1943 Mauser 'Sniper' value
I have traded even for this 1943 kar98 sniper. Traded a very good 'Rockolla' carbine (no import marks) as I have several. The kar98 is all maching numbers (as far as I can tell). Good wood, strong rifleing, sightly dark bore w/minor pitting. Blueing is very good for it's age. No import marks, I even know the weapons history with the previous owner. Scope is gone. The scope mounts are front-a turret or socket with a slot, rear-a dove tailed or stepped metal block. Now the questions...did I burn myself as I had $125.00 in the carbine? Would it be worth trying to find another 'correct' scope with correct mounts to make the rifle complete knowing it would be a mismatch? And, what kind of value am I looking at? I would post a few pics but I just joined up this morning and don't know my way around yet. Thanks in advance.
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1917watercooled....welcome to the GB Forum and thanks for your question. We can tell you what you have but without posting photos we are just shooting in the dark. You probably already know that a true German sniper rifle from WWII is one of the crown jewels of 98k collecting...the bad news is that a lot of folks try to "bubba up" a sniper at the workbench. Do you have that? Back to those necessary photos. "As far as I can tell" is not enough on matching numbers...it either does or doesn't. Take it completely down and find out, right to the stock. Who is the maker? Date? You don't tell us. So we need more info to help you...and those photos.[:)] 0 -
Thanks for the welcome and 'come on in'. I'm a U.S. weapon collector as my user name might imply. What I know about Mausers can just get me into trouble. I didn't know the 'snipers' are crown jewels, but just that, makes me happy. The previous owner purchased the kar 98 from a dept. store locally in the mid '50's. The store use to bring in WW2 rifles and just pile them on a table for $25 to $30 a copy. I purchased a long gone British jungle carbine from the same store about the same time. The owner just picked this one because it looked different. Never fired it, but never cleaned it either. I will tear this puppy apart and take pictures. Oh, it's maufactured by Mauser and it has "43" stamped just in front of the receiver. 0 -
There should be a letter or number code stamped above the "43" on the receiver ring, that will tell you which factory produced it.
Reproduction mounts and scopes are available, but originals come up on the auction sites as well. Be prepared for sticker shock when you find those.0 -
Here are the pics I took of the kar 98. With this information can someone respond to the questions I ask in my orginial post. Thanks 
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I took a look at the pics I posted. They are not as good as I had hoped and I don't seem to be able to expand them to get a better look. Anyway, all the numbers are the same. Well, except on some parts there are the last three numbers or four and others the last two. Also, the wood has the same number but couldn't get a good picture of that. On the down side, below the wood line the blueing is flaking, I'd say about 30% to 40% in the worst areas. Other areas, much less. Again thanks. 0 -
1917watercooled......thanks for the photos. I did my best squinting to take a "looksee." From what I can see, you have a matching 98k but since you didn't take a photo of the top of the receiver, can't tell the maker. Give me that code and I can tell you who made it. Looks in fairly good shape. Can't tell if it was a sniper or not from the photos. Anyway, without the scope it doesn't matter. The good news is that these 98k's in original form are getting harder and harder to find. Mostly what is on the market today are Russian reworked captured 98k's that are electopenciled to match or have the Waffen acceptance marks punched out. With what I have seen, I think you have made about an even switch for your unseen Rockolla carbine...carbines in good shape in my area are bringing, even in this down market. $700+ or so which is about what your 98k is worth IMHO. Hope this helps. 0 -
OK guys. Here are pics you can see. The code in the receiver ring is '43D489' and looks hand struck. 0 -
1917watercooled.....thanks for the additional photos. They seal the deal. What you have is a 1943 Mauser Werke AG, Oberdorf high turrent sniper rifle. The only way to tell, since the receiver has been cut, is to id the Waffenmarks and I do see a 135 which is the mark for Mauser/Oberdorf. Only JP Sauer and Mauser made high turrent snipers and the only way to tell the difference is through the Waffenmarks. You have a gem, minus, of course, her high turrent scope! Check the Rock Island upcoming sale in Sept as they will have about 30+ 98k snipers for sale, with scopes, for values. If you could find the correct scope, you would be in business! So, my original value is out the door....you can put a multiplyer of about four or so w/o scope and perhaps double that with a scope! Of all the German snipers in WWII, the high turrent scoped rifles were considered the best. Congrats! You have a key part of a "jewel" of a Mauser collection! 0 -
Not a bad deal o/all, but appears slightly humped-together, mate (possibly an E German rwk). Coupla points jump-out here:
1) That bolt shroud s/n has been ground & force matched. The "2" is orig, leading sixes are not. Grinding marks are obvious.
2) Triggerguard - should have 4 digits max, never 5.
3) Magazine floorplate - same.
4) Front band s/n appears forced - traces of orig characters are visible in Photoeditor. At least he used an Oberndorf font.
Maybe take a look @ underside of bolt root (directly opposite from the s/n)? Should be an eagle 135, or poss 140 proof there .......0 -
quote:Originally posted by b0400879
Not a bad deal o/all, but appears slightly humped-together, mate (possibly an E German rwk). :
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I was over there in the late 50's, early 60's as a GI. During that time frame almost all the East German's I saw were armed with ex Russian WW II PPSH's. It's possible that they had ex weremacht K 98 sniper rifles, but I doubt that they got rid of them until they were rearmed with more modern East Block firearms. I don't see any ex East German K 98 sniper rifle being sold as surplus in the States in the mid 50's.0
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