337 1940 matching

[2SO71]

337 1940

I received this rifle a few days ago and was just able to get into it today. I've focused my collecting on US military arms for the past 10 years. Before that I had a mix. The only K98k that I previously owned was a dud with a sewer pipe for a barrel and complete mismatch and the incorrect bolt (looking back, I believe it was from a Polish mauser).

This rifle is all matching, with the only exception being the bolt sleeve, which makes me wonder if this could have been a factory mismatch. Even the wood is matching. Unfortunately the stock has been cut, sanded heavily and polyed. The bore is shiny and the muzzle wear is minimal, so it should be a good shooter. My theory is that this might have been a GI duffle cut bringback, that was then used as a hunting riffle. The good is that the metal has not been cut or drilled. My question is whether or not it has the original finish. I was hoping to get some opinions on this. All numbered parts have the serial number of 345 or 45 on it, including all bolt parts, again except for the bolt sleeve, butt plate, lower band, front and rear sites, floor plate, trigger, trigger guard, barrel, guard screws. I would like to return this to a military configuration. My plan was to find a flat butt plate stock. Would it be worthwhile to try to find a more "correct" stock? What should I look for in a stock? I know that I'll need the stock, hand guard, front band, band spring, bayonet lug, and 1 lock screw (the rear lock screw was present and is unmarked). I believe that the action was in the stock for a very long time and was a bit stuck. I still need to really clean it up. What would be good to remove the polyurethane from the metal? Denatured alcohol? Here are some pics of the rifle.

 

[2SO71]

Some more pics

 

[2SO71]

Last couple. Let me know if more pics are needed.
Thanks for any help.
Todd

 

[Zeppelin5000]

Your bolt body was supplied by FN, so it’s most likely from a Mauser Oberndorf rifle. I believe some parts the metal have been reblued. It looks like the bolt take down disc was filled in too.... I think it would be a decent candidate for a correct stock, but that’s depending on how much you already have into it.

 

[2SO71]

thanks for the info. Is the FN marking behind the rear lug or under the root of the bolt handle? Is it still correct for the rifle since it is numbered to it, or would it have been renumbered to match? I plan on keeping this rifle for my collection and don't have too much into it, so I might be interested in looking for a correct stock. Any advise on what to look for?

 

[mto7464]

Not likely a factory error on the sleeve. Look for a flat buttplate stock that maybe comes with early milled bands.

 

[Zeppelin5000]

thanks for the info. Is the FN marking behind the rear lug or under the root of the bolt handle? Is it still correct for the rifle since it is numbered to it, or would it have been renumbered to match? I plan on keeping this rifle for my collection and don't have too much into it, so I might be interested in looking for a correct stock. Any advise on what to look for?

Both stamps in the bolt photo are FN. They used WaA140 as well as the MI stamp on their bolt bodies. Mauser Oberndorf was the main manufacturer to have these supplies by FN, so that bolt body is probably out of a byf rifle. Do you have a pic of the SN on the bolt root? I thought you said in your original post that it did not match. Maybe I’m reading it wrong. Your rifle was produced by Gustloff, so you’d want to find something marked WaA749 if possible. Here is a 1940 337 from the reference section:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?9536-337-1940&highlight=337+1940

Attached is a quick overview of what to look for too. Looking at your trigger group/floorplate, it doesn’t have the correct WaA’s either. The SN fonts are different too.... most likely, someone found another manufactures parts with the same SN and used them on your rifle.

 

[2SO71]

Thanks for the info. Here is a better pic of the bolt root.

 

[Zeppelin5000]

Thanks for the info. Here is a better pic of the bolt root.

Not too confident in that SN stamp... looks renumbered to me.

 

[heavy_mech]

..Maybe I’m reading it wrong. Your rifle was produced by Gustloff, so you’d want to find something marked WaA749 if possible. Here is a 1940 337 from the reference section:
http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?9536-337-1940&highlight=337+1940

This. You'd want to see a Gebr. Brehmer supplied TG, twice accepted. Astra FP with code and e/1. OP rifle nicht richtig IMHO.

 

[mrfarb]

Looks like the rifle was repaired during the war, pretty common IMO to find reworks like this. Bolt replaced with armorers spare parts, etc. So original period renumbered parts- problem is many reworks have the markings in the wood which prove who did the work, looks like you will never know. Still worth rebuilding to me, reblue could be period done as well during the rework. The slight mismatch could just be a mistake during the rework..

 

[Zeppelin5000]

Looks like the rifle was repaired during the war, pretty common IMO to find reworks like this. Bolt replaced with armorers spare parts, etc. So original period renumbered parts- problem is many reworks have the markings in the wood which prove who did the work, looks like you will never know. Still worth rebuilding to me, reblue could be period done as well during the rework. The slight mismatch could just be a mistake during the rework..

