1939 98K All Matching Rifle

[Larboard]

HOLY Kr@πππ!!!

$600 and it's not at your house right now!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the ones I looked at just now they were asking $3k for!

I hope you have the $$$ in your hand when you go back tomorrow, assuming it checks out, stock and all, but realistically, that's the price of a RC gun, so the stock doesn't really even matter.

[Larboard]

The rifles looks neat as pin, I'm guessing the stock is the original. In pic #21 (Good lord that's a lot of pics!) that's the piece you need to depress to release the barrel band.

Edit; I went and looked at mine, been a while since I took it apart. The spring steel bar releases the front barrel band (which you can slide off over the front sight since it doesn't have a hood). Usually you can do this with your hand, but in some cases you may have to put the rifle down on its side and use something like the end of a chopstick, something non marring to push down hard enough to release the front barrel band. You can then slide the rear barrel forward and gently remove the upper handguard.

I think I've seen the signs on a few of these guns where a guy used a pair of large Channellock pliers to squeeze the release with one hand and slide the barrel band with the other, don't even think about it!

Like I said, this is a very clean looking rifle.

I see that Imperial proof again on the receiver, I'm sure it's ok. Just odd for 1939, most proofs were eagle with Swastika by then, but I think in 1938, Lugers still had the Imperial proofs also, last year.

Good luck going to sleep tonight... if it was me and I was getting this the next day for $600 I'd have a tough time ;-)

[MAP]

Nice rifle and great price.

The red laminated stock is fine IMHO but it's been a while since I've brushed up on the K98. I know Phil, John, Sarge and a few others here can provide a much more knowledgeable response. If I remember correctly there were three types of stocks. Walnut and two different color laminates. Red and another color that I forgot. I think red is the most common. Mine is a Mauser (42) and has a similar stock. But as noted, wait for confirmation on this.

Also, I think the Ru is for the barrel blank/steel used. Ru stood for Ruhrstahl. Not denoting a Russian capture. This one to me looks perfect as is.

[dramos]

Larboard, thank you very much for all your help. The owner says he has taken the rifle apart, so I assume it will break down fairly easily. I will update tomorrow when I pick it up.

Thank you!!

[dramos]

MAP,

Thank you for your input as well. Glad to know you see nothing wrong as well. As you can tell I tried to take enough photos! lol.

[Larboard]

Hey, I updated the info on pulling the handguard, also I looked at all the pics of the wood real close, it's fine, the finish looks fine, nobody's monkeyed with it or anything, looks great.

[Sarge]

I see nothing wrong with it.
A very nice early 98k that shows it was used, not set in a warehouse most of the war.
Sarge

[ziomanno]

I join in the "OK" club with this one; about the stock, yes, it is a red glue laminate stock, correct for the period. Very late in the war (late '44/early '45) was introduced the white glue laminated stock variant, less stable and prone to delamination.
But, now, that stock should be serialized to the rifle not only inside (barrel channel), but also outside, on the lower 'blade', under the pistol grip; it should (better, must) bear also up to three waffenamt on the right flat side, under the bolt disc, consistent with 1939 Borsigwalde production, and the service branch letter (H, L or M). Check these stock's details to be 100% sure about it.

[Gunny Hartmann]

It's very nice and i'd love to own it!...

[UK Cousin]

Hey lar isnt that a luftwaffe stamp on the receiver? Im on my phone so can zoom as much..if so, the stamp would completely legit.. As far as the stock goes, ive never seen one quite like that.