New to Mausers, my first purchase. Help with markings

1

1943WillysMB

Member
Hello all,
New to the forum and New to mausers. I am a collector of WWII weapons and memorabilia but this is my first German rifle.
I got this recently and was hoping to learn more about the markings. I know the stock is VZ24, as is the barrel. I have a K98k barrel im hoping to swap in the near future. The bolt has the waffenamt with 63 stamped on the underside if the bolt handle. The reciever is a 1944 Steyr. I'm confused on the numbers on the bolt handle side. I haven't seen this in other examples. I'll post more photos in the next day or so of the other markings. Thank you!
 

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Interesting for sure. It looks like someone built a rifle off of a Steyr receiver. The bolt looks like it came from a Yugo captured K98 as I've only seen markings on the bolt handle from Yugo captured K98's.
 
That makes sense. Looks like all the bolt internals, as well as the trigger and trigger guard are all VZ24 as well. All have the 'Z' stamp.
Would this barrel be correct enough for the reciever?
 

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Is the bore on that vz24 barrel bad? I ask because unless you have money to burn or are a gunsmith… this will cost you a pretty penny even with the barrel you have.

Getting that firing proof (Dirty Bird Eagle) on the barrel lined up with the receiver will be a big challenge. Usually they don’t, and I have the info from one of the best Mauser k98k gunsmiths in the USA. When that Eagle is sitting on the top of rifle, it just looks ridiculous. You also run into the possibility of making the chamber too short for which it will need to be reamed for proper headspace or too long in which either the barrel shoulder will have to be milled down or a bolt with larger lugs would need to be fitted. Unless you have the k98k stock and all the hardware, that will cost you a couple hundred or more.

At the end of the day, what would be the point? It will always be a Frankenstein rifle with no more value than a sporterized k98k hunting rifle.

Honestly if that barrel is excellent or very good, you’re probably better of just getting a vz24 rear sight base and rear sight components and have it installed on the current barrel. Then fit the handguard and you will basically have a subjectively “cool looking” Frankenstein shooter based around a vz24 for not that much investment or headache.

Then keep your eye out for a decent k98k for collecting, because what you have right now with or without a k98k barrel replacement will NOT ever be a legitimate collectible. I would recommend learning more about k98ks in general. Just my opinion.
 
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Mauserguy85 said:
Is the bore on that vz24 barrel bad? I ask because unless you have money to burn or are a gunsmith… this will cost you a pretty penny even with the barrel you have.

Getting that firing proof (Dirty Bird Eagle) on the barrel lined up with the receiver will be a big challenge. Usually they don’t, and I have the info from one of the best Mauser k98k gunsmiths in the USA. When that Eagle is sitting on the top of rifle, it just looks ridiculous. You also run into the possibility of making the chamber too short for which it will need to be reamed for proper headspace or too long in which either the barrel shoulder will have to be milled down or a bolt with larger lugs would need to be fitted. Unless you have the k98k stock and all the hardware, that will cost you a couple hundred or more.

At the end of the day, what would be the point? It will always be a Frankenstein rifle with no more value than a sporterized k98k hunting rifle.

Honestly if that barrel is excellent or very good, you’re probably better of just getting a vz24 rear sight base and rear sight components and have it installed on the current barrel. Then fit the handguard and you will basically have a subjectively “cool looking” Frankenstein shooter based around a vz24 for not that much investment or headache.

Then keep your eye out for a decent k98k for collecting, because what you have right now with or without a k98k barrel replacement will NOT ever be a legitimate collectible. I would recommend learning more about k98ks in general. Just my opinion.
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I get that. The only thing preventing that is the person I got the weapon from wants the barrel back. I know it's not going to be a collector and I'm fine with that. I have no intention of selling it. I would like to get it as correct as possible. I only have $33 into it so far so I'm not worried about spending a couple hundred on a correct stock. As far as the barrel, I can do the labor myself.
 
Hold on? So you bought the rifle for $33 bucks but the previous owner wants the vz24 barrel on there currently? Can you just buy a vz24 barrel and give it to him. There is no shortage of them and they come with sight components.


Correct me if I’m wrong, but you did not mention that you are an actual gunsmith, so I’m just assuming you are not. If you are doing it yourself. Do you have the tools? 8mm Chamber reamer, go-no go gauges, Mauser barrel vice, a mill in case it long chambers, bolt lug lapping compounds and bolt lug lapping spring, sight base laser aligner/bubble…. Just to name a few.

I mean of course, any handy person can take a pipe wrench with some leather and a bench Vice and screw in or unscrew a barrel. If you get lucky and everything gauges perfectly, then you won the lottery and it’s definitely possible.

However if it doesn’t go your way, that’s what separates the garage diy wanna be smith vs the actual professionals. Keep in mind, while the Mauser 98 action is really “safe”, having it blow up in your face usually does come with some significant physical risk.

Also, as for the word “correct” that’s extremely subjective. So I’m not sure what your goal is. Basically even with the barrel replaced and with a k98k stock, it’s still not “correct”. Are you saying you just want it to be in k98k configuration?
 
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Didn't mean to upset the purests here. Was just looking for some info. Yes K98k configuration would be an accurate term.

I have everything less the bolt lug items. This won't be my first barrel change nor my first gauging. Just my first mauser.

Yes, he wants the barrel back. I guess I could buy one but I want the project as well. Not the easy route.
 
I don’t consider myself a purist by any means. Like everything in life, time and place. There are things you leave alone and other things you can tinker with. Wasn’t my intention to preach or convey that image. Honestly just doesn’t make sense to me unless you were trying to build a sniper representation or something, but that’s just me. I like to leave thorough opinions instead of vague one sentence responses. Keep in mind that this is a collector site though and this is nazi period k98k forum specifically so you’re not going to find overwhelming comments about gunsmithing a Frankenstein rifle. Good luck to you and hopefully your project turns out as you want it to.
 
The barrel is made by Waffenwerke Brunn II Bystrica use uses waaA80. It’s possible it fits as a blank BUT the number on the bottom of the site base, indicates it was assembled to a dou rifle, so not really correct in this case
 
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