"New" rifle 1944 Mauser K98

[JEEP]

1944 Mauser 98K by Elbæk, on Flickr


1944 Mauser 98K by Elbæk, on Flickr


1944 Mauser 98K by Elbæk, on Flickr

Found at a hunting store at the island of Bornholm, the most eastern point of Denmark.
The original stock was unfortunally cut down.
The current stock is another original of the exact same type as the one the rifle came with.

The weapon is stamped:
CE (J.P. Sauer und Sohn Gewehrfabrik, Suhl), "1" and "CY" on the barrel and "BNZ 4" (Steyr-Daimler-Puch A.G, Steyer, 1944) + "41" on the reciever (the receiver was most likely produced in 1941 and the rifle was put together in 1944).
The swastika and eagle on the barrel are intact.

This is probably a late war (or early post war) last minute production (the rough outer barrel suggests that) - issued to either the Wehrmacht or the SS garrison on Bornholm, before the Russians "liberated" the island, trying to claim it as Russian territory, holding it for almost a year after the German garrison capitluated.

The original (shortened down stock) and all the metal parts, excluding the lock, have matching serial numbers.

The bayonet is original, but did not come with the rifle. The frog is a repro though.

I did not pay very much for this rifle, less than you pay for a beaten-up Russian arsenal piece - and I have only really had to take it apart, clean and oil it and put it together.

It shoots very well and the rifling is very clean and sharp.

[FishyFolk]

There are a lot of these in Norway as the Germans kindly donated about 400 000 of them in 1945. I owned one too, but mine was re-drilled to .30-06 and fitted with a modern hunting stock at Kongsberg Våpenfabrikk.

[JEEP]

I know a few historical shoters and re-enactors who have picked up their K98's in Norway.

Unfortunally the Norwegian army usually added their own stampings - as well as a heavy coat of dark varnish - to the weapons. Much like the Russians did actually.

Today most affordable 98K's here in Denmark are either Russian or Norwegian arsenal pieces - making mine quite special.