swjXE numbers matching and all origional

R

redrider

Member
image.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgimage.jpgHello, Im new to this forum and thought it might be the right place to go to ask questions about my rifle. The title of the post explains it, but I have a full Kreigsmodell swjXE marked t64xx in what looks like mint condition (unissued) and all numbers matching! Everything is correct and unmolested from what I can see. Phosphate finish is perfect and so is the stock and no visible polishing or sanding as it is very roughly finished on the metal. This is the first time posting about the gun, but can anyone point me in the right direction as far as value and rarity? I appreciate any help!
 
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You have come to the right place. This is one of the rarest and most sought after rifles for kar98k collectors. Your pictures are good so far, but I would like you to add a few more. Please take pictures of the following:

Trigger guard and floorplate area
Side of the buttplate (should be a hole in the side of it)
Look at the right side of the stock and see if there is an inspection stamp between the buttplate and the grip (I can't see one, but it may be faint)
Front of the stock, just underneath the barrel.

There will likely be other picture requests, but let's start with those. If original and correct, this would be an extremely valuable rifle.

"Kriegsmodell" by Karem/Steves, notes that serial number 6436T was the highest known at the time of publication (2010). Your rifle is 6494 T, a new high number (if authenticated). If you have any background history on the rifle, it would be nice if you could share that as well.
 
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Thanks for the response! Im not with the rifle at the moment, but I think I have a picture of the floor plate that I can put up. The story on the gun is that I bought it from a guy selling his Uncles guns a few years back and he said tat his Uncle brought it back from Germany after the war. The hole is in the side of the butt plate and the stamped floor plate says "svw"! Ill take more pics as requested, but I am pretty sure this is the real thing!!!
 
redrider said:
Thanks for the response! Im not with the rifle at the moment, but I think I have a picture of the floor plate that I can put up. The story on the gun is that I bought it from a guy selling his Uncles guns a few years back and he said tat his Uncle brought it back from Germany after the war. The hole is in the side of the butt plate and the stamped floor plate says "svw"! Ill take more pics as requested, but I am pretty sure this is the real thing!!!
Click to expand...

I am fairly confident it is as well, but will admit that late-war guns like this are not my main collecting interest. These do not turn up very often and most of the ones that have turned up have major problems. I can speak for everyone here when I say I look forward to the pictures!
 
image.jpg. image.jpg. I totally understand! I'm looking forward to hearing your expert oppinions. I'll take pictures tomorrow and post them, but what do you think ballpark value might be?
 
redrider said:
View attachment 99749. View attachment 99750. I totally understand! I'm looking forward to hearing your expert oppinions. I'll take pictures tomorrow and post them, but what do you think ballpark value might be?
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I think it's a good idea in this case to wait for more pictures before doing a value estimate. Tomorrow I am sure MrFarb will join the discussion and he is the real expert on these. It is also likely you will receive a lot of Private Messages (PM) with offers to purchase your rifle. These will run in the range of comical to high-retail. Once all the pictures are up we will advise you on value and your options for selling it, if you decide you want to do that.
 
Wow-- the metal looks legit, but i'm far from an expert---
 
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Value, with the pictures you've posted so far, is between $800 and $4000.
As with any potential valuable antique item, it has to be proved to be legit or it is not legit, no matter how good it seems to be.
Only way to get the experts opinion's (and they are here, and waiting on your next few postings) is to provide high quality pictures, both log and medium distance AND close ups of ALL the markings and every serial number/s on EVERY part that's marked.
Since the rifle may be very collectable, you might consider getting some help if your camera or camera skills are lacking.
In addition, if you are not up to speed on how to field strip a K98, leave the lower barrel band installed as is (it's on backwards), you could do some damage getting it fitted correctly and that would be verboten.
Oh, and nice rifle!
 
Yes, appears to be legitimate and in excellent condition! Value is hard to nail down as they are so few and far between. The last one that showed up was matching with walnut stock, and the seller tried to get 10k out of it but was unsuccessful. They just aren't worth 5 figures, it's a 98k and there are more of these around than people know, it's just that they are hidden away in private collections and not noticed for what they are.

This one is as nice as they get and matching, but it does have some hammer marks on top and bottom that aren't from manufacture. May have been beat up storing it after the war? It's the highest reported to date as well.