Is there an easy sell to tell a period armorers restamp from a post-war restamp? Is it in the quality, professional vs bubba? I’ll admit, the restamp on the bolt does look well done, but something else was just off about it. Plus the fact that it is an FN supplied bolt raises questions.

 

[heavy_mech]

Looks like the rifle was repaired during the war, pretty common IMO

Honestly I did not even think of that. I normally defer to your vastly greater experience. It just seemed to me that SO much of the parts were replaced I didn't even go to repair. Upon further/closer inspection I see it's cut for a sight hood so it went to the shop. However, entire rear sight, entire bottom metal and bolt all replaced but still has the original barrel?? I couldn't work out a scenario for that but I suppose it's possible of course. I guess the pre-war MO spares makes sense too?

 

[Loewe]

The rifle is the highest recorded for Gustloff-Weimar in 1940, prior high's all in the n-block. Thing is it appears that nothing is factory except the receiver. The barrel is not Ruhrstahl or Geco, and all up through 1940 should be (one exception, an FN in the m-block, but this isn't FN either...).

What is the waffenamt at the end of the barrel code (39 Si 55), Silesia is not known for Geco, Ruhrstahl or FN, and Geco and Ruhrstahl universally use Ruhrstahl steel. I doubt FN used Si either, especially in 1939.

Try to do clear pictures of the bolt and barrel markings. I would try the buttplate too, clues could reside there as well. Really sucks you can't make out stock markings. But if the bolt has the suffix applied, that is probably a higher authority doing the work. Smaller operations often aren't as thorough.

 

[Loewe]

Although Mauser-Berlin and SDP used a lot of Si barrels, the arrangement of the BC only fits Mauser-Oberndorf and the odds are strong (very high) that this is a barrel off a Mauser. Not an ordnance spare either as the only ordnance spares this early were G98 length, and Mauser rarely shipped barrels to others before 1943 (bcd-SDP), Mauser was very stingy with barrels, they used almost all in-house (and they could use a lot of barrels, no one beats Mauser making rifles...)

Anyway, I am pretty sure this is a Mauser barrel and that is a little suspicious, only case that would make sense is a depot had salvaged a early Mauser 98k and they used them on this salvaged 337/40, but better pictures are needed to really back this as legit as there a few weird things going on? Is there a FP on the barrel, hard to say. Why the matching serials with no signs of scrubbing? Odds of a matched 42 showing up to mate with a 337/40 are astronomical. Such a mating of parts would necessitate re-numbering either the receiver to the parts or the reverse, but this accumulations of parts means something has to be scrubbed and renumbered to match (and I see no clear sign). I think it is possible, but there are far too many questions to call this legit with these pictures.

However, entire rear sight, entire bottom metal and bolt all replaced but still has the original barrel?? I couldn't work out a scenario for that but I suppose it's possible of course. I guess the pre-war MO spares makes sense too?

 

[2SO71]

Thanks for all the great information. The font on the floorplare of the "4" does match. I took it into the daylight yesterday morning. I'm thinking that the wear made it look different in the pictures. I'm visiting relatives right now and will try to take clearer pics when I get back. I know that under the barrel are more acceptance stamps and the serial number is stamped again there. I will take pictures when I get back. I have another bolt pic that I can post tonight. I started cleaning things up before I left and things are cleaning up nice, including the bore.

 

[2SO71]

The action was stuck in the stock with crud, so it hasn't been taken apart for many years. I was looking at the Norwegian hardwood stock that Hatrick has no the trader. Would any stock be just fine for this rifle, or is it worth trying to find something more "correct"?

 

[heavy_mech]

..I think it is possible, but there are far too many questions to call this legit with these pictures.

Yes photos. I know (and you guys do too) I don't know that much but the preponderance of early MO parts on this rifle caused me to (possibly prematurely) call this 'no bueno' Not near the bible so I can't check but was MO pounding out contract spares in late '37-38?

 

[mowzerluvr]

The action was stuck in the stock with crud, so it hasn't been taken apart for many years. I was looking at the Norwegian hardwood stock that Hatrick has no the trader. Would any stock be just fine for this rifle, or is it worth trying to find something more "correct"?

Any flat plate k98 stock would work fine. Finding a Gustloff stock would not be tough though. I have one but it's 100% matching and complete minus a barreled receiver and I wouldn't split it up.

 

[Warrior1354]

Any flat plate k98 stock would work fine. Finding a Gustloff stock would not be tough though. I have one but it's 100% matching and complete minus a barreled receiver and I wouldn't split it up.

I'm sure you would trade it off for a nice matching tiger stripe BSW stock! You know I still hunt for nice BSW parts for you Dave had no luck buddy. I will be on the lookout for you at the next SOS show.