toe of the stock, those not converted had IDF proof marks added.

(hope you got it for a decent/low price…….)
 
your rifle has been placed in an Israeli replacement stock, note the finger grooves, & it is made from solid beech wood. (i have 2 of them) as manufactured, the butt plate would have had a (kriegsmodell style) holes in the side for bolt takedown. I can’t see the holes in your photos, but there may be one under the butt plate. looks like all the metal has been reblued (very dark, no signs of edge wear) and where are the bolts for these 2 rifles? we’d like to see them.

the rifle looks very much like a Mitchell’s Mauser, which were mostly the best looking russian captures, refinished & parts renumbered to match by a company in california. they are good functional examples, but due to the refinishing, have very little “collector value”. they do generally make decent shooters. is the bolt all polished to silver color, or is it blued like the rest? if you do a search on mitchell’s, here on the forum & internet you’ll learn more about them.

an Israeli used surplus K98k would likely have been converted to 7.62x51 which would be marked on the receiver & toe of the stock, those not converted had IDF proof marks added.

(hope you got it for a decent/low price…….)
That makes more sense now, a replacement stock. I haven’t seen a lot of the beech wood. My butt plate does not have any holes in them. I will take some more pictures and send them once I am home! I just unpacked those rifles, so the bolts weren’t in! I have my bolt in and will take some photos! All of the bolt parts are marked and matching.

This is not a Mitchell’s Mauser from my understanding. It wasn’t sold to me as one… My bolt is blued like the rest of the rifle, matching the dark color. I’ll take some close up photos of the proofs as well.

Thanks :)
 
I also thought Mitchell's. The jet black butt plate and recoil lug had me going there. 2 other possibilities are Miltech and James River, who've both been 'refurbishing' these.
 
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I thought it might be one of them. Their deal is they take 'Pappy's old bringback and make it purdy and safe'. I hate it, but they've made a business out of 'ruining' historically correct rifles. "Hand Restored to Original-Issue Condition" which is not true either.

Well your guesses were correct. I completely get how these companies that restore originals to make business aren’t really the best thing. I honestly had no clue where it was refurbished until I got it, as the auction only mentioned it was in a refurbished condition.

From what I’ve read, Miltech seems to do a better job at least? I don’t know. They claim all matching, probably just slapped on a new stock. Probably an Israeli stock like Muncher stated above. All I can say is that I definitely got a fair deal/price if that price on their website is correct (2,595), paying over half that.

I’ll upload some close up photos soon here.
 
This is the closest block to your rifle and what a correct example looks like from our picture reference section. Miltech, MMC and James River are all basically doing the same thing with ruining any collectable aspects these rifles use to have. The scrubbed OG markings and added numbers/proof marks (left side of the sight sleeve being and example of added proof marks) doesn't help either. Hopefully ya snagged this for $500 shipped or less and hopefully it shoots good. Had a MMC "premium grade" years ago that you could not get on paper at 100 yards but would be almost dead on at 50 yards, had a mint bore as well. Wouldn't have spent the money if I had known what they were doing but that's life and consequences of not looking at correct examples from hardcore purist collectors.
 
Another example but the comments talk about production trends for Mauser at that time.
 
I looked at my Israeli stocks & there is no takedown hole in the wood to match the hole in a kriegsmodell type butt plate. Except for the finger grooves, these stocks are a pretty good ‘modern’ replacement stock/shooter stock. Pretty sure the front sight hood is yugo, from the mark on it. (German hoods are unmarked)
 
I looked at my Israeli stocks & there is no takedown hole in the wood to match the hole in a kriegsmodell type butt plate. Except for the finger grooves, these stocks are a pretty good ‘modern’ replacement stock/shooter stock. Pretty sure the front sight hood is yugo, from the mark on it. (German hoods are unmarked)
Yeah, I agree with the stock. I’ve been thinking, if it isn’t Israeli then do you think Miltech can make their own?

I didn’t even notice, but that makes sense. Lot of info saying German goods being unmarked. That’s one part that probably wasn’t original.
 
repro hoods w/out marks aren’t hard to find, nor too $$. authentic German ones a bit harder & a bit more $$.
I’m pretty sure your stock was a surplus unused IDF stock for K98k. I found mine on ebay, neither ever had an action installed. I don’t know when they were imported, but i think years ago. no, I don’t think miltech makes stocks, here on the forum there’s a pretty big demand, if they were, we’d know about it. a guy in Poland (Fox/PPHU) makes great repros with correct details, but a 2 year wait list! I don’t think I have any pics of them, but they look EXACTLY like yours.
 
repro hoods w/out marks aren’t hard to find, nor too $$. authentic German ones a bit harder & a bit more $$.
I’m pretty sure your stock was a surplus unused IDF stock for K98k. I found mine on ebay, neither ever had an action installed. I don’t know when they were imported, but i think years ago. no, I don’t think miltech makes stocks, here on the forum there’s a pretty big demand, if they were, we’d know about it. a guy in Poland (Fox/PPHU) makes great repros with correct details, but a 2 year wait list! I don’t think I have any pics of them, but they look EXACTLY like yours.
Yeah, I’m sure there are plenty sight hoods around. It being a surplus IDF stock makes sense.

Oh dang, that’s a long wait time! Where can you find info on this guy?
 
repro hoods w/out marks aren’t hard to find, nor too $$. authentic German ones a bit harder & a bit more $$.
I’m pretty sure your stock was a surplus unused IDF stock for K98k. I found mine on ebay, neither ever had an action installed. I don’t know when they were imported, but i think years ago. no, I don’t think miltech makes stocks, here on the forum there’s a pretty big demand, if they were, we’d know about it. a guy in Poland (Fox/PPHU) makes great repros with correct details, but a 2 year wait list! I don’t think I have any pics of them, but they look EXACTLY like yours.
Nvm, I found the website!
 
repro hoods w/out marks aren’t hard to find, nor too $$. authentic German ones a bit harder & a bit more $$.
I’m pretty sure your stock was a surplus unused IDF stock for K98k. I found mine on ebay, neither ever had an action installed. I don’t know when they were imported, but i think years ago. no, I don’t think miltech makes stocks, here on the forum there’s a pretty big demand, if they were, we’d know about it. a guy in Poland (Fox/PPHU) makes great repros with correct details, but a 2 year wait list! I don’t think I have any pics of them, but they look EXACTLY like yours.
If you were to order one for a rifle like mine, would you chose a laminated wood or walnut?
 
I’d go for walnut, but then black walnut is one of my favorite woods. byf tended to mix walnut in w/laminated, as supply dictated, so I think either could be correct.
 
I’d go for walnut, but then black walnut is one of my favorite woods. byf tended to mix walnut in w/laminated, as supply dictated, so I think either could be correct.
I agree, walnut is one of my favorites as well. I might pick one up in the future if possible.

Walnut would be nice as I don’t have any rifles in walnut yet. My original swiss K31 is also beech wood I believe.
 

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