Mauser Serial Numbers K98
In deciding not to buy a k98 through mitchells mausers i called. Match the barrel serial number and looks like it might hold together, but even.
7.92 x 57mm (8mm Mauser) Rifling & Twist.. 4 Groove, Right Hand Barrel Length.. (600mm) Overall Length..
(1110mm) Weight.. (3.8 kg without sling, ammo or bayonet) Magazine Capacity.
5 rounds Total K98k Qty Mfg. 14,048,789 (Estimated 1934 - 1945 from Richard Law's calculations) 1942 Qty&Ser# (ar 42).
110,489 (Low observed # 4583 - High observed # 5003) Source.. Backbone of the Wehrmacht (The German K98k Rifle, 1934 - 1945) by Richard D Law' (1993) - ISBN: 0-88935-139-2 Canadian Collector Market Value Estimate: $ 1942 Code AR K98k-ZF41 Rifle (239 picture virtual tour) Observations: The K98k was the primary infantry rifle for the German Wehrmacht during World War II. The 'k' is for Kurz, which means 'short' in German. Check for matching serial numbers on left side of receiver, top of bolt flat, barrel, top of safety, top of bolt sleeve, cocking piece, upper band, lower band, butt plate, rear sight leaf, rear sight guide and stock bottom, with last two digits of serial number on virtually all other components, right down to the firing pin and cleaning rod.
See virtual tour pics for details of font type and location of serial numbers. Check under wood for matching serial numbers on handguard and stock. Check for availability of correct WWII K98k sling with German Waffenamt WaA markings, which by itself can add approximately $100-$150 value to the rifle. Collector's Comments and Feedback: 1. Starting from 1941 the short 1.5x Zielfernrohr 41 (Zf41) telescopic sight was fitted to some Karabiner 98k rifles for sharpshooting use. The Zf-41 was in fact the first attempt to provide the ordinary infantryman with a rifle capable of being used, if not for pure sniping, then at least for sharpshooting. Most modern-day armies have adopted some form of optical aiming device on infantryweapons (such as the ACOG scope).
It was initially planned to equip most combat units with the Zf-41 scopes, but only 6% of German weapons production could fit the sight. Programmator dlya arkadiya. Though useful for sharpshooting with normal infantry units, the design was generally rejected by sniper schools and disliked by snipers, because the 1.5x magnifying scope was deemed insufficient for shooting effectively over long distances.
Problems were the scope's extreme eye relief, poor functioning in bad light and low magnifying power. Nonetheless, lack of better scopes made that the Zf-41 was used by snipers at the early stages of the war against the Soviet Union, though many snipers preferred captured Soviet rifles and customly-equipped German rifles with civilian scopes such as the vintage Gewehr 98. By the end of the war in 1945 more than 100,000 Zf-41 scopes had been produced, the largest production of German optical sights during the war. (Extract from Wikipedia by 'Badger') 2.
WARNING: The K98k is one of the most commonly faked collector's rifles in the marketplace. Be very careful when you look to buy one of these on-line, or at gun shows. Get as much information as possible about the rifle and its provenance. Ask LOTS of questions, check the markings (particularly the stamping FONTS) against known 'all correct' righteous samples, like the one displayed here in our virtual tour.