Purchasing a k98 byf 42 cc block - authentic?

[easycompany22]

I'm very new to this forum, stumbled upon this forum when I was researching information on the mauser k98 and how to check if it's authentic. Hands down this is the most informative website for this rifle. I compared the rifle in question to one of the picture references on this forum. Luckily there is an exact manufacturer/year/block for it. To me seems like it checks out but I wanted to ask the experienced members of this community for your opinion. I really appreciate the input.

 

[bruce98k]

Where is the rest of it - stock cartouche, bands, trigger housing.
These initial pics look good.

 

[easycompany22]

more picures

 

[easycompany22]

Sorry still figuring out how to work the forum. Trying to resize pictures because the biggest file accepted is 500kb

 

[easycompany22]

few more. Thank you for taking the time Bruce

 

[CanadianAR]

Looking good so far

 

[AN-94]

Definitely looking like a good one. I still would like to see the floorplate and trigger guard serials, but the other numbers look good. I'd also be curious to see the underside of the bolt root to see if it's Mauser Oberndorf made or FN supplied. The follower is from FN (E/140).

 

[Hercules]

Front band scrubbed and re-numbered

 

[Hercules]

Duffle cut?

 

[Jdt]

Duffle cut?

This rifle isn't duffle cut, was watching this one till I seen this thread and checked my watchlist and it was gone. To me I don't think the front barrel band has been scrubbed and restamped, seem like it was leaning against something the metal didn't like cause I've seen scrubbed bands before and if it is a humped front barrel band then that humper was a PRO. The buttplate tho has for surely been cleaned somewhat tho with what I have no clue, seems the buttplate is almost wired wheeled.

Quick edit but it doesn't make sense to me why someone would span almost the whole barrel band when eliminating a old serial number, typically you can also see "ghosts" of the old number like Mauser banner rifles being used at M.O. in 1937 production and you can just faintly see the banner.

 

[Hercules]

If not duffle cut then wrong stock and bands? 3 looks wrong and scrub marks along area above serial.

 

[Hercules]

I wouldn't buy it. There's guys who I have seen who can do a hump job like this. To me it's definitely a bad band at least and probably the main stock as well. Sporter rescue?

Edit: I wouldn't buy it.

 

[Jdt]

Don't buy it! There's guys who I have seen who can do a hump job than this. To me it's definitely a bad band at least and probably the main stock as well. Sporter rescue?

Interesting, what makes you think the stock is bad? Another forum member and I had discussed this rifle very briefly and he was of the opinion the stock had been cleaned but that was it. I did concur with him that the stock had been lightly cleaned as well. Also noticed I think the front capture screw is wrong or has been replaced because it's the solid type instead of the cut type.

 

[Loewe]

I don't know, but I see nothing too inconsistent over the band serialing discrepancy,(3 inconsistency), 4394 dd shares this discrepancy though others in this range use flat 3's (conforming to the "normal" pattern). the bp subcontractor is common in this range and I see nothing shocking with the waffenamt pattern...

I would wait for a WMO specialist like Bruce to add their thoughts; (to be safe) as there are a couple "inconsistencies" or better stated as less seen (normally band serials do tend to match other components -but not always)

** it is best to be cautious of inconsistencies but they can be common under certain situations (you need broad databases or trends to establish valid patterns)

 

[Loewe]

BTW, more pictures would be helpful, one inconsistency is easier to dismiss than two or three, and humpers rarely can control their "imagination", or inclination to be creative.

 

[hale1940]

For what its worth, I agree with Loewe. I see the wear above the front band serial, but to me that doesn’t look like scrubbed numbers. Some other kind of wear or a fault in the bluing.

 

[CanadianAR]

All the milling lines continue through that wear, indicating that it’s natural.

 

[bruce98k]

Paul the gun overall looks like a decent unmolested example with the exception of the badly cleaned buttplate.
The serialization on the front band looks correct and as noted the "rounded 3" anomaly.
Would be interested to see the serial on the rear band, trigger housing and floorplate.

The front band is milled as opposed to sintered metal.

I went and dug out examples of the 'rounded 3' from my database.
As you can see while not prevalent, there were instances of mixed use with these die stamps.
While not a 42 dated example, the practice was not isolated.

 

[Hercules]

Good information, but to me it looks scrubbed. I have seen different number fonts on other rifles as well. To me it still looks bad. I personally wouldn't buy it with the marks that look like scrubbing, unless the rest of the rifle was perfect. Good to see your perfect examples of rounded 3's above though.

 

[bruce98k]

I do not believe that front band is scrubbed.
It has textbook machining marks. If the band was scrubbed those tooling marks would have been obliterated.