Lets see some Russian Capture 98K

[MauserKar98k]

what is that strange extra lug in the stock behind the trigger group?

That would be an extra recoil lug that the Russians added to some K98s during the reworking process. I'm not really sure why they thought it was necessary though.

[Norman LaBarge]

I do own a 98K, but, right now it is in storage. I do not think it is a captured Russian model. That being said I have to relate a story of a 98K I saw about 30 years ago at a shop here in Michigan.
I was just getting into reenacting and needed a 98K. He told me to check Jay's sporting goods store north of town in Clare, Michigan. So I travelled up there, about 20 miles. Lo and behold they actually had a 98K in their used gun rack. So I went over and grabbed it and began looking it over, Third Reich marks were there. Decent shape, but, Jay's is sometimes known for high prices. So I grabbed the tag and the price indeed was higher than I expected. This time they were justified, I think. The tag mentioned that the rifle came with documents as a Viet Nam war trophy. If only the thing could talk. Needless to say, as much as I wanted it, I was in College and had to let it get away. Still wish I could have bought it.

[MauserKar98k]

I do own a 98K, but, right now it is in storage. I do not think it is a captured Russian model. That being said I have to relate a story of a 98K I saw about 30 years ago at a shop here in Michigan.
I was just getting into reenacting and needed a 98K. He told me to check Jay's sporting goods store north of town in Clare, Michigan. So I travelled up there, about 20 miles. Lo and behold they actually had a 98K in their used gun rack. So I went over and grabbed it and began looking it over, Third Reich marks were there. Decent shape, but, Jay's is sometimes known for high prices. So I grabbed the tag and the price indeed was higher than I expected. This time they were justified, I think. The tag mentioned that the rifle came with documents as a Viet Nam war trophy. If only the thing could talk. Needless to say, as much as I wanted it, I was in College and had to let it get away. Still wish I could have bought it.

I think that we all have at least one item that we had to let get away like that. That K98 certainly would have some stories to tell. Most likely it was made by the Germans, captured by the Russians, put in to storage, and given to the Viet Cong to fight the "capitalist invader". There is a K98 with a very similiar story pictured in the 4th edition of Mauser Rifles of the World.