[bulldog32]

I was told this Mauser was made by the French, Even though it is covered with German Markings, Swastikas,Eagle on a ball with a Swastika inside ball, Wings with the number 135 under it. This is a non import with all matching numbers.Brought back by a family member in 1945 he has passed. Where can I find information on this Rifle?
Ser#44D1XXX That is on the barrel,On the Receiver is #170XXX

So I guess the Barrel and Receiver Do NOT match?
Bolt all numbers match the Receiver.
The Trigger Guard and magazine are marked svw byf with wings 135
The K 98 that I have is a little different in that I Don't believe the gun has been Polished I think it is a Phospate finish! The Barrel has Three steps from the receiver to the front step site! Also the Barrel is Not Smooth it has lines arround the barrel from the Receiver to the front site ( can hardly see the tiny lines) But you can feel them with your finger nail At the receiver end, where the Barrel screws on to the receiver ,On the Barrel is a serial Number first a Crest, then the Number 44D1XXX Then a Waffenamats + other German Markings.The receiver has the Number 170XX b ? The floor plate is marked byf then two waffenamts by the forward screw and a svw. The Stock was Cut so it would fit in a Duffel Bag, and never repaired this Rifle is not Blued! And in 60 years no Rust.

 

[Captain Emo]

Post a picture. The crest usually means Yugo or Spanish or some othe origin. That would tell us a lot. Sounds like a nice rifle.

 

[Carbine Williams]

I think it sounds like a German Kar98.

 

[bulldog32]

The Crest that I'm talking about is in front of the serial number on the barrel I guess it looks more like a Shield than a Crest the stamp is not real good maybe 1/2 of the stamp took.

 

[bulldog32]

A few more pictures

 

[bulldog32]

The barrel looks bent in one of the pictures but its the picture not the Barrel.This gun looks like it has not been shot!

 

[Carbine Williams]

Your rifle is a German 98k.

byf is the code for Mauser-Werke, A-G, Overndorf a/N

svw is a later code for the same factory. Perhaps it was rearsenaled during WWII and received the newer code?

The #135 is the inspectors number.

 

[bda]

Your K98 is the last variation of of the K98. svw was the last code that Mauser Oberndorf used in 1945. The stock is what's known as the Kriegsmodel due to the lack of the bolt take down disc in the stock. Instead, they put a small hole in the back of the buttplate to use for the bolt. The stock should also be missing the bayonet lug and it should have a screwed on lower band and no hole for a cleaning rod.
The French took over the factory after the war and continued to use the svw code but it was in all CAPS (SVW). Your rifle was made prior to the French taking over the factory due to all the nazi markings and the lower case svw on the receiver. The process that the Germans used was very crude at the end of the war too. All metal finishes were in the rough as you noticed by the turn marks on your barrel. A phosphate finish was used, as oppose to the earlier polished blued rifles.

 

[bulldog32]

bda: I have looked at alot of k 98s in books and on the net I have not seen one with the Serial Number on the Barrel and before the number a shield,for lack of a better word? The stock that you described,is not the Stock that is on this gun it has a bayonet lug,a hole for the cleaning rod, and the metal thing in the stock,that you use to remove the firing pin? How that work's I don't have a clue!

This gun came back from WWII in a duffel bag in 1945 as is and has not been touched sence then the stock has a wafenamp by the firing remover stamped in the wood the stock is blond in color and has a cupped butt plate.

IS the Gun Worth any thing? or should I shoot it?
Thank you! Bulldog

 

[bda]

Interesting. Can you take a pic of the top of the receiver and of the stock? It sounds as if this never had the Kriegs model stock. Keep in mind there is a lot of controversy over the svwMB code, which your rifle has, due to the fact that it was so late in the war when it was made. It's been reported that some of those svwMB's have recently turned up as Russian Captures. svwMB's up to the b lock suffix are known to be German made during the last months of the war. This would mean that some made it out to the Eastern Front. You will also find that the French took the factory over and put together rifles that are nazi marked along with French markings. The French generally put a stacking lug on the rifles though along with a cross bar for the sling on the left side of the stock. The stock you describe is that of a German early to mid war type though, so a picture of it would help.

As far as shooting it, I would get the headspace checked first to be on the safe side. I would shoot it if it checks out ok. It sounds like your rifle was put together with a left over earlier stock because it never would have been issued without the Kriegs model stock.

 

[bulldog32]

bda; I have sent the stock off to be repeared I don't have any pictures at this time but I have seen stocks with that piece of metal that you would hook a sling to my stock does not have that and no holes where it would be fixed to stock.I have seen a few like main but most are dark color not Blond!

Thanks Bulldog

 

[bulldog32]

bda: I have 3 pictures of the receiver I hope this helps! Bulldog

 

[bulldog32]

My Stock looks like this one ,the only difference is the color,This Stock just sold on E-Bay For $275.12 Thats Correct just for the Stock,

 

[bda]

That style of stock was made from late 1940 to late 1944. By 1945 Mauser Oberndorf and pretty much everyone else was producing both semi-kriegs model stocks (has bayo lug, band spring but no bolt take down hole in stock but is on buttplate) and the full Kriegs model stock (no bayo lug, no rod hole, no band spring either). It's safe to say that it's a replacement stock for a svwMB coded rifle. Law's BBOTW states that all svwMB's are post war French made, but that is false. As stated earlier svwMB codes up through b (March) and possibly c (April) block suffix production ranges are known to be German made.

Question: Do you see a small star anywhere on the rifle? That would be a French proof.

I think that the previous owner switched stocks on this rifle at one point because your rifle never would have been configured with this stock, unless it was a fluke or....it was pieced together in that configuration prior to leaving the ETO in 1945.

 

[bulldog32]

bda: I can't find a Star There is a Strange mark on the right side of the receiver I have a few pictures of it maybe you know what it is?
The mark is to the right of the wafenamp? (Eagle with # 135)

 

[bda]

Hmmmmm...that mark has me stumped. I will have to do some research on that one.

Anyway you can safely say that you have one of the last of the 14 million plus Kar98k's produced by the Germans under nazi rule. At least your parts were made before operations ceased in April 1945. Without a French proof on the rifle, I feel comfortable making that statement. Mauser continued to use the svwMB code for the French made rifles too, so you see how close to the end yours is...

 

[bulldog32]

bda:This has been very interesting Thank you for all the Information,I guess they knew they were losing the war and had to get the Rifle's out ASAP so they didn't have time to finish the barrels or to Blue them! Bulldog

 

[lesser fudd]

Yo, Bulldog32

Your post of svwMB 170xxb is facinating. I just bought svwMB 16724b which while polished and sporterized was affordable. What was particularly significant to me is found at post#15 showing the SAME funky mark just right of eagle135. Did you ever discover its meaning? HA, man are you out there? The post is like 9 yrs ago.

thanks!

 

[lesser fudd]

Being as I am the only one here at the moment, my opinion is untested by discussion. However, I may be able to shine a light on the issue in posts #4 & #9. A while back I read somewhere that as desparate times arrived for the Nazi's and in the context of late-war K98k production, they were cutting down aircraft barrels to make up shortages. Not so many planes left for the barrels already on hand. When a completely misconfigured numbering or symbols appears, I suspect re-allocation of other resources.

 

[lesser fudd]

The funky mark was solved 3/27/2013 over on K98kforum:

svwMB - or bad day at the Mauser plant - Page 2

(showthread.php?1474-svwMB-or-bad-day-at-the-Mauser-plant/page2)
at entry#17 showing photos of svwMB 17252b. The mark is evidently a poor stamping of a larger version eagle135.