Rarest K98k you have come across?

[Jstealbird]

Out of my own curiosity, what is the rarest K98 rifle you have come across in all your years of collecting. It can be from your own collection or just one you have seen. This question is especially for the more senior members here who have been collecting for 10+ years.

 

[Wilhelm]

An SVW45 HT sniper that came out of a closet. Unfortunately, the scope was gone but the rifle itself was as it was in the war. It had been sitting in a closet since coming to the US. If it had had the scope, I would have kept it. Instead, I passed it along to Bruce Karem because I knew he would give it a good home.

As an aside, ol' Scotty Benedict tried to scam me out of it, sending me a PM saying that the rifle had "issues" but he would "help me out and give me $600 for it". When I called him out on it publicly, he called me a "hack". LOL. What a worm.

 

[RazorBurn]

I got lucky and stumbled across a matching AX41 that I traded a new Colt 1911 for. My only other one is a svw45 mismatch with an original sling out of a pawn shop. They had it listed as a Yugoslavian Mauser for $350. I put it on the counter, made an offer, filled out the paperwork, handed them the cash and headed home with it. They're the two in my profile picture. I've been fortunate.

 

[bruce98k]

S/243G hands down.

 

[biggymu]

SS/ SSR sniper rifle.

 

[pzjgr]

Strictly 98k's? Nothing too crazy, just my 1939 660 "a" block (it actually made THE BOOK!)

Have some Beuttewaffe I think are pretty scarce...

 

[Warrior1354]

My all matching untouched 1939 337 at a gunshow back in 2018. When I told Mike I found one he didn't believe me. Until, I sent him this photograph.

 

[Jdt]

SS/ SSR sniper rifle. View attachment 402742

That looks alot like the example sold on GB 2ish years ago for 6K. Couldn't believe it didn't go for more cause the SS sniper section of volume 2B showed it was legit.

 

[Jdt]

Im torn between the SS rework Sreisel had at wanenemacher around 6 or so years ago that was a bolt m/m or the SSZZA2 marked BYF SS sniper someone walked in and sold to Simpson Ltd for 15K. Simpson had a tag on it for 25K. This was the April of 2023 show. I got too hold it! Optic was a little cloudy but it was an untouched example. I wonder where it ended up. According to Simpson as well it was used in the SS sniper section of Volume 2B of a SS/SSR SSZZA2 depot sniper.

 

[AN-94]

I've only been actively looking for a few years, but the rarest I've seen locally was a handstamped byf44 in near mint shape. I think it ended up here with a member on the forum, iirc. Love seeing what everyone manages to find in their search, quite the variety.

 

[DogDoc]

I’m not one of the old timers and may be one of the least knowledgeable members on the forum about K98k’s (I’m a carbine guy). However, I have a personal story with this SS/SSR. My grandfather took it from the previous owner who was no longer in need of it. He then mailed it home from Germany in the spring of 45. It has lived here in Arkansas for the past 79 years. It is the crown jewel of my WWII collection.

 

[pzjgr]

I said which of my personal 98k's is my rarest, but by far the one I've held...I could only dream of owning...

 

[Jstealbird]

Those snipers are really something!

 

[biggymu]

Just to keep the thread going… I know there are quite a few rare rifles on here. This is a Gew98. First year Simson Suhl. As a Hemi fan, I had to have it just because of the serial number.

 

[Jakeman664]

Rarest I've seen was a missing scope 44 high turret that someone with more money stole from this poor young man (me) at an auction. Rarest I own is I guess my S/42 1936. Coolest is my 2 digit bcd 4 though.

 

[mrfarb]

I had to think about it. I guess my original condition matching dou45 “e” block - have never even heard of another.

 

[1984Landcruiser]

My bcd 4 unfinished 3 hole sniper rifle that yall helped me identify a few years ago.

 

[Absolut]

After considerable thought I think of my personal guns the J. P. Sauer & Sohn K98k with High Turret mounts originating from the Mauser Oberndorf factory collection (see stock stamp applied by the French when they handed it back post WWII to Mauser factory) would qualify as the rarest I had come across.

 

[Aaron]

Technically not a K98 but I'll never forget the WW2 vet bringing this to our reenactment: https://www.k98kforum.com/threads/vk-98-steyr-vg-5.32774/

 

[pwcosol]

Reflecting over 45 years (when I started looking at German rifles in earnest), would probably be a Steyr K98k SS double claw w/matching center-focus scope. Rifle was very nice but had a miss-matched bolt, rear sight and some issues with the stock. It turned up at a Great Western show in the 1980s. Unfortunately, the owner was all but impossible to deal with. However, a friend of mine (who was on the outs with him) told me how best to approach the guy and maybe get the SSG. It was reminiscent of the Tale of Excalibur... whom would be the one to pull the sword from the stone? So, for three days I worked on it. Several other collectors had attempted to get the rifle and gave up, but on that third day, I finally prevailed! Turned out some weeks after the show, another friend said he had everything to restore that rifle... a perfect period Steyr K98k (non-WaA) stock, unnumbered rear sight with slider, and period Steyr complete armorer bolt assembly. Not wanting such a restoral for myself, shipped it out to him. I came out way ahead in the deal as did he, so think it was a win-win all the way around...