krukster86
Well-known member
Last month, I took a chance on a rifle on GunBroker that was improperly identified with poor photos but a very attractive BIN price. From just 2 photos, I was able to tell it was a Polish rework. Unfortunately the seller had extremely poor communication, his photo skills were lacking, and he was not familiar with Mausers to disassemble basic components to provide additional details/photos, so I rolled the dice.
It finally arrived yesterday after many twists and turns with the seller, and here are some quick pics from a really rushed wipedown.
This is one of the harder variants to find of the reworks, and was missing from my collection. ALL Imperial German markings are scrubbed off of the receiver. In place is the Z in a triangle armory rework stamp (Zbrojownia), a new (crudely hand stamped) serial number applied to the side with K suffix and Polish eagle, the receiver siderail is hand stamped "98a", and a new Polish Wz.98a barrel fitted to it, complete with Wz.98a style rear sight assembly in lieu of a langevizier style sight.
The bolt stop, TG, and floorplate are matching. Curiously the front and rear barrel bands are an attempted "match" but the first digit is nonmatching (2521 vs 8521). Handguard is unnumbered. The big bummer is that the stock is obliterated by sanding, but you can make out the Imperial German proof shadows and the "B" stamp for the non-standard replacement Beech material. Also seen is a new serial number (can only make out the last 2 digits of “21", assume to be stamped by Poland), and there is the faint remnants of a rework stamp in a rectangle. Can only make out the "39" for 1939. Normally you would also see “Z.W.” and a month.
Despite the stock and exterior metal condition, the bore is excellent, and seems to have had great care or infrequent use.
Magazine follower is matching (stamped “21”) and has the Radom waffenamt (eagle over 77), so I suspect this was a German capture rework? Unfortunately there are no further details/hints. Bolt body is from a Gew98, and rest of the bolt is from a K98k (both nonmatching to each other and the rifle).
It’s not the greatest example, but I couldn’t say no at the price it was offered at.
It finally arrived yesterday after many twists and turns with the seller, and here are some quick pics from a really rushed wipedown.
This is one of the harder variants to find of the reworks, and was missing from my collection. ALL Imperial German markings are scrubbed off of the receiver. In place is the Z in a triangle armory rework stamp (Zbrojownia), a new (crudely hand stamped) serial number applied to the side with K suffix and Polish eagle, the receiver siderail is hand stamped "98a", and a new Polish Wz.98a barrel fitted to it, complete with Wz.98a style rear sight assembly in lieu of a langevizier style sight.
The bolt stop, TG, and floorplate are matching. Curiously the front and rear barrel bands are an attempted "match" but the first digit is nonmatching (2521 vs 8521). Handguard is unnumbered. The big bummer is that the stock is obliterated by sanding, but you can make out the Imperial German proof shadows and the "B" stamp for the non-standard replacement Beech material. Also seen is a new serial number (can only make out the last 2 digits of “21", assume to be stamped by Poland), and there is the faint remnants of a rework stamp in a rectangle. Can only make out the "39" for 1939. Normally you would also see “Z.W.” and a month.
Despite the stock and exterior metal condition, the bore is excellent, and seems to have had great care or infrequent use.
Magazine follower is matching (stamped “21”) and has the Radom waffenamt (eagle over 77), so I suspect this was a German capture rework? Unfortunately there are no further details/hints. Bolt body is from a Gew98, and rest of the bolt is from a K98k (both nonmatching to each other and the rifle).
It’s not the greatest example, but I couldn’t say no at the price it was offered at.
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