Opinions Needed on Polish Radom Rifle

[tommyz]

Hello,

I'm considering buying this Polish FB Radom Rifle. What do you guys think of it?I heard somewhere that all the original Polish rifles had a straight bolt, not the curved one...is this correct? What would be a fair price to pay for this rifle?

Many thanks,

Tom

[phild]

Mounted units used turn down bolts. Are the bands numbered? Do the bolt, receiver , triggerguard, floorplate,and stock numbers match? Check the bottom of the stock just forward of the bottom sling swivel for a serial number and right below it (or above it) a german eagle Hza type stamp...is it there?

The rod looks to be the original Polish rod...very hard to find.

Depending on the answers to the questions the rifle could be worth anywhere from $250 to maybe $1000. I will say that the stock finish looks like the type that the Germans often applied to these rifles as part of the re-work/overhaul.

On taking a second look at your rifle, I would say that the bolt handle contour is that of a 98k and not a Mod.29 Polish type. Also (small thing here) the rear band retaining screw is not like those that I would expect on this model (should be a flat head) and may have come from a karbine version (like the 98a) of Poland or Germany. The rifle looks truly un-touched for many many decades...perhaps since it was brought back.

[tommyz]

I just bought it and will take some detailed photos once it arrives. It also comes with a sling...we'll see if it's a Polish or German one.

[tommyz]

Rifle arrived, but in two pieces Poor packing and standard mail via USPS. I'm not sure what to do at this point. The seller offered a full refund or offered the rifle as parts.

If I decide to keep it, how much should I offer the seller?? The rifle came with a sling, I'm guessing it's an original Polish sling....or not? These rifles don't come up for sale very often so I was thinking of keeping it and trying to repair.

Please help......

[besslein]

oh nooooo what happed with it
it was so lovely rifle,still is the are very rare in Europe i will be happy if i can own this one in two parts

[crowback]

Radom

Tough break braciszek. (no pun intended !) I shipped 5 rifles back from Afghanistan without any problems.
Hopefully the seller will make this right. He will have a hard time selling it to anyone else.

[James Purnell]

That's terrible. Valuable rifles should be shipped in a hard case. Your sling is post world war 2 Israeli.

[phild]

That's terrible. Valuable rifles should be shipped in a hard case. Your sling is post world war 2 Israeli.

James is correct in both statements.

Crested Polish rifles are not common in my experience. The stock could be expertly repaired...probably not without trace but darn near it.

I still can see enough part numbers and other details to know if this was a German deport rework...maybe it does not matter that much. I would guess that the stock break cuts 1/2 to 1/3 off the value depending on the quality of the repair.

[ChrisCook]

Polish Rifle

That's a shame, I have shipped quite a few rifles w/o a hard case on any, but they have been well packed, surrounded with peanuts the whole nine yards, and plenty of insurance. Ugh, that sucks. The stock could be repaired, but it will never be what it was. Tough. Chris...

[r_hufschmied]

Correct me if I'm wrong but to me it looks like the stock was cracked to start with, look at the third picture in the original post. It looks like there is a crack there, at the same spot where it later came apart.

[lasse 47]

Yes

I can se a crack to!
But a new stock u can have custom made by a gunsmith...
Regs Lasse
By the way its lovley

[crowback]

Crack

Correct me if I'm wrong but to me it looks like the stock was cracked to start with, look at the third picture in the original post. It looks like there is a crack there, at the same spot where it later came apart.

YES I can see the crack ! Good eyes, gentlemen !
Now it looks like the seller was trying to pull a fast one...

[gew98]

YES I can see the crack ! Good eyes, gentlemen !
Now it looks like the seller was trying to pull a fast one...

Looks like a typical polish Wz29 , original rod - major plus , german 98k bolt - can't have everything. The sling as noted is Israeli.
I have had a handfull of stocks broken like this by USPS & UPS , but by far UPS has more gorillas working for them. I don't knwo where you guys shop but WZ29's are not rare. What is scarce are matching Wz29's in original finish. I've had bolt mismatch polish peices , bolt mismatch german reworks , total match german reworks and I had a near mint 1939 Wz29 matching with bayonet ( traded it to a buddy a few years ago ).
I've encountered plenty of polish K98's ( their version of the german kar98a ) and no shortage of Wz29's, of course the cleansed spanish civil war 29's are the most common. The rarest of the polish rifles is the full length W98 with the original LV rear sight. I had a bolt mismatch 1923 dated example - it went to a polish guy in upstate NY some years ago.
Alot of guys like to state Wz29's had turned down bolts for mounted use , but I have NEVER seen a turned down polish bolt in a Wz29 that even remotely matched it. I have seen ONE polish K98 that had a 98a style bolt that was a legit match , and I had a polish 98a type bolt that came in a karab 98b sniper action I got from a vet. And never having seen a turned down bolt in a polish rifle of period pictures and seen oodles of K98's and Wz29's with matching straight bolts I personally don't think the poles did very many bent bolts excepting the very early years of their K98 production with leftover imperial german parts.
The stock is repairable - done a couple , though not easy and a tad tedious it's doable. At one time I had 3 spare complete polish bolts on hand , sadly I traded them off , but they are out there. When you repair the stock I suggest you go to Gunboards - to their trader section and ask to do some form of swap deal with your 98K bolt for a polish mauser bolt.

[tommyz]

Wow... I just noticed the crack on the original photos. I'm guessing that the stock was cracked, but not broken. All it took is a little bump during the freight and it split.

How much would you guys say it's worth in this condition?

[Bill Grist]

Radom Rifle

I have an unnumbered extra Radom stock.. If you need it... PM me...BILL