S/243 & dot 1944

[P5 Guy]

Mauser Mod 98s both are matching on all the numbers, respectively, that I can find without taking pieces off.
S/243 looks to be 95% or better finish.
dot 1944 laminated stock and sling but no cleaning rod. 90 to 95% of finish.
Where would one go to find a value for these rifles?

[James K]

That Borsigwalde rifle looks just too good. IMHO, the stock is a replacement and the gun has been polished and reblued. I don't want to even WAG on value because of the above opinion as to originality.

The dot looks better, but the stock has been varnished, probably recently. Still, a nice rifle. Value on the order of $600-700.

Jim

[P5 Guy]

I'm just curious as to ball park values.
Why do you have reservation on the S/243? What would one look for to verify originality?
Thanks again for helping.

[JT-AR-MG42]

I gotta go with JK on the S/243.

The S/243 just does not look right.

No 98ks were made with grasping groove stocks.

Here is a photo of a 1934 Banner rifle to compare the groove.

I would have real concern as to originality of the stock given the length and location of the grasping groove.
GEW98 stocks were re-worked for the 98k. The stock would then bear War 1 proofs or evidence of scrubbing. A photo of the serial number on the toe with the right side markings might clear that up.

Another 'alarm' would be the rear sight top being blued. In 1936 the sight top was polished bright on all rifles. On a 1936 S/243 rifle, ALL parts big enough to take a stamp are numbered and most are either droop or stick eagle 211 marked.

Here a couple of pics with what you should see from my 1936 S/243.



The dot looks straight from the one photo. Can't tell from it if the stock has been refinished or polished.
If it is all matching original finish otherwise and given the relative common code/date, I could see it going for 7 plus.
Maybe more, but only with lots of detailed photos including the serials inside the stock and handguard along with bolt part pics.

Value on the 36 would absolutely hinge on originality and again, without more photos, there is no guessing.

My take, JT

[P5 Guy]

I'm not too knowledgeable on the posting photos thing. I'm not sure as to how to put the photo in the post. So, I'm going to keep going with the attachment thing.

[P5 Guy]

dot 44
I get an error saying that what I'm trying to post is too large.

[James K]

The K.98k didn't have grasping grooves in the stock, but IIRC the stocks bought by Israel from Czechoslovakia did, and I think that is one of them. I don't have an S/243 rifle, but I have seen a few and they had the same dull rust blue as other early K.98k's. That rifle looks like it was polished and tank blued and a new stock put on. Too bad, in a way. Unless the rifle was a rusty junker (which I doubt), that "improvement" made a $300 rifle out of a $1000 rifle.

Jim

[mapsjanhere]

Look at the receiver ring in your picture

There is a polished -out deep corrosion pit in the ring, nevertheless the markings surrounding it are nice and clean and the inside of the pit is blued. To me it looks like a complete fake, made up from parts and marked with a rare maker's mark. Value wise, it's like a Mitchell Mauser, pretty to look at but of minimal collector's value.
The dot one could be real, but it looks very well kept for a late war model.

[P5 Guy]

S/243 is a fake, I'm happy to find that out ahead of time!
dot 1944 has a better collector value?
If there is a web page, other than TFL, to research Mod.98 rifles?
I take it the dot stock finish is the concern?
Thank again!

[James K]

Well, the S/243 is not a "fake", unless someone tried to pass it off as being in original condition. It is still a genuine K.98k Mauser.

The dot rifle, IMHO, has had the stock over-varnished. If it were mine, I would remove the heavy buildup with paint/varnish remover, sand lightly, then put on one coat of spray spar varnish to give it an approximation of the original wartime finish.

Jim