Is This Mauser Correct??
- Thread starter K98ACTION
- Start date
It looks like an East German rework to me but I would need to see the reciever markings to confirm. It would have a 'sun' marking on the side of the reciever by the serial number and also on the bottom of the grip on the stock. The East Germans generally used kriegs and semi-kriegs stocks and sanded them a good bit. They also reblued them so this looks like one of those. Worn out parts were replaced with new ones which were scrubbed and forcematched to the reciever serial number. They are among the nicest of the K98 reworks that I have seen.
To answer your question skirsons, there are kriegs and semi-kriegs stocks. Kriegs have no bayonet lug and no disassembly disc. Semi-kriegs are only missing either of the two. This rifle has the bayonet lug but no disassembly disc. The small hole in the buttplate was designed to do the missing disc's job.
To answer your question skirsons, there are kriegs and semi-kriegs stocks. Kriegs have no bayonet lug and no disassembly disc. Semi-kriegs are only missing either of the two. This rifle has the bayonet lug but no disassembly disc. The small hole in the buttplate was designed to do the missing disc's job.
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There are two distinct types of East German reworks that I can discern.
The first type is characterized by having all major parts renumbered to match. Often the original barrel is retained. The flag safety is virtually ALWAYS electro-pencilled with the last 2 digits of the serial number, and a high percentage of them have post-war made czech manufactured (at dot) semi-kriegsmodel stocks with the kriegs style bolt takedown and regular production type band re-inforcements and cleaning rod, but these have been fully sanded and nicely inlet - unlike the late-war "last ditch" stocks. It is likely these reworks were done on contract for East Germany by the Czechs. they also often have the VoPo sunburst markings, and if not changed out after being sold, they also usually have a VZ24 type sight hood. Often the stock laminate glue is more of a dark purple than a wartime red glue. Many will also have a solid beech (not laminated) replacement handguard - but not all.
Remember, immediately after the war, the Czech factories still had most of their machiery, but the former German factories in the eastern zones had been crated up and for the most part shipped to Russia.
The later East German refurbs are usually characterized by having original stocks, usually sanded or scraped to like new and have a MK-2 stamp in the buttstock. They have a mix of Nazi era parts that have been refinished to like new, but are NOT renumbered to match. They will invariably be rebarelled with new 8mm barrels lacking any markings. They will retain original cleaning rods, but will have VZ24 hoods. You will see alot of later war rifles rebuilt with earlier parts and many of the late-war parts will have been remanufactured to improve fit and finish. I suspect these guns were refurbed IN east Germany using barrels and sight hoods supplied (likely) by Czechoslovakia.
It is my educated guess that the early refurbs were selected from rifles with nice barrels and done shortly after the war to arm East German police units. The later refurbed rifles were done afterwards, as needed, from rifles which required rebarelling to remain serviceable and were done in Germany as the contract with the Czechs was either no longer required or had expired for whatever reason.
The rifle in the ad is of the former type of refurb, but definitely for East German service.
The first type is characterized by having all major parts renumbered to match. Often the original barrel is retained. The flag safety is virtually ALWAYS electro-pencilled with the last 2 digits of the serial number, and a high percentage of them have post-war made czech manufactured (at dot) semi-kriegsmodel stocks with the kriegs style bolt takedown and regular production type band re-inforcements and cleaning rod, but these have been fully sanded and nicely inlet - unlike the late-war "last ditch" stocks. It is likely these reworks were done on contract for East Germany by the Czechs. they also often have the VoPo sunburst markings, and if not changed out after being sold, they also usually have a VZ24 type sight hood. Often the stock laminate glue is more of a dark purple than a wartime red glue. Many will also have a solid beech (not laminated) replacement handguard - but not all.
Remember, immediately after the war, the Czech factories still had most of their machiery, but the former German factories in the eastern zones had been crated up and for the most part shipped to Russia.
The later East German refurbs are usually characterized by having original stocks, usually sanded or scraped to like new and have a MK-2 stamp in the buttstock. They have a mix of Nazi era parts that have been refinished to like new, but are NOT renumbered to match. They will invariably be rebarelled with new 8mm barrels lacking any markings. They will retain original cleaning rods, but will have VZ24 hoods. You will see alot of later war rifles rebuilt with earlier parts and many of the late-war parts will have been remanufactured to improve fit and finish. I suspect these guns were refurbed IN east Germany using barrels and sight hoods supplied (likely) by Czechoslovakia.
It is my educated guess that the early refurbs were selected from rifles with nice barrels and done shortly after the war to arm East German police units. The later refurbed rifles were done afterwards, as needed, from rifles which required rebarelling to remain serviceable and were done in Germany as the contract with the Czechs was either no longer required or had expired for whatever reason.
The rifle in the ad is of the former type of refurb, but definitely for East German service.
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K98ACTION said:
I would argue the East Germans contracted for the best reworked 8mm Mausers, but the nicest reworks I've seen in terms of quality and originality or parts, etc. are the .30-06 Norwegian reworks. Just my humble opinion
And for the record, I do have mint examples of both in front of me to directly compare them
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Ron, your knowledge ceases to amaze me.
The reason why I thought you were in your 50's or 60's before, is because you know so much damn info about milsurps!
The reason why I thought you were in your 50's or 60's before, is because you know so much damn info about milsurps!
Claven2 said:I would argue the East Germans contracted for the best reworked 8mm Mausers, but the nicest reworks I've seen in terms of quality and originality or parts, etc. are the .30-06 Norwegian reworks. Just my humble opinion
And for the record, I do have mint examples of both in front of me to directly compare them
I hadn't thought of the Norwregian's when I made that comment. Now that you mention it though, I bought a Norwergian stock for a mixmaster because it was the prettiest out there
