Mauser ID #2

Scratch · September 12, 2000, 07:50 PM

I'm looking to buy a mauser reciever. I found one that has byf on the op of the reciever and below that 43 On the side of the reciever it is marked mod 98
There is quite a bit of tooling marks on the sides of this reciever.
the serial number is 157XX
It has a 23.5 in barrel and the bore is .325.
This has been rebarreled (no matching numbers) and has a fairly good finish on it. It almost looks reparkerized.
Thanks
Scratch

Herodotus · September 13, 2000, 07:37 AM

byf is the German code for Waffen Fabrik Mauser Obendorf, where the receiver was made. The year was 1943.
The machine marks are typical of late WWII rifle production. After sometime in 1942, the Germans relaxed their usual high standards in these matters in favor of higher production. I think I recall the figure that Germany increased its rifle production between 1941 and 1943 by a factor of four. The old tried and true methods had proved themselves a failure under the circumstances sometime in 1941, when rifle production actually dropped, despite the critical war needs of the time.
The Germans also drooped their usual fine bluing and went to some sort of more simple phosphate finish at this time.
This would be called a model K98k receiver by the collectors of such weapons.
Barrels on WWII are not necesarily matched to the rilfe, as would have been typical on earlier German production, so the rifle may or may not have been rebarreled. It is, from your decription, a typical barrel for this rifle.

Scratch · September 13, 2000, 08:24 AM

Thanks for the info.
Scratch

September 12, 2000, 07:50 PM	#1
Scratch Member Join Date: October 20, 1999 Location: Bakersfield, Ca, Posts: 86	I'm looking to buy a mauser reciever. I found one that has byf on the op of the reciever and below that 43 On the side of the reciever it is marked mod 98 There is quite a bit of tooling marks on the sides of this reciever. the serial number is 157XX It has a 23.5 in barrel and the bore is .325. This has been rebarreled (no matching numbers) and has a fairly good finish on it. It almost looks reparkerized. Thanks Scratch

September 13, 2000, 07:37 AM	#2
Herodotus Senior Member Join Date: January 19, 2000 Posts: 743	byf is the German code for Waffen Fabrik Mauser Obendorf, where the receiver was made. The year was 1943. The machine marks are typical of late WWII rifle production. After sometime in 1942, the Germans relaxed their usual high standards in these matters in favor of higher production. I think I recall the figure that Germany increased its rifle production between 1941 and 1943 by a factor of four. The old tried and true methods had proved themselves a failure under the circumstances sometime in 1941, when rifle production actually dropped, despite the critical war needs of the time. The Germans also drooped their usual fine bluing and went to some sort of more simple phosphate finish at this time. This would be called a model K98k receiver by the collectors of such weapons. Barrels on WWII are not necesarily matched to the rilfe, as would have been typical on earlier German production, so the rifle may or may not have been rebarreled. It is, from your decription, a typical barrel for this rifle.

September 13, 2000, 08:24 AM	#3
Scratch Member Join Date: October 20, 1999 Location: Bakersfield, Ca, Posts: 86	Thanks for the info. Scratch