Well Traveled 98k Rifle

**paddywonka** · 10-04-2010, 08:59 AM

Acouple weeks ago bought this well traveled 98k rifle at a local gun shop for $250. What first caught my eye, was the double stamped 1917 and 1920 dates. Then noticed the receiver, barrel, bolt, butt plate, bolt release and trigger group were all numbered the same 6438. The stock appears to be a later WW2 type. The barrel's bore, though # the same, is too nice to be original. Looks like this rifle started life as a WW1 German AZ98,1917 Erfurt made kar98 ,as marked on the left side rail. Then was stamped after the war with the 1920 Weimar permission stamp, likely seeing police use . The newer 98k rear sight is marked with a 30s waffenamt. And the trigger group remarked and numberd with an even later waffenamt. The receiver shows a Russian capture mark. The newer barrel is numbered to the recever, but is marked with the East German 1001 mark. The bolt is tear drop shaped at the ball, and all of it's parts show early WW1 marks. The receiver and barrel are stamped with the Iraqi Republican Guard marking, what appears to be the upside down #2 in a triangle. . Though it is properly import marked in regards to caliber, K-98/8 X 57, it is not marked with country of origin. When I took this rifle down to clean it, found the stock's barrel channel to be also marked with the serial number. Every where inside the rifle was packed with a very fine dust. Though I own all matching 98k rifles, have never seen one with so many marks from various countries. This rifle has served very well. Photos for your viewing.

**badchild** · 10-07-2010, 01:46 PM

Very nice!

I love the k98's and for one to be that well travelled and the 'worn look' on the receiver and so on make it even more special in my eyes, oh if only it could speak!!

**MR MATT** · 10-09-2010, 06:30 AM

That is an amazing rifle, i love the history behind it. i have a WW2 Russian captured K98 that was given to the Viet Cong in the fifties to fight the french, but mine is a war trophy with the papers but there is one marking that i cannot figure out what it is. its in between the breech and rear sights on the top of the barrel about where the second iraqi marking is the and it looks like "WII" if you think you may know what it is i can post a picture of it

**paddywonka** · 10-09-2010, 01:03 PM

MR MATT, Sounds like a neat 98k rifle you have. Post some pictures of your rifle and the "WWII" mark if you can. Would be very interested to see them. After years of WWI & WWII Allied and Axis weapons, am just getting into Vietnam capture firearms. Think this is a great new area of collecting.

**Blitzkrieg Bop** · 10-09-2010, 01:36 PM

Great rifle with a nice story!

**crazy horse** · 10-09-2010, 02:02 PM

well, I can back you on the rifle being in Iraq, the upside down 2 is a republican guard mark, I just sold a duffle bag I brought home in 91 it has that 2 plus it had the R.G. triangle surrounding it, that dust you are talking about is the so called sand over there, plus we also found a k-98 there in 91, they ran over it with a tank along with all the ak-47's we had gotten to use, I wrapped up my crappy m-16 in a garbage bag & threw it in back of our shop truck. who wants a jamming m-16, when I had a ak, plus 3- 75 round drums & a crate of ammo. just wish I could have brought it home, it was sickning when they crushed the mauser

**MR MATT** · 10-09-2010, 02:16 PM

i was at knob creek yesterday and i asked some people what they thought of the mark and no one knew what it was a couple of the older gentlemen said they had seen it and one said he has a book with it in it and he would look it up for me

**crazy horse** · 10-09-2010, 02:26 PM

by MR MATT

i was at knob creek yesterday and i asked some people what they thought of the mark and no one knew what it was a couple of the older gentlemen said they had seen it and one said he has a book with it in it and he would look it up for me

which one is the capture mark, I got shafted by Mitchell's Mausers, I think mine is a capture rifle, because I don't think it's a Yugo m-48, but the upside down 2 on yours, the one above the Imperial crown, you can see that L looking mark by the 2, it looks like they were trying to make the triangle around it.

**MR MATT** · 10-11-2010, 08:41 PM

the capture mark is an X over the serial number on the breach and i think they were trying to make a triangle
but i have no idea what the mark on mine is.

**crazy horse** · 10-11-2010, 09:08 PM

by MR MATT

the capture mark is an X over the serial number on the breach and i think they were trying to make a triangle
but i have no idea what the mark on mine is.

the upside down 2 with the dot is a division of the republican guard, I just don't know which one.. wow that rifle has been fired in wars for about 100 years, thats amazing.

. btw thanks, now I know by the x mine was a Russian capture & not a disguised m-48, I appreciate it.