Mystery of the Russian capture K98k solved!

[loademup]

I only own one Mauser, a Russian capture K98k. I purchased it back in the 1990’s when companies like Century Arms International were importing them.

My Mauser has all the Russian capture characteristics: electro pencil serial numbers, mix of parts, re-blued finish,. It did not have the cleaning rod, trigger guard lock screws or front sight hood when I bought it.

A big alteration is the manufacture code and year have been ground off the receiver ring on this capture.. But with the better technology available today, I believe I’ve identified this rifle’s manufacturer at last.





In the upper picture above on the left, the receiver ring looks blank, but close-in high-magnification of this picture using 3-D Paint shown at top right reveals marks that I am 100 percent sure are remnants of a JP Sauer “CE” factory code like that in the picture below on the receiver ring of another rifle. Also, in the bottom right upper picture, there is a very faint outline of a “41” visible on top of the chamber end of the receiver. I take this to mean 1941 as the date of manufacture.

The barrel and receiver serial number match (the serial numbers are partially shown). The Waffenamt inspector code “37” on the barrel and receiver ring is known to appear on JP Sauer manufactured K98k rifles.





More pictures of his rifle:





I've found four other serialized parts not belonging to this rifle, the front stock nose piece, under the rear sight, inside the front stock, inside the upper handguard.







The Russian Capture K98k Mausers use to be a good deal when the supply chain from overseas was flowing, and many owners also had no qualms about refinishing and shooting them.
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[C&Rtrader]

That is really cool. Nice work! I dont know that I have seen a lot of JP Saurs? Although, i am far more familiar with Mosins.

still great detective work

[loademup]

I wish I could credit myself with being a Sherlock Holmes, but I discovered the original manufacturer really by accident.

I was going to do a post on this Russian capture. I use Microsoft 3-D paint a lot on my pictures to do things like touch up serial numbers if I don't want to show them. I just happen to magnify the receiver ring picture and there the answer was.

After doing some comparison with the "CE" marking on other JP Sauer K98k rifles, I could see that it was the remains of that marking on this rifle.

I did not have this technology years ago when I bought the rifle, good digital cameras and picture composing software.

However, I do l like to read and explore my Curio & Relic rifles and see what I can find out about them if anything. It is part of the fun of Curio & Relic collecting for me.