Gun Makers for the K98

[Matt Weber]

We have been getting a lot of questions about gun makers lately. so I decided to put up a list on the forum each week on known gun makers of each type of firearm. If for some reason I leave out a maker, please feel free to add it to the listing.

This week I'll do all the makers of the K98 rifle. Each maker is listed for each year below, along with thier maker code, and WaA proof marks or acceptance marks on the reciever.

Maker Maker code year Proof

Mauser Obendorf, S/42K 1934 Wiemar eagle

J.P. Sauer, Suhl S/147K 1934 W-eagles 114

Mauser Obendorf S/42G 1935 W-eagles 211

JP Sauer S/147G 1935 W-eagles 114

ERMA S/27G 1935 W-eagles 211

Mauser, Borisigwalde S/243G 1935 W-eagles 211

Mauser, Obendorf S/42 1936 W-E 63, Waa63

JP Sauer S/147 1936 W-E214,Waa214

Erma S/27 1936 W-E411,359,280

Mauser, Borsigwalde S/243 1936 W-eagles211

Lubecker, Berlin S/237 1937 W-eagles 26

Mauser Obendorf S/42 1937 WaA 63

JP Sauer S/147 1937 W-E214,359

Erma S/27 1937 W-e 280

Mauser Borsigwalde S/243 1937 WaA211,280

Lubeck, Berlin S/237 1937 W-E26

Berlin-Suhler,Waffen BSW 1937 W-E 37,4,285

Mauser, Obendorf S/42 1938 WaA63

JP Sauer S/147 1938 WaA214

JP Sauer 147 1938 WaA214, WaA37

Erma S/27 1938 W-e77

Erma 27 1938 W-e280

Mauser Borsigwalde S/243 1938 W-E280,37

Mauser Borsigwalde 243 1938 W-E280

Lubeck, Berlin S/237 1938 W-E26

Lubeck , Berlin 237 1938 WaA26

Berlin-Suhler-Waffen BSW 1938 WaA280

Mauser Obendorf 42 1939 WaA63, 655

JP Sauer 147 1939 WAA359

JP Sauer none 1939 WaA359

Erma 27 1939 WaA280

Mauser,Borisgwalde 243 1939 WaA63

Lubeck, Berlin 237 1939 W-eagles214

Berlin-Suhler-Waffen BSW 1939 WaA26

Berlin-Suhler-Waffen 337 1939 WaA26

Steyr 660 1939 WaA623

Mauser, Obendorf 42 1940 WaA655

JP Sauer 147 1940 WaA37

Erma 27 1940 WaA280

Erma ax 1940 WaA280

Mauser Borsigwalde 243 1940 WaA211,26

Lubeck, Berlin 237 1940 WaA214

Lubeck, Berlin duv 1940 WaA214

Gustloffwerke 337 1940 WaA1

Steyr 660 1940 WaA623

Steyr bnz 1940 WaA623

Mauser, Obendorf byf 1941 WaA655

JP Sauer ce 41 WaA37/359

Erma ax 41 WaA280

Mauser,Borsigwalde ar 41 WaA613/26

Lubeck, Berlin duv 41 WaA214

Gustloffwerke bcd 41 WaA18,1,280,749

Steyr bnz 41 WaA623

Erma/Mauser ax/ar 41 WaA63,359,26


Mauser Obendorf 42 1940/42 WaA655

Mauser Obendorf byf 42 WaA655/135

JP Sauer ce 42 WaA359,37,280

Mauser Borsigwalde ar 42 WaA26

Lubeck Berlin duv 42 WaA214

Gustloffwerke bcd 42 WaA1,18,77,497

Steyr bnz 42 WaA623,77

Waffen-Werke, Brunn dou 42 WaA80,18

Gustloffwerke/Mauser bcd/ar 42 WaA26/497

Mauser Obendorf byf 43 WaA135

JP Sauer ce 43 WaA359,280

Mauser Borsigwalde ar 43 WaA26

Gustloffewerke bcd 43 WaA18,749,1

Steyr bnz 43 WaA623,77

Brunn dot 1943 WaA63

Waffen-Werke, Brunn dou 43 WaA80,63

Gustloff/Mauser bcd/ar 43 WaA26,77

Mauser Obendorf byf 44 WaA135

JP Sauer ce 44 WaA37,280

Mauser Borsigwalde ar 44 WaA135

Gustloffewerke bcd 4 WaA1,18,749

Steyr bnz 44 WaA77

Steyr bnz 4 WaA77,sig rune!

Steyr bnz 4 WaA623 or77*

Waffen-Werke, Brunn dou 44 WaA80*

Brunn dot 1944 WaA63*

Gustloffwerke/Steyr bcd/bnz 4 WaA77,623,135

Mauser, Obendorf byf 45 WaA135**

Mauser Obendorf svw MB WaA135**

Mauser Obendorf svw 45 WaA135 *

Gustloffwerke bcd 45 WaA749*

Steyr bnz 45 WaA623*

Waffen-werke,Brunn dou 45 WaA80*

Brunn dot 45 WaA63/135*


*- Higher serial numbers were issued as Kreigsmodells.
**- Kriegsmodells had rough unfinished stocks and no butt plate.

I think that covers them all! If I missed any please let me know. AS you can see from the list, Mauser Obendorf was the only maker to produce the K98 form 1934-1945!

Matt

[Brian M]

Patrice Colemant has a nice site on codes and markings of 98k's and ammo, check it out:
patrice's site

[david w]

The code dot45 is not a wartime German,this code was used by the Czechs postwar on 98ks produced 1946-1949 for export to Middle East countries.The last wartime guns manufactured at Waffenwerk Brunn AG were coded SWP45.There is a mistake in Richard Law's book with regard to the code SVW MB,he asserts that all guns marked this way are French postwar production,THIS IS INCORRECT SVW MB GUNS UP TO AND INCLUDING THE "C"BLOCK ARE 100% GERMAN WARTME PRODUCTION.Richard was a great guy but very stubborn when his mind was made up.

[Matt Weber]

Thanks for the info. I did know that about the "SVW MB", however I didn't know that about the "SWP45"? I'll have to add that to my list. Do you happen to have one of these "SWP45"?
If so, please post pics!

Matt

[david w]

Yes,I have 2 SWP 45s,both "a " block guns .One has the usual rear sight/the other has the stamoed rear sight as seen on page 242 fig.309 in Law's BACKBONE of the WEHRMACHT.Photos to follow.

[John Macrini]

bnz with sig rune

hello,
I have recently acquired a k98 with the BNZ (Steyr) maker code. in addition to the BNZ code there is one lone sig rune underneath the maker code. I have been told many different reasons on why the sig rune is there. I was hoping that someone could elaborate on this subject and maybe give up the real reason.
Thanks,
John

[natralbornmille]

so my 1939 "243" code was made by the MAUSER company? in the city of Borgiswalde, correct ? just making sure i understand it properly.

[Gimpy117]

I have a BCD 41' that's been messed with...but that aside somebody said it was a concentration camp gun...Is this true??