*German, WW2, Mod.98 (K98) Mauser Bolt Action Rifle, Dated 1940, by Mauser Oberndorf (42), with Bayonet (44SAX), Sling & Muzzle Cover, Waffenampt Stamps, Deactivated Old Spec*
A fine example of the German Karabiner 98k (K98k), the standard-issue rifle of the Wehrmacht and one of the most iconic small arms of the Second World War. Manufactured at Mauser Oberndorf in 1940, this rifle dates from the early campaigns when quality of machining was at its peak. The receiver ring is crisply stamped “42” (the factory code for Mauser Oberndorf) above the date “1940”, with clear WaA655 Waffenamt inspector’s marks and the correct “Mod. 98” designation to the side rail. Rifles from this production period were carried into the great campaigns of the war, and this example, later captured and refurbished by Soviet forces, very likely saw front-line service on the bitterly contested Eastern Front.
This rifle retains matching numbers to its core metalwork: receiver, bolt (4415), magazine floorplate, and trigger guard baseplate, with the stock force-matched during service and the buttplate later replaced (9252). Clear eagle-over-swastika acceptance proofs remain throughout, while internal bolt components carry further Waffenamt inspection marks, including WaA231. Notably, the rifle is fitted with its steel muzzle guard – a practical accessory designed to prevent snow or water freezing in the barrel and causing dangerous recoil – a strong indication of service use in harsh Eastern Front conditions. The left receiver wall bears the Soviet capture “X” mark, confirming post-war Russian arsenal refurbishment following seizure on the Eastern Front. Inside the bolt slide is stamped “JWH”, a Soviet depot refurbishment mark added during post-war rework, further supporting its capture and reissue history.
The rifle is offered complete with original wartime sling, muzzle cover (wartime steel type, intact) and 1944-dated S84/98 III bayonet, maker code “44sax” (Coppel GmbH, Solingen), with Waffenamt proofs and serial 9336 gg struck to the ricasso
London Proof House deactivation certificate (2001) included. Action cocks and dry-fires, with functioning safety catch and moving bolt – desirable pre-EU “old spec”.
Historical Note
The K98k was adopted in 1935 as the German Army’s standard service rifle and remained in front-line use throughout WW2. This early 1940 Oberndorf rifle would have been carried in the campaigns in France, the Low Countries, and later in the invasion of the Soviet Union. The “X” capture stamp confirms Soviet seizure and subsequent refurbishment, a common fate for rifles captured on the Eastern Front and stored in Russian depots.
The accompanying bayonet is the standard Seitengewehr 84/98 III, produced in 1944 by Coppel GmbH, Solingen (code sax), one of the major Solingen blade manufacturers supplying the Wehrmacht in the final years of the war. The pairing of an early-war rifle with a late-war bayonet neatly illustrates the full span of German ordnance production.
*Condition*
This rifle remains in good, honest service condition with deep, clear markings throughout. The blued finish shows wear consistent with age and use, particularly at the muzzle and bands. Stock has period handling marks but no cracks or structural damage. Numbers match on receiver, bolt, trigger guard, and magazine floorplate; buttplate non-matching as noted. Sling leather remains supple. Bayonet retains original finish, with some light age patina, grips intact, and clear wartime maker/date codes. The steel muzzle cover shows surface wear but functions correctly. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
Deactivation is to the highly desirable old UK specification (2001 London Proof House certificate, DA30814), with full working action: the bolt cocks, cycles, and dry-fires.
RQMHOOXAAOO_6411211400
