Shortened Gewehr SS Objective Mount 1639

Mike2994

Mike2994

Young Mike
Here is one of my most interesting purchases so far this year. An SS objective mount built using a shortened Gewehr 98.

The bolt, gas shield, safety, cocking piece, bolt release, floorplate, and trigger guard are arc penciled matching with a quite crude scrubbing job done. The front band was scrubbed crudely and it is my belief it is original to the rifle.

There is a large amount of different parts used on this build; the bolt being Sauer, trigger guard Gewehr, front band Mauser, and RSB being Mauser.

A big thanks goes out to Bruce & Dave for both finding the rifle, supplying parts/information, and doing a great restoration job on it.


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That’s badass! Congratulations. On a shortened Gew no less. Very rare bird.
The funny part is the lack of concern for quality on a precision shooting instrument. I’ve never seen a gas shield ham fisted like that. Obviously all original to the weapon. Very cool!
 
Very interesting and rarer variant of an SS Objective Mount Sniper Rifle , this is the 1st and only one that I am aware of that was built using a Gew98 rifle , with that being said I have photographic evidence that there was also full length Gew98 SS OM rifle .

Rifle came out very nicely and looks great now that its restored and complete its a great addition to your collection Mike . The real challenge will be finding a scope for this Sniper rifle , which your well aware of . Thank You for posting pics been patiently waiting to see this one since you bought it .
 
Dave Roberts said:
Very interesting and rarer variant of an SS Objective Mount Sniper Rifle , this is the 1st and only one that I am aware of that was built using a Gew98 rifle , with that being said I have photographic evidence that there was also full length Gew98 SS OM rifle .

Rifle came out very nicely and looks great now that it’s restored and complete its a great addition to your collection Mike . The real challenge will be finding a scope for this Sniper rifle , which you’re well aware of . Thank You for posting pics been patiently waiting to see this one since you bought it .
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Thank you once again Dave!
 
biggymu said:
Which part of the rifle has been restored if you don’t mind my asking? You had the front band.
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Here is the parts that were fixed/replaced, the rifle was pretty rough when I purchased it:

-Rear sight base replaced as the hand guard retainer was shaved off
-Front sight base replaced as a sporter front sight was added & had some material taken off.
-Stock was replaced with a proper unnumbered in channel (no number was in the original stocks channel).
 
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Looks excellent. I had to ask as I couldn’t guess.
It’s always the one off rarities isn’t it? Usually also found with the obligatory pipe wrench marks on the shank.
 
biggymu said:
Looks excellent. I had to ask as I couldn’t guess.
It’s always the one off rarities isn’t it? Usually also found with the obligatory pipe wrench marks on the shank.
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Bruce always does a fantastic job! When he gave it back to me I almost thought it was a different gun!
 
Do you think it was purpose built this way, or maybe an arsenal repair of a former Gew98 length (sniper) rifle that had then been overhauled and shortened to K98k length?
 
Absolut said:
Do you think it was purpose built this way, or maybe an arsenal repair of a former Gew98 length (sniper) rifle that had then been overhauled and shortened to K98k length?
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I personally believe that it was shortened by the Army and then converted in Suhl to OM.

Partly due to the lack of commercial proofing (as would be done if the SS shortened the rifle). This being said I could be completely wrong as I don’t believe there are any other examples of a shortened Gewehr objective mount. It would be neat if this was a Gewehr OM that was shortened.

The rifle has several features that I believe will remain unexplained until further documentation or a matching stock example pops up including the arc penciling (when it was done? At conversion or depot), numbering (why did they simply scrub the front band and not renumber), and stock markings (no internal # on original stock, did it have a keel #?, is there a later depot mark that explains the penciling?).

IMO the timeline for this rifle was:
-Army converted to shortened Gewehr (Arc penciling/scrubbing may have happened here or later with the SS)
-Rifle came into the possession of the SS
-Rifle sent for Suhler mount conversion
 
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I would think opposite. Pictures show Gew98 length OM sniper rifles with the SS. The EP parts are kind of documented for (later) SSZZA4 stamped K98k rifles. And if they were reworking the rifles by then, they would not need commercial proof stamps. What would speak against that would be that possibly one of these repairs would also had needed to be SSZZA4 marked .. kind of. But even if it were not SS but any other Depot repair, wouldn't it then need to carry this stamp?

Overall, I'm very certain the rifle was a sniper rifle prior to being shortened to K98k length. Once again, pictures show Gew98 length OM sniper rifles. And if it dates to the period where the SS had no access to newly made guns, well then this rifle would need to carry commercial proofs, if it was the SS to get the rifle converted to sniper (because of drilling the receiver). And IMHO it is unlikely that they converted it once they had access to newly made guns (such as SS contract), because by then they were rather trying to get an uniform sniper platform, the SS DC, and rather no need to make a handful of whatever.

So yeah, I rather think it once was an OM Gew98 length sniper rifle which somehow made its way to the SS (probably declared obsolete when turret mount, etc. were introduced?), got used by the SS, once got damaged, and for being a sniper rifle worth the repair, so being sent to an arsenal for repair. Replace missing parts (and EP match them), possibly having no more Gew98 length stocks at hand chopping the barrel down too to make it a standard K98k length rifle.

Tough to put all my thoughts into words, I hope it was clear enough what I was thinking (especially since the thoughts go into different directions/options) and not too confusing.
 
Absolut said:
I would think opposite. Pictures show Gew98 length OM sniper rifles with the SS. The EP parts are kind of documented for (later) SSZZA4 stamped K98k rifles. And if they were reworking the rifles by then, they would not need commercial proof stamps. What would speak against that would be that possibly one of these repairs would also had needed to be SSZZA4 marked .. kind of. But even if it were not SS but any other Depot repair, wouldn't it then need to carry this stamp?

Overall, I'm very certain the rifle was a sniper rifle prior to being shortened to K98k length. Once again, pictures show Gew98 length OM sniper rifles. And if it dates to the period where the SS had no access to newly made guns, well then this rifle would need to carry commercial proofs, if it was the SS to get the rifle converted to sniper (because of drilling the receiver). And IMHO it is unlikely that they converted it once they had access to newly made guns (such as SS contract), because by then they were rather trying to get an uniform sniper platform, the SS DC, and rather no need to make a handful of whatever.

So yeah, I rather think it once was an OM Gew98 length sniper rifle which somehow made its way to the SS (probably declared obsolete when turret mount, etc. were introduced?), got used by the SS, once got damaged, and for being a sniper rifle worth the repair, so being sent to an arsenal for repair. Replace missing parts (and EP match them), possibly having no more Gew98 length stocks at hand chopping the barrel down too to make it a standard K98k length rifle.

Tough to put all my thoughts into words, I hope it was clear enough what I was thinking (especially since the thoughts go into different directions/options) and not too confusing.
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Georg,
I really appreciate your theory as before your comment I had never thought of it being a Gewehr length Objective mount (being one who obsesses over finding one).

If this was indeed a Gewehr length objective mount the conversion the conversion marking may have been on the stock which is completely destroyed. I will try to see if I can find any trace of marking on it again but it had so much material taken off I doubt I will find anything.

One thing that may go in your favor is that the front sight base was cut for a sight hood. I can’t say I’ve ever seen an example cut for one or seen period photographs with one on it. While it could’ve been done later on as part of a small repair or during the EP replaced parts, it could indicate a shortening later in the war.

I really appreciate your thoughts Georg! I hope somebody can find an untouched example that may shed some more light on if there are depot marks on the stock but I think unfortunately this may be a one off oddity.
 
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