Non-Matching Vet Bring Back K98k Rifles, How and Why?

[HARRY THE MOLE]

The standard procedure before surrender was to disable your weapon. And the simplest way to disable a rifle is to take out the bolt and throw it as far as you can. Of course this only accounts for rifles found with non-matching bolts. But for total miss-matches there was often another reason.

When battlefields were cleared up, all the weapons were gathered and sent back for repair. Good weapons being made up from damaged ones and then re-issued. The military were never too fussy about matching numbers as long as the gun functioned properly.

The standard procedure for rendering a Vickers gun useless before surrender was to remove the lock, throw it away, rest a grenade on top of the receiver side plates and remove the pin. Job done!

[Doppelgänger]

rest a grenade on top of the receiver side plates and remove the pin. Job done!

Just wondering, but you didn't mention also running away from the grenade? Some people need really specific instructions... ;-)

[Franz1944]

Just a thought, but what if the bolt needed cleaning and they locked the bolt because they didnt flip safty to neutral. They did not know how to fix it so they just got new one.

There are countless reasons i beleive.

[NDShooter]

Just a thought, but what if the bolt needed cleaning and they locked the bolt because they didnt flip safty to neutral. They did not know how to fix it so they just got new one.

There are countless reasons i beleive.

All they would have to do would be to recock the bolt, which could be done by pulling it back on anything that was solid and flipping the safety back. Really simple for the average infantryman. But, a valid point!

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Just wondering, but you didn't mention also running away from the grenade? Some people need really specific instructions... ;-)

The average soldier admittedly did very stupid things at times. But I can't imagine one being stupid enough to stand next to a Mills bomb while it explodes. I do however recall a friend of mine being stood next to me while I was sat on a box putting my boots on prior to taking over guard duty. He was fiddling with the safety on his rifle while the barrel was resting on his boot. The next thing there was an almighty bang, and I almost s**t myself. i though he had shot me. But no - he put one through his foot. So, yes you are right. Maybe some soldiers DO need instructions to cover everything!

[milcollector84]

I got a chance once to have a conversation with a German man who was 4 at the end of the war and witnessed the American army of occupation take in surrendered equipment. He said that to quickly render the rifles useless they removed the bolts throwing them in one barracks and the rifle into another. The remaining gear was thrown into a pit and bulldozed over. I can't imagine it would be too hard for a GI to grab a bolt and rifle as a quick souvenir. Unless regulations changed post war or another country had different regs I doubt the bolt removal was required for shipping. I've seen several rifles and handguns that were shipped back to the US completely intact. One was a jap rifle shipped wrapped in brown paper with the address and postage stuck to the butt stock. I also read an article recently on a steyr WW1 rifle shipped with the address tacked to the stock no wrapping or box. Oh the good old days.

The main reason collectors price mismatched rifles a little less is on account of headspacing. If the Nos. match it can be assumed the rifle has the correct headspacing but if the Nos. are mismatched you should have the headspacing checked. A good example is the British No. 4 Mk 3. If I remember correctly there were 3 different length bolt faces. A mismatched bolt on a rifle may result in deformed brass, the bullet being pushed back into the case, or worse. If the rifle shoots fine its a good rifle but I wouldn't trust a mismatched rifle to shoot well without checking it out first.

I always get a kick out of the markings on the US claymore. "Front toward enemy".

[theotherhomer]

I've got what appears to be vet bring back K98 code 42 dated 1939, weird part is that the handguard(walnut) and all metal parts including screws are number to the gun with the exception of the lower stock which is a flat buttplate laminate and blayonet lug. The rifle is not import marked either, always wonder what happened to the walnut stock this rifle had

[LizardKing]

Hello!!! I was just told that there is a Kar98k in someone's hands that is very uncommon! First of all it has no eagles or waffenamps, it has a Springfield bolt and a metal lane running across the wooden stock where the right hand is placed when aiming the rifle (behind the trigger and near the sling hole). Anyone knows anything about this variation??? Plus i was told it was an FJ variation and a shovel mechanism could be added to the butt of the rifle in order the soldier could dig with it... 0.0 The guy that told me that sounded a bit nuts but who knows... (i haven't seen the rifle so i describe it as much as i can with the info i got)

[NDShooter]

I've got what appears to be vet bring back K98 code 42 dated 1939, weird part is that the handguard(walnut) and all metal parts including screws are number to the gun with the exception of the lower stock which is a flat buttplate laminate and blayonet lug. The rifle is not import marked either, always wonder what happened to the walnut stock this rifle had

A broken stock may have been replaced in the field or at one time was switched for a repair.

[zwerge]

Lizard King,I wonder if this is the rifle that you mentioned? ....Mannlicher Infantry Rifles Hungary