Need info help to ID K98.......................

[Brad]

There is a K98 (he says sniper ?) for sale on a local internet site that has me thinking. It's close enough to go see but first maybe some info from you experts would sure be appreciated?
If you want to go to the site it is www.pennswoods.net and then go to the classifieds and the "rifles" Its on the first page.
It says matching (but I dont think this guy knows much about these at all, ebven less than me"
Anyway on the phone he tells me the s/n is 84, but on the bolt it has 4163. Sounds to me like a mismatch.
But here is the question. He says its marked "ce 41 FP" and "Saur und Sohn Gewehrbrik Suhl"
Also he says there is a second bayonet lug of some type under the reg lug?
My question is "Could this be something special?" These are markings I am unfamiliar with.
He says its made in 1942. Seems awful low s/n for a rifle made in 41?
Could that be a serial number??
Thanks guys for any help. I want to go see in the morning if it sounds good.
Any idea on value. He says its not an import but a ver bring back.
Thanks

[kcw]

The photo from Pennswoods shows the adaptor which Spain added to 98K variants so as to allow the use of Spanish bayonets originally made for the Spanish 93 & 95 Mausers. A hole was drilled through the standard 98K baynet lug which then allowed the Spanish adaptor to be pinned to the original lug. During its civil war Spain purchased quanities of so called "standard Mausers" from Germany. Spanish production of its M43 Mauser also included the adaptor setup. So why does the rifle in question have the Spanish bayonet lug setup? Spanish surplus? A lot of that stuff was sold pre 68", before import stamps were required. Could it possibly be a rifle used by the Spanish volunteers that fought for Hilter? A bubba'd rebuild job put together by somebody that didn't know one Mauser bayonet lug from the next one?

[Brad]

Thanks for the input.
The owner says its a vet bringback, as told him by the stranger he bought it from.
So who knows. Could be anything.

[dave]

Buy the gun, not the story.
1. The Germans started serial numbers from 0001 each year at each maker, 9999 were made then 0001a to 9999a and so on thru the alphabet. So it could be # 84 in 1941. It is a low number for that year and maker only, not really a low number for total production.
2. ce was the code for Saur in 1941 and 1942.
3. FP after the code not original to rifle. I am not famaliar with such a mark, it may be something added by some country after the war. Many Spanish speaking countries used stamps with FP in them. Meaning some kind of Federal Police force. There is something wrong with the front of the rifle/stock, front band missing or modifed, beside the bayo adoptor.
4. It is not matched--at least the bolt is not, however what he says about that is quite possible, IF all parts on the bolt match each other. Most ALL parts on the rifle should have serail or last two numbers on them!
5. He says its a sniper, it is not! Snipers had scopes.
6. Could not have went to Spain or with German troops to Spain as it was made in 1941, way after Spanish civil war.
7. My guess would be that it was modifed by some country after WW11 and used by their forces. If so I would say its worth no more then 3-400 bucks. I do not know what he thinks its worth but its not original as made by the germans. And tell him to get a new appraiser, the guy obviously knows little about K98k's or any guns for that matter!

[Brad]

I am going to have to go look at it.
But I doubt it is anything special.
I asked him over the phone what he meant by Sniper. He had no explanation?
If it were a s/n of 82, would it be on the rifle as 0082? Or just 82?
Thanks guys

[dave]

See my edit above, I went and looked at the site. I do not know for sure if numbered 0082 or just 82. Probably just 82. Can't remember seeing any 3 or two digit numbers. Look for a letter after serial.
You are getting into some hi-priced collecting here, I would suggest you buy some books and educate yourself or you are going to spend allot of money on junk. This rilfe, if as made and matched would be well over 1000-1500. If thats what this guy has in mind you would be foolish to buy it. I once passed on a all matched early date K98k because the stock had been sanded and all marks and stamps were gone. And it was only 450 bucks, an easy 1200 dollar gun.
And those numbers he has listed as SN's (359 & 37) are WaA inspectors stamps and are proper for the maker and time it was made.