I hope that this is not an already resolved question, but I have not been able to find any information to make me believe I know what the mark is. On my Styer 1940 Mauser 98k, I have found a mark. I have read that this may be a Russian capture mark. I have heard these capture marks described in different ways, but have never seen images. This mark is on the left side of the receiver, and an almost identical, but smaller mark is on the barrel stem. I bought this rifle from a dealer/importer who is a somewhat person-non-grata to many, and it was even been posed that even a fake mark has been perpetrated by this person. I will post some pictures (hopefully) and if anyone knows for sure what this is, please reply. I will say that I do think this was a Russian capture as the serial number is stamped into the stock on the left side below the bolt take down disc, and the bolt has evidence of being brushed off where the electro penciling of the serial number might have been. I am very happy with this rifle where ever it came from.
"Star" rifle
- Thread starter reglisr51
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230RN
2A was "political" when it was first adopted.
Seems I recall that at least on Garands, the star meant that the bore was air-gauged to tight specifications, and they were called starred barrels. Don't know if that applies to other countries' arms, though.
A discussion of air-gauging:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-288518.html
Again, though it's been decades, a starred, "NM" (National Match) M1 barrel was the best, as I recall.
A discussion of air-gauging:
http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-288518.html
Again, though it's been decades, a starred, "NM" (National Match) M1 barrel was the best, as I recall.
Ohio Gun Guy
Member
Looks like a capture mark "X" that someone added another strike to.
Could be a capture mark with another strike added, yes, I have heard this theory before, and that it was done by the importer, a noted nefarious character, as others have said, but can anyone show me proof. If this is what happened, and I find pictures of the same mark with real info on where they came from, I can quit looking, but I have seen no pictures of capture marks, or marks like this. I also have read elsewhere the the "X" is crossed Mosin rifles. This one I saw a crude drawing, but no picture. I have read that the star was a mark of a rifle built in Germany, of non-standard parts, or parts from contractors to get numbers of rifles up during a military build-up. Again, no picture. Does anybody have any pictures of known capture marks?
It looks like just a way of obliterating a Nazi eagle/swastika. Several countries, including Yugoslavia, used ex-German rifles but crossed out the hated Nazi symbol. Oddly, one country that didn't bother was Israel; they only cared that the rifle worked, not what stamps it had on it.
Russia used a stylized picture of stacked (not crossed) M-N rifles as a property mark; it is sometimes found on captured German rifles.
The star gauge mark was used on M1903 Springfield rifles that had shown good results from star gauge (not air gauge) testing; it was never used on the M1903A3 or the M1 rifle. It is a tiny mark on the muzzle, looking nothing at all like the "star" shown in this thread.
Jim
Russia used a stylized picture of stacked (not crossed) M-N rifles as a property mark; it is sometimes found on captured German rifles.
The star gauge mark was used on M1903 Springfield rifles that had shown good results from star gauge (not air gauge) testing; it was never used on the M1903A3 or the M1 rifle. It is a tiny mark on the muzzle, looking nothing at all like the "star" shown in this thread.
Jim
OK, but if you look at the picture, there is a nazi mark on the receiver. The swastika may have been peened, I can't tell, but it doesn't look like it has anything to do with the "star" mark. It doesn't seem like there is anything under the star on my rifle. Jim, I have received responses about "star gauge" rifles on Garands and Springfields, but this is a Nazi-made rifle. I thank you for you come-back, but I still need pictures, even one of the stacked Mosins, to compare with the marks on my Mauser 98k
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