8mm mauser identification

[DJClaypoole78]

About a month ago i posted a thread about a carl gustaf m38 i picked up as i my first mauser and that one had very clear markings. As of one week ago i picked up what appears to be a k98 but there’s barely any markings and i have no idea how to tell when the rifle was made / what model it really is, any help is really appreciated as i am a very novice gun enthusiast at 20 yo. i will have pictures attached below

Thanks !

 

[Muncher 1953]

we really need to see more of the rifle to tell you much, full view left & right sides, + top of receiver.
it looks like a model 98 Mauser, but most of the inspection marks we can see are from the ‘crown over letter’ era, meaning “Imperial” or prior to nazi rule. Thus the rifle may not be a ‘K98k’ per se.
pic 1: trigger guard, floor plate & front action screw match each other & sn on barrel (yay!) the proofs in pic look to me like pre or during ww1 style
pic 2: bolt is a mismatch, handle bent for rear sight clearance, base for a rear peep sight added to the rear bridge
pic 3: the rear sight sleeve has been removed & a sporting style sight added in its place, (sniff) & we can see that the stock has been ‘enhanced’ or sporterized for hunting use. if you put a cleaning rod down the barrel w/bolt closed, how long is the barrel exactly? if an unmodified K98k, it should measure 23-5/8” or 600mm. I can’t see any sign of any firing proof, which could help w/a date. The part of the stock shown has been elaborately tiger striped perhaps using wax & stain.
be aware of the background of your photos, we might make fun of your toes!

 

[DJClaypoole78]

i will get more pictures and measurements when i get home from work. i was telling him to move out of the way hahahaha but thank you for the help so far!

 

[DJClaypoole78]

the barrel is 22 1/2 inches long, if it only reads 7.9mm would it be chambered in .318 or .323 diameter?

 

[Jdt]

the barrel is 22 1/2 inches long, if it only reads 7.9mm would it be chambered in .318 or .323 diameter?

.323 based on what you've shown so far.

 

[heavy_mech]

I looks like the receiver is totally blank. It does look like the bottom metal matches the serial number on the barrel though. I wonder if any of our Imperial experts can identify the acceptance on that bottom metal?

 

[Cyrano4747]

Can you take it out of the stock? There might be barrel manufacturer info on the bottom, ahead of where it screws into the receiver. If they didn't bother to scrub the S stamp or the SN on the barrel I doubt the stuff under the wood got polished flat either. That might give a bit more insight into when and where it was made.

Nice stock. I'm usually not a fan of sporters but this one was well done.

 

[DJClaypoole78]

Can you take it out of the stock? There might be barrel manufacturer info on the bottom, ahead of where it screws into the receiver. If they didn't bother to scrub the S stamp or the SN on the barrel I doubt the stuff under the wood got polished flat either. That might give a bit more insight into when and where it was made.

Nice stock. I'm usually not a fan of sporters but this one was well done.

i will be sure to take it out of the stock tomorrow morning and i do like the stock too but whoever had it before me didn’t take very good care of it, it’s all chipped and scratched and they never cleaned the gun, there is literal dust balls under the floor plate and in the magazine.

 

[DJClaypoole78]

also since it would be my primary hunting rifle, does anyone know what hunting ammo is generally good and if someone makes a side scope mount for it or if it’s frowned upon to even try to put a scope on it? I will be learning how to reload soon but not before this hunting season.

 

[Loewe]

Pure speculation, but I would lean Amberg; probably Q-block as although I favored y- block initially Amberg only made the Y-blocks in 1917 and then barely, plus the suffix does quite fit. So best guess is 1916 or 1917 Amberg q-block based upon the fonts and TG acceptance with seems to match and appears Bavarian.

The only way to be certain is the barrel code, fireproof and acceptance under the stock. In short the barrel will answer what maker-date this is, the BC should date this to year based upon trends. Fairly simple to maker-date this if the barrel markings are legible as the trends are quite good for wartime Amberg...

 

[Muncher 1953]

also since it would be my primary hunting rifle, does anyone know what hunting ammo is generally good and if someone makes a side scope mount for it or if it’s frowned upon to even try to put a scope on it? I will be learning how to reload soon but not before this hunting season.

I have a sportered 1909 Argentine cavalry carbine that’s my go-to rainy day deer hunting rifle, best open sights I’ve used. I suggest PPU ammo, they offer fmj but also soft points, reasonably priced, widely available, brass reloads well.
If your rifle still had the military rear sight, I’d suggest using a ‘scout mount’ which reversibly places a long eye relief scope where the rear sight goes, not great for 500 yard shots but good for under 100yards. Depending on what game & type of terrain, consider using those open sights, they may work better than you expect. (I’m very nearsighted, use scopes all the time, except in rain/snow, BUT my 1909 sights (‘50s-‘60s vintage) are usable for me, unlike standard K98k sights)

 

[heavy_mech]

I also use iron sights on a RC byf 43 where conditions warrant, but it's also a pleasure for me to hunt this way. For ammo, I've used Remington Core-Lokt and Federal Hi-shock in 170gr and PPU and Sellier & Bellot in 196gr Soft Point.

 

[DJClaypoole78]

okay so i tried my best with the lighting and making the pictures as clear as possible, i can see on the side of the action where it starts to say 4HO and the rest is polished off and there is a G marking on the underneath of the barrel.

 

[DJClaypoole78]

I have a sportered 1909 Argentine cavalry carbine that’s my go-to rainy day deer hunting rifle, best open sights I’ve used. I suggest PPU ammo, they offer fmj but also soft points, reasonably priced, widely available, brass reloads well.
If your rifle still had the military rear sight, I’d suggest using a ‘scout mount’ which reversibly places a long eye relief scope where the rear sight goes, not great for 500 yard shots but good for under 100yards. Depending on what game & type of terrain, consider using those open sights, they may work better than you expect. (I’m very nearsighted, use scopes all the time, except in rain/snow, BUT my 1909 sights (‘50s-‘60s vintage) are usable for me, unlike standard K98k sights)

i have practiced with the iron sights it has but i would be hunting in open fields here in western PA where a scope would be needed most of the time especially in the fall season

 

[Muncher 1953]

Loewe will likely chime in on the barrel markings, I’m guessing a Bohler blank but the crown marks are beyond my knowledge.

 

[Loewe]

It's wartime Amberg (Bavarian) but dating it is difficult with these pictures. The barrel code I can't make out with certainty but it is a Bohler blank which incredibly common for Amberg. The numbers following the BO would narrow it considerably, so too the receiver code:

RESEARCH PROJECT - Amberg 1916-1918

Wolfgang brought up a subject that I think is worthwhile pursuing, quite a few years ago, in 2009, several collectors, Wolfgang and I included, noticed a peculiar series of markings on the left side of Amberg receivers, it seems to occur only on late 1916 through 1918 Gewehr98 production, though...

www.k98kforum.com

If you can detail the markings you photograph as the pictures are not clear to be sure of what is shown.