No recent leads to follow but...
Not that it helps much but the rifle was bought or posted on Gunboards 12/25/03 (text below) I can post the pictures if needed... and listed for sale here 9/28/18 (didn't save the text but have the pictures):
06-24-2003, 01:47 PM #1
Perry Floyd
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K98 from the Vets Family
I've purchased a few P-38 rigs and some Berretta's rigs from the vets family and a K98 once before. This one I just picked up this morning and have to say condition wise it's the best German WWII firearm that I have purchased from the Vet or his immediate Family. It's not mint but I would say it's a strong 95% blueing throughout, all numbers I see are matching, original sling and bayinet. Although I know I can't prove it but the story is PFC Covial Creech took the bayonet and K98 from the same German that was surrendering near wars end. THe condition is really hard to show because this rifle and bayo is extremely dusty/dirty, under this you can see the blueing is nearly all there with very minute areas that have light rust which is contained mainly to the raw metal of the butt plate. A few scratches to the stock around the bolt and trigger. Leather sling very supple. Hopefully you can see through the dust and see it's condition. It's only drawback is the piece (spring?) that for some reason is missing near the barrel band (see photo)..
PFC Covial Creech passed away allmost 30 years ago and left this rifle with his sister and her husband. It stayed in their closet all this time untill it was purchased by me this morning...
Here's the pics...
06-24-2003, 03:46 PM #20
JaimeH
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Nice piece! sling looks good, still has the sight cover. You wouldn't want to share what you paid would you?
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06-24-2003, 04:55 PM #21
hochadler
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K98 from Vets family
Very nice matching 98k! However, the five-digit serial and small letter is confusing. Did Mauser (byf) produce that many 98k's in 1943, that serial numbers went beyond the "z" block with the usual four digits and well into five-digits? I had two Mauser turret mount sniper rifles that had five-digit numbers, without small letters.
Hopefully, some other Mauser 98k collectors on this site will shed some light on this.
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06-24-2003, 07:11 PM #22
Bill V
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K98
Perry: nice find and a Eickhorn bayonet to boot.BillV
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06-24-2003, 08:54 PM #23
Willi Zahn
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A very nice and untouched "byf 43" Perry! Nice '43 style features.......milled bands, floor plate and trigger guard. I suspect the stock will be numbered inisde on both the stock and the handguard. The "WaA135" stamp on the stock is the right one to see for this rifle.
"byf" made about 1,150,000 rifles in 1943, so it is correct to see 5-digit serial numbers with leterr suffixes. "byf" only made about 300,000 more k98s in 1944 than they did in 1943.
Willi
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06-24-2003, 09:56 PM #24
Joe
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Super find Perry!
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06-24-2003, 10:47 PM #25
Skip Pickett
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Looks like a keeper to me... Great photos too by the way.
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06-25-2003, 12:33 AM #26
Perry Floyd
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Thanks for the comments guys...
The thing that has me puzzled on it is I don't see any numbers on the stock? Should they be on there somewhere? Just a large Waffenamt and several small one's in the wood of the stock, all 135
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06-25-2003, 06:41 PM #27
Willi Zahn
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Numbers would be on the inside of the stock......in the front channel of the lower stock and right above in the inside of the handguard. I wouldn't take the rifle apart though to check. You might want to try to remove the top handguard....easily done by moving the rear band to free the handguard.
Honestly though, every rifle I have ever seen that is this untouched, and with a proper "byf" stock stamping, has had matching numbers on the wood too.
Willi
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06-26-2003, 12:46 AM #28
Perry Floyd
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So your saying that your allmost certain the number is there on the inside of the stock?
What would be the value on a piece like this as it is, matching, condition, sling, bayo etc,.? I'm not up with K98 prices, I just have a general idea...
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06-28-2003, 11:12 AM #29
Perry Floyd
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If talked to a dealer here in N.C. and we states as Willi the numbers are inside the stock and you would have to dis-assemble it to find out which he urged not to condidering there are no other discrepancies.
What kind of trouble would it be finding the spring at the front? Would that piece be marked with the number at this date?
06-29-2003, 08:59 AM #31
Terry K.
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Hi Perry,
If I remember correctly, that piece at that time was not numbered. That is a very easily found part and you did very well on picking the rifle up.
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06-29-2003, 10:01 AM #32
Perry Floyd
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Thanks Terry, I'll look around for that piece, I may not replace it as I usually don't like fooling with things much. You don't pick up it's missing untill you really look it over. I'll think about what to do...
I hated to do it but it need to be oiled alittle so I cleaned it up alittle yesterday...The blueing is very nice as I suspected..a solid 95% overall I would say..
Thanks for the comments guys..I appreciate it..
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06-29-2003, 11:21 PM #33
Spanky
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replace the spring
Replacing a missing part on a firearm is the right thing to do unlike refinishing the stock or metal on a nice un-messed with rifle like this one. After all the fact that someone misplaced the band spring adds nothing to the value or character of the rifle.
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06-30-2003, 11:51 AM #34
Perry Floyd
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Where could I get a original spring? Any ideas? I know I need one with most if not all the blueing present..
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06-30-2003, 07:00 PM #35
Willi Zahn
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Check with Sarco or some other large gun parts places. Make sure you get a solid steel band spring, and not a latewar stamped one.
Willi
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