scarce mauser k98k transport crate

[Alan Smith]

This very well constructed crate was, IMO, designed to be re-used many, many, times. With the WaA marking on the top, I'm guessing this may be a crate that was property of the Heerswaffenampt and was used to send sample 98k's back and forth between WaA offices and/or factory stations. In other words, sort of like a reusable inter-office mail pouch that firms like the one I work at use to send materials back and forth among our multiple offices.

My bet is that 98k's were swapped around among the WaA offices (located at the contractors' factories) every so often, so that interchangeability could be verified. Sort of a "send me one of yours and I'll send you one of mine", so that parts could be swapped in and out to verify interchangeability.

This is my best guess.

[Von Hoth]

I agree completely that the crate is extremely well made. It is actually in better shape than any new crate you would buy today.


it MUST have been designed for reuse.

[François B.]

That is some amazing crate you got there!
Wow...

It also could be a special crate for a unit-Waffenmeister. When he couldn't repare the rifle at the field this box was maybe used to send the rifle back to the factory...
For repare...

But nevertheless, I love your crate...

Cheers

[RED LION]

Crate

thanks for your opinions i agree with you i think that the crate is for shipp rifles to the factory. i have put a reconditioned g 98 in the crate and that can go look pictures . only k98k and G 98 RECONDITIONED enter in the crate no other german rifle or semi auto rifle is entering in the crate .
can any one help me for determinating value of this crate ?

[RED LION]

crate

g 98

[RED LION]

crate

G 98

[hochadler]

k98k transport crate

What about the possibility of this crate being used for 98k sniper rifles? There isn't enough space to accomodate the turret mount models, but what about side rail models? Just another thought...

[The Arctic Fox]

Shooters case.

The German sports clubs and their Wehrmacht were big on shooting competitions. Could be this was a Shooters case for sport in 1939. I was at Bisley for international competition, 20 nations there including the W. Germans. We had well made rifle cases going back in design to the 1930's. Perhaps the German military sportsmen did to. When I met the W.German team it was 38 years after the war and I don't remember what they used to carry their target rifles. I still have 2 Canadian wood cases from that era.

[hochadler]

mauser k98k transport crate

That's the best thought so far! It makes sense that precision target rifles used in competition would merit cases such as this one.

[sszza2]

Value is very subjective as there are no comparables to benchmark. Should the purpose of this crate be positively determined that would impact value. In the event its purpose could be positively linked to shipment of a sniper rifle that would have a huge impact. Until then my guess would be $500-1K.

[François B.]

The German sports clubs and their Wehrmacht were big on shooting competitions. Could be this was a Shooters case for sport in 1939. I was at Bisley for international competition, 20 nations there including the W. Germans. We had well made rifle cases going back in design to the 1930's. Perhaps the German military sportsmen did to. When I met the W.German team it was 38 years after the war and I don't remember what they used to carry their target rifles. I still have 2 Canadian wood cases from that era.

That is also a possibility!

Wa.K.5 is IMO Waffen Karabiner (number 5)

And I found WaA 135 and that is the WaA code for Mauserwerke Oberndorf.

But I still love this crate

Cheers

[Doug Kenwright]

WH ordinance techs did not send "their" rifles, pistols, SMG's etc back to the factories if they could not repair them.Most Kasernes had extensive workshop facilities and spares, as well as the capability to do machine work on most weapons the regiment would posess.

Even in the field, the men responsible for the upkeep of the weaponry had portable workshop facilities that included lathes and millworking machines.

Much like today, there was a sense of pride in being able to fix the problems in house, without resorting to such a drastic measure as returning something to a factory..in any case, if the rifle was baffed.it would be broken for spares..there were enough GEW and K-98's to go around in the 30's and 40's..