Model 98 bolt

[Tower Rat]

Can someone help me identify this model 98 bolt? I've found no serial numbers. Here are the pics: 1: Stamp on handle base which appears to be a Prussian stamp with a crown eagle and "Franktur" letter "G". 2: Another stamp on base, which I can't even find anything close. 3: Overall bolt. 4: Circle "Z" on bottom of bolt. 5: Circle "Z" on safety lever. 6: "59" stamped on extractor. 7: Unk. stamp on extractor end (toward handle.) 8: "2359 (?) etched on bolt end.

These are all the marks I've found (I'm reluctant to disassemble the bolt right now for more numbers.) The rifle was made in Erfurt, and all serial and waffen amt numbers match, except the barrel, which, though it came from the Steyer, Austria factory, the rear sight serial number matches the rifle, and it appears the rear sight mount came from a factory near Erfurt. I do have pics of all this it it helps. Thanks for any help.

 

[heavy_mech]

I don't know about the bolt root, but I found it curious that I was just going over a 'Balkan capture' dot '44 I have and the cocking piece and safety on mine have the exact same circle z.

 

[Fal Grunt]

The circle z is Czech.

The bolt is something I would vote was assembled from parts stateside.

 

[Tower Rat]

The circle z is Czech.

The bolt is something I would vote was assembled from parts stateside.

That's what I was thinking. It would still be interesting to know what or where the others came from. Thanks.

 

[heavy_mech]

That's what I was thinking. It would still be interesting to know what or where the others came from. Thanks.

I agree and I also try to figure out how these things came to be. Both the cocking piece and safety on mine are totally unnumbered and unmarked other than the circle z. I can only imagine they were spares that were still floating around post war in Romania, Albania or wherever this rifle was post war and that's where they came from. In the case of mine, I don't believe it was a stateside construct.

 

[Tower Rat]

Also, since I believe my rifle assembly is as it left the factory (the matching serial number on the rear sight tells me the barrel was most likely shipped to Erfurt and put on my rifle,) why a "Frankenstein" bolt? Still learning this stuff.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Also, since I believe my rifle assembly is as it left the factory (the matching serial number on the rear sight tells me the barrel was most likely shipped to Erfurt and put on my rifle,) why a "Frankenstein" bolt? Still learning this stuff.

You're going to need to provide pics of the gun itself for anyone to be able to comment intelligently, but assuming the rest of the gun is matching the simple answer is that someone state-side in the 60s or 80s or whenever lost/damaged/whatever the bolt and threw together a spare with whatever they could find.

That whole thing screams "built out of the parts bin at a gun show" to me.

 

[Tower Rat]

I agree the bolt is a rebuilt, I'm just trying to identify the other markings. Here are the rifle pics:

 

[Tower Rat]

Here are the full rifle. The site would not accept the right side muzzle, kept saying file too large no matter how much I resized it. (sorry it's in sections; I couldn't get a straight pano with my phone.) I also included the barrel number, which I believe came from Steyer, Austria.