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DocRock
member
I don't know enough to be of any use, but it looks great and that certainly appears to be an 1898 receiver. Very cool!
indy1919a4
Member
That is nice to see.. We can all agree that the receiver is one of the first G 98s made on the 1st year no less.. There are a few mismatched parts put on her along the way - But who among us at 122 does not have a few mismatched parts..... That was a nice crest to see there, Thanks for sharing...
7mm????
7mm????
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DocRock
member
Are there any regimental markings on the barrel? There was a chap who posted recently about a 1915 Mauser and had a lot of interesting info about the Imperial German Army regimental system and how they marked barrels and such. Worth trying to dig up that post.
Greetings and thanks for the pictures. I always like to start with the disclaimer that I'm not an expert, but yes, you appear to have a first year of production Gewehr 98. The numbers don't match and the stock has been heavily sanded, but otherwise it looks to be in pretty good shape. That little round disc on the right side of the butt stock is where a unit mark would have been stamped, but it doesn't appear that there was one. However, based on the amount of sanding that has been done to the stock, and the nice sharp edges of the disc and the stock cross bolt, it would appear that the person who did the sanding took it apart before he started working on it. The rear sight, known as the langvisier in German and sometimes called a "rollercoaster sight" in English, appears to be original which is good because many were replaced after the war, but it also appears that it might have been blackend or colored in some way. The receiver also appears that it might have been reblued or "touched up" by someone. But, once again, to have a first year Gewehr 98 survivor is great. I'm jealous! Thanks again for sharing.
Scooter22
Member
You don't often see a 1898 Model 98 even with some mismatches. Nice find that and it's in nice shape and original configuration.
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indy1919a4
Member
I have seen 2 before this one.. Both were sporterized.. For all we know this one may have been also at one time. To be fair most of these gun were rebuilt at the turn of the 20th century when they were reissued.
My Dad restored this. The rear sight was micro-blasted to give it the non-reflective satin finish. The entire gun was hot-tank blued at the time of restoration. As many of the dents in the stock were steamed out and the ones that weren't fully fixed in this manner were filled with a mixture of the sanding dust and a special epoxy.
amd6547
Member
All that work diminishes it, but it is a collectible rifle still.
It looks like it needs a nice wipe down with a rag and gun oil.
It looks like it needs a nice wipe down with a rag and gun oil.
Oberndorfs are one of the few Mauser mfgs. that did not vary much at all from their standards. I have m98's from WWI vintage through WWII and their measurements are all dead on regarding receiver measurements. I suspect that your original Oberndorf is no different.
From a collector standpoint, the refurb by your father probably reduced the market and price for someone wanting to buy it. From a personal standpoint, your father did a job that most refurbs by an arsenal would have done which should help keep the rifle in good shape for the years to come. Better yet, you have a family connection to the rifle because you know exactly who did the refurb.
Thanks for the pictures and sharing its story and treasure the rifle. You cannot literally buy another with that family provenance and that is where price and value differ.
From a collector standpoint, the refurb by your father probably reduced the market and price for someone wanting to buy it. From a personal standpoint, your father did a job that most refurbs by an arsenal would have done which should help keep the rifle in good shape for the years to come. Better yet, you have a family connection to the rifle because you know exactly who did the refurb.
Thanks for the pictures and sharing its story and treasure the rifle. You cannot literally buy another with that family provenance and that is where price and value differ.
This one is not for sale. He made me promise not to sell the German guns . I also have a WW-I carbine (with the muzzle cap) and a WW-II version of the carbine. Both refurbished by my Dad. Now the Japanese rifles he has no interest in and they are completely unrestored.
indy1919a4
Member
Do you know what caliber it is??? 7mm?? 8mm??
Dear Mr. PCFree: Now about that "carbine (with the muzzle cap)...." Is that a G91? The unit mark on the G91, if there was one, was supposed to be on the right side of the "muzzle cap". Does yours have any markings there? Inquiring minds would like to know. Thanks again for sharing.
AlexanderA
Member
The 1898 production date would make it an unregulated "antique." Which is ironic, because when Congress was drafting the 1968 GCA, 1898 was picked as the "antique" cutoff date because the '98 Mauser was considered a "modern" rifle. But in writing the bill, they inadvertently included as antiques guns made through 1898 rather than before 1898.
Some guns, such as the M1898 U.S. Krag rifle, had production that spanned the Dec. 31, 1898, cutoff date. In those cases, you have to go by the exact serial number.
Some guns, such as the M1898 U.S. Krag rifle, had production that spanned the Dec. 31, 1898, cutoff date. In those cases, you have to go by the exact serial number.
Jim Watson
Member
Trivia Alert:
Mack Reynolds wrote 'Frigid Fracas' et seq in which disputes between nations or corporations were settled by combat, not lawsuit. First by company size engagements, weapons cutoff 1900. I always wondered why the hero used a Trapdoor with scope instead of a Krag or Mauser. Maybe Mack was not a firearms historian.
That became too expensive, so later decisions were in the Grove, about three acres of mixed terrain, three men on a side, edge weapons only. The hero in that one was a gladiator. Yup, they had gone to an arena sport more exciting than football.
Mack Reynolds wrote 'Frigid Fracas' et seq in which disputes between nations or corporations were settled by combat, not lawsuit. First by company size engagements, weapons cutoff 1900. I always wondered why the hero used a Trapdoor with scope instead of a Krag or Mauser. Maybe Mack was not a firearms historian.
That became too expensive, so later decisions were in the Grove, about three acres of mixed terrain, three men on a side, edge weapons only. The hero in that one was a gladiator. Yup, they had gone to an arena sport more exciting than football.
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