Info on this Mauser

[rdfact]

So this rifle has been sitting in a LGS for quite some time. Tag says German K98, 8x57. What can you guys tell me about it and what it may be worth? It looks to be in pretty good shape. Stock is almost too good.

[emcon5]

It is a WW1 Gewehr 98 that was inventoried/accepted for use in the Weimar republic in 1920. Do you have a photo of the whole rifle?

That stock does not look to be a Gew98 stock, they didn't have the takedown hole. Also, it looks like it does not have a full length handguard you would expect on a Gew98. Could have been converted by the Nazis, or someone else along the line.

On edit, I am mistaken on the handguard, I had in my head the Gew98 handguard was like the VZ24, it isn't. As to the takedown hole, I think they could go either way, some did have it, some didn't

[TRAP55]

WWI Gew98, stock has been sanded and re-finished. Can't tell much else without a pic of the whole gun.
I was going to type out an explanation of the "1920" date, but it's easier to quote Jamie Mangrum.

1920 is not actually a date "per se". "1920" is the ownership stamp of the Wiemar Republic. It was added to all former Imperial arms set aside under the strict limitations of the Versailles Treaty for use by the severely limited post-war German Armed Forces.

1920 refers to the year the weapons program came into effect after the bickering and in-fighting amongst the allies in 1919 to determine how severely to hamstring the new German govt. Of course, we all know they went to far and basically set Europe up for the next war 20-odd years later. hindsight is, after all, 20/20.

A rifle, Luger, etc. marked 1920 was not generally inspected 1920. It could have undergone arsenal service, inspection or repair anywhere from 1920 to about 1932 or so, but generally most would have been so marked 1920-1925 when the program was ramped up.

All the 1920 refers to is that the weapon was inventoried by the allied Versailles Inspectors and allowed into German Army stores as part of their treaty limits on small arms. Most such arms, of course, eventually came to serve Nazi Germany, many coming to Canada as vet re

[Crunch130]

That's a standard German WWI Gewehr 98 Mauser service rifle. Made at the main Mauser plant in Obendorf, in 1917. The 1920 stamp indicates this was one of the rifles the Germans were allowed to keep after the Treaty of Versailles. The original chambering is indeed 8X57.

Value is determined by condition and originality (good), military arsenal rework (OK), or hobbyist/gunsmith refinishing (takes value away).

A couple overall views of the rifle would tell us a lot more. The WWI "rollercoaster" rear sight might have been replaced by the later style. Is the barrel still 29" long, and how's the bore? Is the stock still full length all the way out to the bayonet mount, and is the handguard there?

WWI Gew 98's originally had the receiver "in the white" or unblued. So is the receiver and bolt bluing arsenal work, or hobbyist/gunsmith? And you're right, the stock is really nice - looks like walnut. I believe the WWI stocks were solid beechwood. And it looks refinished. So I'm wondering if that stock might be a refinished Czech 1898/22 stock.

I'd say, if you have a good bore and the rifle is in complete, but mismatched, military configuration, it is worth at least $400. Could be worth substantially more, but the noted refinishing may limit the upper end of the value.

Gunbroker is a good place to price compare. Select "completed auctions" to see what other Gew 98 rifles really have sold for recently.

What was their asking price?

Crunch

[rdfact]

I don't have a pic of the entire rifle - I was trying to be stealthy. I'll see if I can get one soon.
Price is listed at $399. I did not have a bore light so could not take a good look at the bore. I also could not figure out how to remove the bolt.
It appears complete, not sure of overall length but did not look cut down.

[Mustang]

I have one that is similar, rdfact. If it looks something like mine and has a good bore, I would estimate a value of around $450 to $500 or perhaps a little higher.

[knucklehead0202]

long as the bore is decent I'd pay 399 for it, and assuming the stock is un-messed with, aside from possibly a refinish.

[6mmintl]

[QUOTE=Mustang;13551171]I have one that is similar, rdfact. If it looks something like mine and has a good bore, I would estimate a value of around $450 to $500 or perhaps a little higher.


Is this going to be your cast bullet gun at next silhouette match? surely you can beat a 12x40?

[Syntax Error]

Is the gun Gew 98 length or is it a K98k length gun? A lot of Gew 98s were converted to K98k spec, but the "1920" overstamp indicates it's probably one of those "registered" guns post-WW1 and possibly used by the Reichswehr as a "legal" post-Versailles gun, so a lot of Gew 98s were converted to so-called "Gew 98M" models with the rear roller coaster sight replaced with a tangent sight, and the rear barrel band being wider. Stock was probably hit by sandpaper at some point in its life, and the takedown, while it was introduced in Gew 98s later in WW1 around 1916, may be anachronistic to the gun. So-called "Gew 98Ms" are still original Gew 98 length, not K98k length and retain a straight bolt.

WWI Gew 98's originally had the receiver "in the white" or unblued. So is the receiver and bolt bluing arsenal work, or hobbyist/gunsmith? And you're right, the stock is really nice - looks like walnut. I believe the WWI stocks were solid beechwood. And it looks refinished. So I'm wondering if that stock might be a refinished Czech 1898/22 stock.

Not quite; beechwood was introduced as ersatz material sometime in 1916 or so as European black walnut became scarce and the British blockade was tightening on Germany's import and merchant marine economy almost immediately after the outbreak of the war. The stock is likely not original to the gun, however.

[ccmano]

I don't post much, but have been collecting masers for over 30 years. One of the Argentine Mausers I own is shown in Robert Balls book "Mausers Military Rifles of the World".

Your rifle is known as a G98 transitional rifle. As already stated these were rebuilt from WWI rifles that Germany was allowed to keep after the war. The sights were changed and the stock was updated. The receivers were blued as part of that process. There is a similar rifle known as the Kar98b (even though it carries the "Kar" designation it was a full length rifle) that was built during the war and after. These too were rebuilt after the war with mainly the sights being updated. The difference is that the Kar98b has a turned down bolt and stock cutout where the G98 Transitional has a straight bolt and no cut out like yours. Of interest is that as the German army later changed to the shorter 98k many of these rifles went to the early SA and SS groups. Some were further rebuilt into the 98k configuration.
Enjoy your new rifle, hope you have many hours for shooting enjoyment.
H