Unidentified K98K bolt ... Kar98a

[harborrat]

Can anyone identify this bolt for me? It was in a K98K bring-back that had been placed in a Bishop stock back in the late 1950s or early 1960s. It functions fine in the rifle with no signs of excessive headspace on the spent cases.

 

[biggymu]

This bolt was originally fitted in a WW1 Kar98a carbine.

 

[harborrat]

Thank you. So it is a Kar98a bolt. Is there a difference between the Kar98az and the Kar98a or are the terms used interchangeably? And what does the "K" stamping mean? Does it merely indicate Karabiner?

 

[harborrat]

Interesting markings. Are these Imperial proofs?

 

[harborrat]

Thanks. I think I'm gonna put it up for trade for a K98K bolt. I put the barreled action back in military wood. The tolerances are quite remarkable on these. Headspace issues seem to be rare, even between the different manufacturers and iterations / eras.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Thanks. I think I'm gonna put it up for trade for a K98K bolt. I put the barreled action back in military wood. The tolerances are quite remarkable on these. Headspace issues seem to be rare, even between the different manufacturers and iterations / eras.

Eh, that just means you got lucky. I've seen plenty of headspace issues on bolt mismatch K98ks and Gew98s with the appropriate bolt for their model.

Have you tested it with a headspace gauge yet? Bad headspace doesn't always immediately show on the brass, at least not until things start going downhill. Looking at the brass is useful, but you really need to throw a gauge in there to make sure.

 

[harborrat]

No I haven't got the right gauges and neither does my gunsmith. I know that is the only way to be sure, but I have only examined the brass. I was spoiled for years as the gunsmith I used to go to was first and foremost a machinist and he was well and truly a master of his craft. He had all the gauges but he has since passed on. Anyway, the previous owner's family used this setup as a deer rifle in Pennsylvania for over 20 years with no issues but I really don't know how many rounds they put through it.

 

[harborrat]

And the vet is still with us.

 

[Cyrano4747]

Your gunsmith should really have 8mm mauser gauges. It's not exactly an obscure round, and gauges are cheap. You can get a full set of the Foster gauges for around $100. Glancing at the usual places online you could order a Field gauge right now for between $30 and $40 plus shipping.

Well worth buying yourself at least a field gauge, it's a pretty cheap purchase when it comes to gun stuff.

edit: Seriously, I'd re-think getting work done by a gunsmith who doesn't have headspace gauges for at least the common calibers. I could see something relatively obscure, but if you can walk into any given Cabalas and get hunting ammo in a caliber, a decent gunsmith should really have gauges for it. Maybe an exception if it's someone who exclusively works on one kind of rifle, someone who only really does modern rifles like ARs for example, but in that case I wouldn't be going to them for bolt action deer gun problems. A pretty luxurious set of all the common calibers you care to name wouldn't cost more than a few thousand dollars - paying retail mind you - which really isn't a large expense if you're running a business.

 

[harborrat]

Right. I'm not getting any work done on this rifle and this is my only rifle in this particular caliber. He claims that it is just cost prohibitive for him to buy full sets of gauges for every possible caliber and there is no call for 8mm Mauser. (You can only hunt deer with straight walled cartridges in Ohio). He lengthened and polished the forcing cone on one of my shotguns and tuned a couple of trigger mechanisms on my pistols but I know his limitations and what his priorities are so I use him accordingly. He is the only person available within an hour's drive for me. As I said, I became spoiled with my old guy who had everything and could do it all. As far as hanging parts or even hand-fitting I do that all myself. I have an FN commercial Mauser that I had a custom stock made up for but that is in .30-06. I have gauges for .303 British because that is my particular area of interest.

 

[harborrat]

Having said all that, I am going to get a field gauge, as I plan on getting another bolt.

 

[Fal Grunt]

Where are you at in Ohio?

Headspace gauges get expensive by the time you add them up, and rarely if ever "pay for themselves".

If you collect a lot of milsurps though, they are worth having.

 

[harborrat]

I'm in Ashtabula county.

 

[Fal Grunt]

Bummer! If you were closer, I was going to offer that you could run down and I would check it. I'm in Wayne county.

 

[harborrat]

Success! Thanks to forum member and excellent seller Mauser4me I am the proud new owner of a matching K98K bolt. Using my Forster field gauge which just arrived in the mail on my stripped bolt it passes with flying colors. Bolt does not close, not even close. Based on this I am willing to bet a dollar (and I'm not a betting man) that it would also not close on a No-go gauge. The rifle itself is an S/147 1936 early Sauer which I placed in a repro walnut stock and bought original hardware for. I know it's not worth anything but I don't care. I just wanted it to "look" correct and function. Happy camper here. Headed off to get the last two hours in at the Eagles club annual picnic. Free food and beer.

 

[waw44]

Success! Thanks to forum member and excellent seller Mauser4me I am the proud new owner of a matching K98K bolt. Using my Forster field gauge which just arrived in the mail on my stripped bolt it passes with flying colors. Bolt does not close, not even close. Based on this I am willing to bet a dollar (and I'm not a betting man) that it would also not close on a No-go gauge. The rifle itself is an S/147 1936 early Sauer which I placed in a repro walnut stock and bought original hardware for. I know it's not worth anything but I don't care. I just wanted it to "look" correct and function. Happy camper here. Headed off to get the last two hours in at the Eagles club annual picnic. Free food and beer.

Hey, show us some pictures!

Here is my 1938 s/237 in a repro walnut stock from minellis. Finished in Extra Dark Shahftol. It's little lighter in person, that darker reddish tone was because I took the picture in early evening.

 

[harborrat]

Nice. I may start a thread in the Nazi period forum but it's gonna be a while. The camera on my current phone is entirely unsatisfactory and I am going to the UK pretty soon.

 

[Loewe]

Interesting markings. Are these Imperial proofs?

Came out of a Erfurt/1917 or 1918, probably the latter because this pattern is strongest in 1918. A comparison of fonts might eliminate doubt (numbers and suffix can often change year to year or even earlier, but with Erfurt 1917-18 the numbers were so vast this is especially true), but this can only be 17 or 18...