I believe I have a "bringback"

[dutchbeefy]

I was gifted an old Mauser and was told it was taken off a Nazi. It has matching ser. #'s of 5502. On the top looking down just above the bolt appear the letters "bnz" "41" is stamped below that. the eagle clutching the nazi symbol appears several times before the ser. #'s and a small stamp (hard to make out) says "W8A623" with what appears to have 3 lines above the #'s is stamped on the right side of the gun 4 times in a row and a few times on the plate where the clip goes. Also a lower case "g" appears below 2 of the serial #'s on the barrel and once on the butt. Can anyone give me more details on this gun? Perhaps what some of the numbers mean, a history of it maybe a value any help I am very thankfull for Thank you very much

[cplnorton]

BNZ is the manufacture, it stands for Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG. 41 is the year it was made, 1941. Al l the serial numbers should be matching with most just being the last two of the serial number, or stamped 02. The Eagle with the W8A623 is the inspector stamp. The G below the serial number is basically in the build code. Nazi's only used four digits, and they started with 01A, and when they hit 9999A, they would start over 01 B, and so on. So your's was made probably mid to late 41.

For a bringback, look to see if there are any import marks. A bringback should not have that. Look at the finish. It should be a bright deep blue color. Any X stampings on the gun, or peened out swastikas? A lot of mausers are Russian capture guns.

Check the bolt serials compared to the rest of the rifle. It's rarer to find a bringback where the bolt matches the gun, as when Gi's captured them, they put the bolts in one pile, rifles in the other. And then when they grabbed one to ship home. They didn't care which bolt they grabbed. But there are bringbacks that are all matching, just rarer.

Also look for the duffle bag cut under the front sling swivel on the wood. Gi's wood cut them down so they could fit them in their duffle bag. So most have the duffle bag cut.

A lot were imported in the 50's and 60's that were surplus. And if imported pre 68, most wouldn't have been imported marked. But if you have a story on it, it might be real. Especially if you know the person who left it to you.

And most importantly, get us some pics! lol

[dutchbeefy]

thank you so much you made a puzzle of numbers make sense. The bolt is a matching number but I don't see any x's or peened out swastikas and I don't see any kind of duffel bag cut. I will try to get some pics up thank you again

[Art]

The "duffle bag cut" is not an "always" but it is an "often." These guns were not "import marked" if they came in before 1968 from an importer. I remember in high school in the early 60's seeing all matching Mausers being sold by mail order. So it could be a bringback and may not be. Unless the vendor has the papers that came with the gun when it was brought back by the G.I. (not all G.I. bringbacks were officially sanctioned by the authorities by the way) there is no sure way of saying it's a bringback or just an exceptionally nice early import.

In a nutshell there is no way of knowing for sure that this rifle is a USGI bringback but it sounds like you may have found a very nice and quite collectable early World War II Kar 98K so be happy :icon_salut:

[snipershot1944]

You might want to check the stock for markings too. The stock should be serial numbered along the lower spine, near the heel. Also on the right flat, behind the stock washer should be markings as well. Nice collectible rifle, most of us would be proud to own it. Post photos if you could. If not sanded, or sporterized, you are in the $750-$1500 range in value. More if it is Kreigsmarine or Luftwaffe stock proofed.

[Garandy]

Thw W8A623, is actually the waffenamt WaA623..which was Steyrs. I collected these. Dave up above is correct about WaA, serial numbers and markings in the stock..Any eagle over H? Heer is the Army marking. Ive had one of these with the SS rune too. My best was a bnz45 Kriegsmodelle, near mint.

[Jim K.]

Actually, guns commercially imported prior to 1968 do have an "import mark". They are marked with the country of origin (probably GERMANY in this case). Sometimes the marking is very tiny and of course it won't be there at all for a GI bringback.

The WaA number was that assigned to the head of the army inspection team at that factory. Obviously, he didn't personally mark any guns, but he supervised the inspectors and made sure the contractor kept to standards. If/when that man left, his number went with him and the new man brought his own number and stamps. The actual identity of the inspectors is unknown with possibly one or two exceptions.

Jim