New....Don't know where to start

[Orphanbrg]

Hello all,

As you can tell from my title, I'm brand new here, new to K98's and don't know where to start. I have a been working on my very small collection of WWII rifles over the past several years now and for better or worse, I've been travel around working for a friend on the weekends working various gun shows in the region. If I could describe my firearms buying habits in one word it would be impetuous so I'm hoping you all will be able to ground me a little or a lot. So here we go......

I was at a large gun show over the weekend and as always I'm very interested in what's walking around. Since there were more buyers than sellers (customers) at this gun show I took a little time to look around at some of the other vendor tables when business allowed and came across a table full of k98's and started to pick thru them. Since I've always had a k98 on my wish list I keep an eye out for them in the crowd but do not normally actively seek them out, not knowing enough to be able to pick a good one out. I ran across what to my eyes was a very clean K98 in very good shape. It was numbers matching on the barrel, bolt, receiver, H band, and I believe safety lever. The metal finish was good with a nice shine on the faded bluing, no rust or flecking that I could see, the wood stock looked more like a modern day light laminate stock and looked like it needed a touch of oil to keep it from cracking. The barrel was marked on the left side near the receiver with the wehrmacht eagle and the serial number, same on the left side of the receiver. On the right side of the receiver were 3 wehrmacht eagles each with a different code underneath. Since I didn't have a whole lot of time and my eyesight isn't what it used to be, I cannot tell you anymore what each stamp meant. The top of the receiver was marked S/147 1938. The bore was clean and bright from both ends, the crown looked good. Rifle was complete with nice but dry/cracking leather sling and cleaning rod. I don't remember if it had a front sight hood. The action worked smoothly, bolt and bolt face & extractor looked good, the bolt lugs looked good without excessive wear, the safety worked correctly and the trigger didn't feel bad at all. Asking price was $1850. I have some close up photos of the wehrmacht stamps and will try to post them but since I have to put a nickle in the phone every time I want to make a call, I don't know how well they'll turn out.

Thanks for any advice you can send my way

 

[Warrior1354]

What you found was a early JP Sauer K98k rifle made in the year of 1938. Rifle's this early did not have sight hoods either they were not made for them. If the rifle was all matching and it came with a wartime sling and a matching cleaning rod $1850 is not a bad price. Pictures would help determine more on your rifle but from what you have listed it sounds like a nice piece. Here is another one the same year and type in the forum picture reference area. Could help you compare the two together. JP Saucer rifles made in the 30s I believe are some of the nicest K98k rifles. The attention too detail put into their rifles is unbelievable. It kind of makes it hard too believe that these were a weapon of war and not a highly custom rifle for a match shooter.

http://www.k98kforum.com/showthread.php?664-147-1938-2494-quot-t-quot

 

[sheepdog]

the wood stock looked more like a modern day light laminate stock

This could be a red flag though maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are saying, let's see pictures. I own two 1937 Sauers and they are the cream of the crop.

 

[Orphanbrg]

I tried downloading the pictures I took from my phone but as I said it's crap and so were the pictures. I'm now an 11 hour drive away from the rifle but I've got the guy's number and will ask him to send pictures if he can. I may be misrepresenting the stock. While I was up at the show I bought a copy of "Backbone of the Werhmarcht" and have been slowly reading thru it. From what I've read so far the stock is an early laminate stock more widely distributed later in the war to save on walnut so it might be correct to the rifle since 1938 was the first appearance for laminate stocks. Additionally, the proofing marks I thought were Wermarcht eagles are in fact Weimer eagles which would be correct for a 1938 rifle although if I'm reading the book correctly, the Nazi eagles made their appearance in 1938 as well. Not realizing that the manufacturers serial numbered all of the parts, I didn't spend too much time looking beyond the major parts. I will know better next time.