K98k barrel markings

O

Orita

Member
I recently got a stripped barrel for the 7.92mm K98k rifle. It is 600mm (23.62-inch) long and it weighs 1,114 Kg (2 lb. 7.3 oz). The barrel is stamped with these markings:
- "7,9" which is the caliber in "mm";
- The eagle with a swastica below;
- The number "4857" over the letter "a";
- The mark "37 Kp 112";
- Four identical markings showing the "Waffenamt eagle" over the number "4".
My question is: when and where in Germany my barrel was made ????? Because of the Waffenamt markings I assume the barel was manufactured between 1937-39 but I cannot be 100% sure.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Orita 09/15/16
 
Orita said:
I recently got a stripped barrel for the 7.92mm K98k rifle. It is 600mm (23.62-inch) long and it weighs 1,114 Kg (2 lb. 7.3 oz). The barrel is stamped with these markings:
- "7,9" which is the caliber in "mm";
- The eagle with a swastica below;
- The number "4857" over the letter "a";
- The mark "37 Kp 112";
- Four identical markings showing the "Waffenamt eagle" over the number "4".
My question is: when and where in Germany my barrel was made ????? Because of the Waffenamt markings I assume the barel was manufactured between 1937-39 but I cannot be 100% sure.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Orita 09/15/16
Click to expand...

I'll take a swing at this. According to your barrel code the blank was made in 1937. Kp would be the code for who forged the blank. Krupp? 112 would be the lot code. Without trending the lot codes this could have been early or late in the production year. It was finished and assembled by BSW. My guess is it was built into a rifle in '37 but 1938 is not out of the question since it's a "a" block and would have been assembled quite early that year.

I wish I was MORE helpful, but the Kp code and lot sequence are not known to me.
 
- @ heavy_mech: Thanks very much for your reply. You mentioned the maker "BSW" and I assume it means "Berlin-Suhler-Waffen und Fahrzeugwerke GmbH" from Suhl, Thuringen.
I got this K98k barrel because I only had to pay 5 dollars for it. It had light rust on the outside and the bore was very dirty. After cleaning the barrel with steel wool (grade "0000") there is not one spot of pitting and it looks real nice. I cleaned the bore with WD-40 and oiled it. The barrel thread (M28 x 2.0/55 or 1.1 x 12-in) had a little damage but I was able to reshape it.
Orita 09/16/16
 
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