Time for a K98k picture thread! Perhaps the ULTIMATE CGN K98k picture #### post (?)
- Thread starter Claven2
- Start date
Then your gunsmith friend was working and dealing in very small circles.
I first started my love affair with different models of 98 type rifles in the early sixties and there was already a very large circle of collectors for these types.
They were cheap, even considering the prices at time, in comparison to their commercial counterparts.
Then, just like now, some folks could care less about them, some considered them to be "basic" rifles and only suitable if you couldn't afford a commercial type.
Others wouldn't look at them because they were designed to "kill people" which was a very popular Liberal catch phrase back in the day to calm the nerves of "hunters" who voted Liberal.
I paid appx 50 cents a pound for brand new, or FTRs on pallets or in crates, if I bought in quantity. So, I bought in quantity, much to my father's discontent, seeing as he was anti anything to do with firearms.
I've sold off all of the firearms from those days, a few recently. Great investments.
It's time for someone else to take care of them for posterity.
I've spoken with folks who started collecting 98 Mausers before WWII. They could be purchased in almost any configuration back then.
Collectors back in the day wouldn't even take a second glance at many of the 98s being offered today, mostly because of concerns about authenticity.
We didn't have "websites" such as Gunnutz back then. We had a few collector clubs, some with monthly or yearly publications or mail outs, but mostly it was a few interested persons in the area we lived. It's much the same today, other than we are connected by the internet.
Good quality 98 variants have always demanded a higher price, some with special histories will and always have fetched high prices no matter what condition.
When I first started collecting/shooting 98 variants there were only about 3.5 billion people on earth, now there is close to 3x that number and there are a lot less rifles to go around to those who want one.
Demand has always been brisk, now it's almost rampant.
I've seen notched bolt handles on Israeli 7.92 rifles, but not on 7.62 conversions.
The 7.92s and 7.62s were on issue at the same time. The 7.62s are boldly stamped and branded.
It is my suspicion that the bolt handle notches provided a visible and tactile indicator that the rifles were 7.92
The 7.92s and 7.62s were on issue at the same time. The 7.62s are boldly stamped and branded.
It is my suspicion that the bolt handle notches provided a visible and tactile indicator that the rifles were 7.92
Many of them went through FTRs, according to the nation's proprietary specs.
These are easily researched.
Many of the rifles were "field repaired" by unit armorers where depending on circumstances, anything goes to get the rifle functioning reliably again.
When the Russians and other nations started doing battlefield pick ups or even just picking up the surrender piles, many of the rifles had been in the elements for a couple of years before they were picked up. How long afterwards it took for them to be stripped down, cleaned and whatever else was done to them turned millions of them into mixmasters.
During the war, many factories in nations such as Czechoslovakia and Belgium had factories which were already producing their versions of the 98 Mausers and when the Germans took over, they just kept the factories turning them out as fast as possible with no changes, other than stamps.
Those rifles were issued to all Axis troops as needed, and as long as the major components, such as barrels, triggers, safeties, receivers, sights were interchangeable, even with a bit of judicious filing, all was good.
It's very similar to collecting Garands, most of them have been repaired or FTRed with parts from different manufacturers available at the time.
There are more than a few unmolested 98s out there, but don't expect them to be in EXC condition. The odd one is but they're relatively rare.
About as close as it gets to EXC are the East German reworks. They took great care not to mix serial numbered parts on rifles and used original stamps with the same fonts to number replacement parts, in a very similar manner the Swedes did with their Mausers.
For that matter, most Lee enfields we encounter are actually fr or ftr, whether marked that way or not. Told something got actually issued, it likely needed repair or adjustment at some point. Unissued matching military rifles are very much the exception.
I’ve been collecting original German 98’s (matching, not refurbed, not refinished etc.) for sometime now. I’ve probably bought/sold 20 nice examples at this point, nevermind Gewehr 98’s, Kar98a’s, Gew98M’s etc.
Nice originals are out there. But as bearhunter correctly put it there is dozens and dozens of refurbs and fakes out there before you find an original.
However gaining to knowledge and connections to get an authentic piece is not that hard. There is some great forums, online groups, books (heck even youtube has some decent stuff). It just takes time studying and handling real examples, and connecting with people who know what they’re doing.
Lately though I have seen ALOT of bogus or misrepresented 98k’s popping up on the EE and #######. Like the outright faked S42 1937 98k on ####### right now… for $7500 lol.
Its definitely an area of collecting where if you don’t do your research and make the right connections then you will almost certainly get burned.
I have purchased most of the main books for them, its finding the time to actually read them that I am having trouble with! But I agree lots of good knowledge online and lots of smart people with big brains full of knowledge to pick at
