Mauser Dot 1944 information

SailKing88 · January 24, 2013, 10:53 AM

Hey Guys! I am new to the forum. I found y'all (yes I'm from Texas) while researching my grandfathers Mauser. A little back history: From what I have been told, he never served in WWII. Instead of serving he was in charge of a munitions factory making machine gun bullets. He ended up shutting the factory down till they fixed the rounds so that they would fire properly. My dad is under the opinion that he was given the rifle as a thank you for his work in the factory. My grandfather used it to hunt deer and it has not been shot since he broke his back some 50 years ago. I don't think the stock is original and it has issues. The barrel and action are rust free. There are matching serial numbers on the bolt as well as on the barrel and the baseplate. There are other numbers and letters on the side that I cannot find the meaning for. My hope is to restore the gun and use it. What do I need to pay attention to increase or maintain its value. It has never had a scope. I am 25 and I have a background in carpentry and metal smithing, though I have never done gun work.

Markings I can make out:
dot 1944 (I am pretty sure this means made in Chekoslavakya in1944)
There are 2 German eagles with swasticas
ab
AS
Mod. 98
8988 (located in 3 places around the action)
4462 (located on the barrel and the floorplate

Also the front sight is un shrouded.

Thanks for the help.

SailKing88 · January 24, 2013, 10:58 AM

I am having trouble posting pictures I will try again later.

James K · January 24, 2013, 12:13 PM

"dot" was Waffenfabrik Brünn, the German name for the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) factory in Brno.

Check to see if there is a letter below the serial number; if so, it is part of the serial number and should always be included in any record of that number.

Jim

SailKing88 · January 24, 2013, 01:54 PM

Jim,

Below the numbers on the barrel are the lowercase letters ab. Are these what you where talking about?

SailKing88 · January 24, 2013, 06:40 PM

pictures still don't work.

James K · January 24, 2013, 11:27 PM

Yep. German K.98k serial numbers (with a few exceptions) consisted of a four digit number and one of two suffix letters. They ran 1-9999, 1a-9999a, 1b-9999b, and so on, for each maker and each year. When 9999z was reached, they went to 1aa-9999aa, 1ab-9999ab, etc.

So a full identification of a K.98k (and other German mililtary weapons) must include the maker (or maker's code), the year, and the complete serial number including the suffix letter(s), e.g., "German K.98k, dot code, 1944, Serial #8988ab."

Jim

SailKing88 · January 25, 2013, 11:18 AM

Thanks Jim. I was having trouble making sure it was a k98k. I know there were several versions. Is it worth it to get rid of the stock my grandfather put on it and put a k98k stock back on it?

James K · January 25, 2013, 12:52 PM

Again some good pictures would let us look at the stock. But original K.98k stocks are hard to find because so many people are trying to reverse the "sporterizing" that was done back in the 1950s and 1960s.

Even if you find an original stock, the serial number won't match so it won't be "right" either, though it would look better.

Try Googling "Mauser rifle stock" and see what comes up.

Jim

SailKing88 · January 28, 2013, 10:20 PM

Jim,

I found out there was a high caliber gun show going on over the weekend. I took the gun and I got some great advice and had the gun looked at for free by several individuals. Thanks for everything. Will send you pictures when I get it finished.

January 24, 2013, 10:53 AM	#1
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	Mauser Dot 1944 information Hey Guys! I am new to the forum. I found y'all (yes I'm from Texas) while researching my grandfathers Mauser. A little back history: From what I have been told, he never served in WWII. Instead of serving he was in charge of a munitions factory making machine gun bullets. He ended up shutting the factory down till they fixed the rounds so that they would fire properly. My dad is under the opinion that he was given the rifle as a thank you for his work in the factory. My grandfather used it to hunt deer and it has not been shot since he broke his back some 50 years ago. I don't think the stock is original and it has issues. The barrel and action are rust free. There are matching serial numbers on the bolt as well as on the barrel and the baseplate. There are other numbers and letters on the side that I cannot find the meaning for. My hope is to restore the gun and use it. What do I need to pay attention to increase or maintain its value. It has never had a scope. I am 25 and I have a background in carpentry and metal smithing, though I have never done gun work. Markings I can make out: dot 1944 (I am pretty sure this means made in Chekoslavakya in1944) There are 2 German eagles with swasticas ab AS Mod. 98 8988 (located in 3 places around the action) 4462 (located on the barrel and the floorplate Also the front sight is un shrouded. Thanks for the help. Last edited by SailKing88; January 25, 2013 at 11:16 AM.

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January 24, 2013, 10:58 AM	#2
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	I am having trouble posting pictures I will try again later.

January 24, 2013, 12:13 PM	#3
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	"dot" was Waffenfabrik Brünn, the German name for the Ceska zbrojovka (CZ) factory in Brno. Check to see if there is a letter below the serial number; if so, it is part of the serial number and should always be included in any record of that number. Jim

January 24, 2013, 01:54 PM	#4
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	Jim, Below the numbers on the barrel are the lowercase letters ab. Are these what you where talking about?

January 24, 2013, 06:40 PM	#5
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	pictures still don't work.

January 24, 2013, 11:27 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Yep. German K.98k serial numbers (with a few exceptions) consisted of a four digit number and one of two suffix letters. They ran 1-9999, 1a-9999a, 1b-9999b, and so on, for each maker and each year. When 9999z was reached, they went to 1aa-9999aa, 1ab-9999ab, etc. So a full identification of a K.98k (and other German mililtary weapons) must include the maker (or maker's code), the year, and the complete serial number including the suffix letter(s), e.g., "German K.98k, dot code, 1944, Serial #8988ab." Jim

January 25, 2013, 11:18 AM	#7
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	Thanks Jim. I was having trouble making sure it was a k98k. I know there were several versions. Is it worth it to get rid of the stock my grandfather put on it and put a k98k stock back on it?

January 25, 2013, 12:52 PM	#8
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Again some good pictures would let us look at the stock. But original K.98k stocks are hard to find because so many people are trying to reverse the "sporterizing" that was done back in the 1950s and 1960s. Even if you find an original stock, the serial number won't match so it won't be "right" either, though it would look better. Try Googling "Mauser rifle stock" and see what comes up. Jim

January 28, 2013, 10:20 PM	#9
SailKing88 Junior Member Join Date: January 24, 2013 Posts: 9	Jim, I found out there was a high caliber gun show going on over the weekend. I took the gun and I got some great advice and had the gun looked at for free by several individuals. Thanks for everything. Will send you pictures when I get it finished.