There are 2 distinct serial blocks of these, those in the 5600-5700 T block and the last ones in the 6400 T block. The reports are split between the two blocks. Yours extends the range by 50 rifles which is quite a bit. Since the first one reported, these show up about every 18 months. I was just commenting to my friend Dave Roberts that I expected one of these to show up soon...great find and thanks for sharing!
 
More pictures...

Very fine rifle you got there is it for sale?,since you are asking for price
Regards bjarne
 
Never seen one now I have thanks for sharing. Truly a neat piece glad you got for your collection. And welcome to the forum by the way:happy0180: One of your first picture post's you put on here is a very rare swjXE K98k that you own incredible just watch out for that PM in box I'm sure its filling up right now.
 
Hell of an entrance!! Alot of guys here would love that rifle!
 
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Spectacular rifle and walnut to boot!! If you must disassemble it, be extremely careful with the barrel band screws.
 
you just hit the jackpot ....this is a tough code with i think only a handful known. A few of these have hit stupid prices on GB, over some of the figures already mentioned. Can't say thats what they're worth now as obviously every one that comes out reduces the values of previous ones, but in any case its a tough one. Nice find :thumbsup:
 
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The first matching one ever found was extremely expensive, but since that one things have mellowed. I paid $500 for mine but was sporterized and refinished and needed restoration work.
 
Welcome to the forum. Amazing rifle.

I am curious if anyone else can see enough to comment on the wood's finish. It seems to have little to no finish from what I can see. It does not look refinished from what I can see. I am curious to confirm if this is what an original wood finish should look like?

It looks like the Germans were getting the phosphate process down pretty well by this time, unlike so many other phosphate firearms I have looked at.

Look forward to more pictures and I bet this one is going to sticky land.
 
Good morning! Thank you for all the info and replies. Unfortunately, we are out of town and (change of plans) will not be headed back until Sunday night now. I am anxious take more pictures and get them out to you guys, but it probably wont be till Monday. I can say that based on who I got it from and the story that came with it, Im confident that this gun was not tampered with as far as new stock etc.. Off the top of my head, there is also a muzzle cover(probably not the right name for it) that flips up. The wood is completely unfinished as far as oil or any other sealing finish. The gun is very dry and the action looks like it has not been cycled more than a few times. I honestly thought that it wasn't that great because of the poor metal finish (compared to my commercial fn mauser action) and lack of any bells and whistles. Im not interested in selling it at the moment, but maybe in the future. I dont know a lot, but I do enjoy collecting guns and I enjoy the history! There are too many guns that I love for me to be an expert on any one of them. I do try to educate myself to the best of my ability. Im grateful for your guys wealth of knowledge and appreciate all the work that goes into the amount of research that you guys do. I would like to know what I should do about the barrel band/front sling mount that's reversed though and how do I go about documenting/confirming authenticity? Thx again for all the help!
 
It's authentic, no doubt. You really don't need any "authentication" service with this rifle, those who would be interested in it and have the kind of money it would take to buy it know what it is and would know it's good.

Stock finish is perfectly fine as well. Best course of action is to not touch it with any oil and don't try to clean anything, and as far as the bands you can just pull them off the front and swap the rear around if you like. Bands could mar the finish of the stock though, so I think I would just leave it alone, that doesn't affect value having the band on backwards. All of those actions will only destroy what you have.
 
Pretty amazing rifle...my $0.02...if you have more than a passing interest in military rifles, 98k's in particular, I would never sell that rifle...they don't come any better, cleaner, or rarer...if you sell it you will most likely regret it down the road...

Now granted you are probably getting offers that you could turn into a couple of nice matching run of the mill 98k's...but you'd be hard pressed to ever find another like that...

Agree with everyone, don't mess with it other than wiping it down...the band...eh, if they would slide off nice and easy and not mar the finish, turning it around is no biggie...my guess is if it went on without gouging and scraping, it should come off that way, but I would be exceedingly careful if I were to try it...

I think the stock looks about right for a late war scrub walnut, unissued, and well protected since...my guess is its good....

That would be a crowning example in any serious 98k collection.....I wish it were in mine!
 
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