Model 98 rifle ID questions.

[Boarding-Team-Leader]

I have no experience with anything other than some U.S. Military arms.
A coworker has a rifle he would like me to help identify. The rifle barrel is not caliber marked. He is mostly interested in this information.

On the left side of the receiver it is stamped Mod 98 toward the barrel is an eagle stamp. Below this stamp is 4406 over ak
On top of the receiver is stamped dot above an eagle (swastika?) and below that 63. Below that the year 1944
On top of the barrel which is stepped narrower towards the muzzle 4 times closest to the receiver is what looks like a shield with the number 13 in the lower portion. to the right of this shield is a large stamped FD
On the right side of the receiver are two more eagles (swastikas)
The top of the bolt handle is stamped 4406 over ak
The bottom of the bolt handle has the eagle over 63 twice. Once tiny and once larger.
4406 is stamped on the bolt collar and safety also.
The bolt release has a copper colored insert in it.
The magazine follower is stamped Lxr
Furthest forward on the trigger housing below the second of two mounting screws is stamped LU. Toward the middle of the housing and inch and a half forward of the hole in the guard is again stamped LU over 4406.
The stock has been replaced with a sporter stock and the rear sight is a Lyman adjustable peep.
Can someone help me with identifying the caliber of this rifle?
Thanks,
BTL

[Fjold]

Ask him to look at the bore size, is it 7mm or 8mm? It's a wartime production gun so the bore size will usually tell you whether it's a 7x57 or an 8x57.

[Dump1567]

Sounds like a German occupied Czech built K98 (dot code) that was sporterized. The 4406 over ak is the serial #. The caliber should be 7.92 also known as 8mm Mauser.

Ask the same info. here and these guys could probably give you a ton of info.

http://www.gunboards.com/forums/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=4

[Boarding-Team-Leader]

Frank,
I will bring it home and check it out.
BTL

[Fjold]

OK, I checked with a smart friend of mine, it's a Czech rifle made under German occupation at Brno.

It could be either a 33/40 Carbine or a 98K Carbine-

The "dot over the eagle" on the the receiver, the book calls this a sniper version of the 98K Carbine, and it has a 4 digit date at the bottom- but no 2 digit number below the eagle.

The other example, the 33/40, has a small 3 digit number over "dot", and the 4 digit date at the bottom.

So all that can be deduced from what you have here is that it is a 98K or 33/40 made in Brno Although some of the positions and number of markings don't exactly match those on your rifle.

If the rifle still has the original stepped barrel, it's an 8mmx57.

[Rogerbutthead]

I agree with Dump1567. A "33/40" would have that mark on the receiver, BTL says it has a "Mod 98" there.

Too bad it has a sporterized stock.

A "33/40" would be worth alot more than a Mod 98. A pristine 33/40 would draw an obscene amount at auction.

http://www.gk43forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1776

[Rem1492]

at this point roger, you are kicking whoever sporterized it.

One of my coworkers came up to me, then asked, how can I put a scope and make my rifle a good hunter? I asked what kind and he said it was his grandpas WW2 german rifle.

I almost fell out of my chair and proceeded to scald him.

[Fjold]

dot is the code for Brno.

But 33/40s were only built from '40-'42, after that they built the 98Ks.

Check out these references:

http://users.swing.be/sw017995/k98kmarkings.htm

http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/codes_full_alpha_a-b.html

identifies an "ak" code as Munitionsfabriken (formerly Sellier u. Bellot, Prague), Vlasim, Czechoslovakia.

I wonder if "Brunn" is just the Germanicized spelling of Bruno?