98k questions

[Josh Beckett]

Do DOT 1944 rifles use the front site hoods or were they only an earlier feature.

I just got my great-grandfathers 98k he brought back from the war. It is a combat capture, and I have a picture of the guy he took it from. It has a bullet or shrapnel strike on the stock. It is 100% matching, missing some finish(I am told that the little splotches where the finish is missing are from blood). I will get pics as soon as possible. There is some pitting on the rifle and what looks like dried grease.

How much value does battle damage and pitting generally take off the rifle, or will battle damage add to the value?

I know next to nothing about mausers, so I might need a little help.

Also, how do you decock these?

[History]

Hold the trigger as you close the bolt to de-cock. Josh that rifle is worth alot of green if it is pictured with the soldier it was taken from. I would say it is worth more to you than anyone because of the history and it being family related. Post pics and hurry! That damage wont take any value away if the rifle is in the original ww2 pics , it will add!!!!

[Josh Beckett]

The guy that it was taken from is laying on the gun in the picture, but I am almost 100 percent sure that it is the guy, the only part visible in the picture is the buttplate and buttstock. The damage on the rifle correlates with an injury on the soldier. The pic is a small picture and the injury will be difficult to see. I am sure that my Great grandpa killed the guy, as he took two different pictures of him, and all the evidence points to a gunfight and not a shelling.

It was in pretty sad shape before I got it, but I cleaned it up a little bit(dont worry, I didnt sand or refinish it or do anything to the metal, I just wiped it down with a dry rag and alot of grime came off).

[MauserKar98k]

As you know Josh, I also have a dot 1944(45) with the original barrel and it does have the provision for the sight hood.

Contrary to what most people think, early K98s were generally the only ones that did not have the sight hoods. They start appearing on K98s from (give or take) 1939 onward, so 1934-1938 K98s typically don't have sight hoods, from what I have seen anyway.

I remember a long time ago when you showed me a pic of the K98 and the photo of the dead German soldier that it was picked up from. Based on the damage, I concurred that it was more consistant with a clean, bullet strike, rather than a jagged, shrapnel shard. I also agree with History that any moderate damage that the Mauser sustained in battle will add to the piece's value, not detract from it. Plus, the fact that you have a period picture of the gun with its unfortunate first owner adds to it even more.

When you get a chance, you should post the K98 and the photo here on the WAF.

[Chris D.]

My god man! Please post the pictures!!

[Paul G]

Yes! Please post!!

PG-

[Josh Beckett]

If I can scan the picture, I will, but I can get pics of the rifle as soon as possible.

The only downside is that there are wrench marks on the barrel and action from where my grandpa tried to take the barrel off. It isnt as bad as you think though, and didnt take out any markings. there are just three lines in the action from where he had the wrench on it, the barrel he just removed a little finish. I have a spare 98k barrel that is supposed to be in 100% mint condition coming to me, it has the sights and everything on it, I may build a 98 with it.

[moconfed]

Pictures! You're killing me!

[stahlhelm47]

Josh, the rifle sounds very interesting. Can't wait to see pictures of it and of its previous TR owner

[bigschuss]

As you know Josh, I also have a dot 1944(45) with the original barrel and it does have the provision for the sight hood.

Contrary to what most people think, early K98s were generally the only ones that did not have the sight hoods. They start appearing on K98s from (give or take) 1939 onward, so 1934-1938 K98s typically don't have sight hoods, from what I have seen anyway.

I remember a long time ago when you showed me a pic of the K98 and the photo of the dead German soldier that it was picked up from. Based on the damage, I concurred that it was more consistant with a clean, bullet strike, rather than a jagged, shrapnel shard. I also agree with History that any moderate damage that the Mauser sustained in battle will add to the piece's value, not detract from it. Plus, the fact that you have a period picture of the gun with its unfortunate first owner adds to it even more.

When you get a chance, you should post the K98 and the photo here on the WAF.

I have an early, all matching 1937 K98 by Mauser that has a site hood. Upon very close inspection you can see that the hood is mis-matched. Probably a war-time depot level overhaul, or maybe collector done? But I can't imagine a collector getting the front site off.

I would love to see pics, Josh!

[Josh Beckett]

I got pics, but some make the gun look uglier than it really is. I will try to scan the photograph of the dead German. It has missing finish but the flash made it appear as if it were a rusty color. THis rifle has no surface rust that I can see, some pitting on the barrel, but the bore is absolutely mint.

I will try to post the pics tonight. One bad thing about the rifle though, it has wrench marks on the barrel and action from where my great grandfather tried to replace the barrel. on the barrel, it just rubbed some finish off but on the action it made a few nice little slashes on the side. It didnt take out any markings and the marks are not that obvious(well they are, but they dont cover the whole reciever, they are only on the side and they arent too deep). How much do wrench marks hurt the value?

[MauserKar98k]

I have an early, all matching 1937 K98 by Mauser that has a site hood. Upon very close inspection you can see that the hood is mis-matched. Probably a war-time depot level overhaul, or maybe collector done? But I can't imagine a collector getting the front site off.

There is probably some deviation from the 1939-1945 sight hood date that I originally stated. I am not infallible, and I'm sure that the different Mauser contracted factories all started phasing in sight hoods at different times, rather than all at once.

Who is the maker of your K98 bigschuss?

One bad thing about the rifle though, it has wrench marks on the barrel and action from where my great grandfather tried to replace the barrel. on the barrel, it just rubbed some finish off but on the action it made a few nice little slashes on the side. It didnt take out any markings and the marks are not that obvious(well they are, but they dont cover the whole reciever, they are only on the side and they arent too deep). How much do wrench marks hurt the value?

The wrench marks do harm the value somewhat, but it probably doesn't affect it that much, especailly if they are as minor as you say. The pics will speak a thousand words about this.

Besides, you could always say the "wrench marks" are really battle damage. "Yeah, it's Russian shrapnel damage. I swear!" Just kidding.