What mauser did I just buy?

[5HoursNorth]

I am so lost. I just bought this mauser not knowing a thing about them I know it's a kar98(so it's German) and it's dated 1915 but that's about it, whenever I search for it online all I can find is the kar98k. Any help would be appreciated, thanks

 

[MiG25]

Looks like something that came out of Spain to me.

 

[desporterizer]

Looks like a Turk to me. Too bad the bolt has been modified.

 

[collector67]

I agree with desporterizer, she looks Turkish, but funny that the receiver appears to have been scrubbed.

 

[volkov956]

Looks like my Turk Mauser and that seems to be a 29"ish barrel

 

[5HoursNorth]

Any idea on the worth I really want to get an sks ammo combo the rifling is strong with minor frosting

 

[desporterizer]

With the modified bolt,$200 or so.

 

[RRCo.]

Someone with a stamp set decided to make it what they wished it was.

 

[volkov956]

yea just like the waffen stamps I been seeing as well as of late which u can buy off ebay sigh :/

NM its been addressed

 

[desporterizer]

Could have been built on a scrubbed kar98 receiver. The turks were never shy about recycling anything they could.

 

[fugawi]

It could be a post SCW refurbished Polish kar98. Poland sold scrubbed kar98s to the Republican forces and afterwards Fascist Spain recycled captured Republican weapons mixing and matching parts. You'd have to do a careful check for any SCW markings.

But my money is on a Turkish mauser.

 

[5HoursNorth]

Ya your right didn't meen anything by it I added the photo and changed the name from kar98 to Turkish?

 

[RRCo.]

No handguard retainer on the front face of the receiver.

 

[fugawi]

OP - I had an opportunity to examine a Turkish mauser for sale at a gun show this weekend and it looked just like yours, except it wasn't scrubbed.

 

[Tinman204]

I also agree that it's a Turk.

The heavy 29" barrel is a dead give away. Also it looks exactly like mine.

 

[Sirus115]

ya def not a kar98... didnt the germans mark kars, with a mod 98 not kar? and looks like a turk 2 me lol

 

[bearhunter]

The handguard on that rifle is likely held on by retaining spring clips underneath which clamp to the barrel.

I have one that is identical to that with the same markings. The Turkish government bought up everything they could get their hands on and assemble as a working rifle. Some of the work looks very amateurish. In reality many of their techs worked with whatever was at hand and often made up parts on their own. Just about anything is possible with a Turk Mauser. The big thing is finding one with a decent bore.

Sadly, the rifle is hardly worth finding a replacement bolt body for. Even with a proper bolt handle the value of the rifle doesn't warrant the fix. Sometimes you get lucky and find a bolt body at a gun show. Most of them have straight bolt handles but I also have one with a later mismatched turned down bolt handle.

Many early WWI dated 98s had their markings scrubbed for various reasons after the war. Many were stripped down and sold as parts. Turkey stood eagerly in line to purchase those parts at below manufacturing cost. One thing I have found with Turk Mausers, is that they were also barreled with several different caliber barrels and chambered for different cartridges. 7x57, 8x57, 7.65 and others. There is a rumor they tried to convert some to 303 Brit to utilize the millions of rounds of captured ammo from Galipoli and other parts of their empire. Make sure of what you have before buying ammo.

By the way, I am still actively seeking a Frankenmauser that is affordable.

 

[maple_leaf_eh]

Nice to see at least one of those stupid Long Gun Registry stickers stayed on. Most were rendered stick-less by the proper use of specification oils and solvents.

Not necessarily a Mauser expert, but a German 98 needs five pieces of information to be definitively identified: year, serial number, letter prefix to the serial number, model marking on the sidewall, and maker's mark. After that it is condition, condition, condition.