My wife's father left her his Mauser 98k when he passed 30 years ago. It's been sitting in our closet all this time and now that I'm retired, I'm finally getting around to researching what she actually has. My wife has paperwork showing this rifle was a war trophy awarded to him by the Republic of Vietnam as a token of thanks for his tour of duties in Vietnam. From my research, I'm pretty sure this rifle is a 1942 Mauser 98k manufactured at the Berlin-Lubecker factory (duv 42 d or g?). Unfortunately it's missing the bayonet, cleaning rod, and sling, but everything seems to be in working order. I'm curious if anyone has any more info this rifle. Also would love to know what the second cutout at the rear of the stock is for? I've looked at quite a few online and haven't seen this cutout before.
New member seeking info on Mauser 98K
- Thread starter BillyL
- Start date
Cyrano4747
Well-known member
Pretty sure I see a Soviet capture "X" stamp on the receiver ring (between the DUV and the 42, about a half inch to the left of center-line as seen in the pic from the top). Which isn't surprising, a fair number of 98ks got sent to Vietnam by them as foreign aid. No idea on the stock, might have been done by the Vietnamese, either from familiarity with the French style or just as a similar solution to the same problem of using non-98k slings with the guns.
Thanks Jim, I was aware of a French presence in Vietnam in the late 40s/early 50s. Searching on French-style sling, I found one pic (attached) showing the cutout. Seems I'm missing the bar and two screws that hold it in place to make it a viable option for a sling.
Attachments
A very cool rifle. Receiver was originally made by Berlin lubeck, but the rifle was actually finished by gustloff werke. So the barraled action I beleive is technically a bcd 1943! This is denoted by the eagle/749 that i beleive i see on the top of the receiver. Berlin lubeck quit producing k98ks in 1942 to start making other rifles so there leftover parts ended up at gustloff werke. This rifle was then captured by the soviets, who reworked and refinished it. Then was sold or given as aid to Vietnam. At some point in its service to the north Vietnamese or vietcong it acquired a French k98k stock. During the French Indochina war in the late 40s/1950s the French used some of their rework k98ks in country. One of these such rifles had its stock robbed from it and it ended up on your russian capture 98k. Then obviously in the hands of your father in law.
A very, very cool rifle indeed.
PS May I suggest more or less leaving the rifle alone. Lightly clean the metal with oil. Shoot it, clean the bore. But otherwise do not add or take anything away from it. Once you start to clean or change parts on a rifle like this it's story becomes much more obscured.
A very, very cool rifle indeed.
PS May I suggest more or less leaving the rifle alone. Lightly clean the metal with oil. Shoot it, clean the bore. But otherwise do not add or take anything away from it. Once you start to clean or change parts on a rifle like this it's story becomes much more obscured.
I would not suggest donating to a museum. They have piles of things like this, it's better off being respected by you and your family or sold to someone who will respect it. The rifle with its provenance could bring over a grand.
heavy_mech
RKI- Reasonably Knowledgable Individual
Good catch. There's been a few of these come up lately. Pretty common in the s block and according to the chart in the bible this is the highest s/n reported. Note barrel is finished in '43 by FN facility in Liege, as per the ch in the barrel code. I can't quite make out the blank supplier logo that follows the 43.
Cyrano4747
Well-known member
Seconding this. It won’t be put on display for people to appreciate, it will end up in a storage locker.
Mariner
Well-known member
I’d definitely keep it to be enjoyed by family!
