A gentlemean who was referred to me called yesterday and wanted me to examine his "All matching" walnut stocked, 1938 dated code 42 Mauser.
I went over his rifle this afternoon, the walnut stock had been sanded, the external stock serial number was missing, but the stock eagles were very crisp?? In addition to the two stock eagles on the right side of the stock, additional eagles were on the pistol grip and just behind the triggerguard on the bottom of the stock. There was also a deeply stamped L above the eagles on the stock, but the L did not have an eagle by it.
All metal parts were stamped matching. Going first to the upper band, the number font looked pretty good, but the milled band did not have the E/63 on the right side, and the wear on this band was more severe than on the rest of the metal that was near mint. Lower band looked ok, but again missing the E/63.
I did not take the action out of the stock, and the owner said he had never had it apart, (couldn't get the upper band off).
About this time I tell the guy I was not interested, he asked for my evaluation of the rifle.
I told him the stock had been replaced, the original stock number sanded off, the entire stock sanded, and the eagles were fakes as was the "L". I explained this was pretty obvious as no way you have a sanded stock and yet the stock eagles are still crisp.
In addition this year stock should have an external serial number, and the takedown disc would be E/63 not E/214. I expect that the barrel bands were renumbered as their wear patterns did not match the overall condition of the rest of the metal and both lacked the expected E/63. Also the bayonet (correct in the white) had no waffenampt or SN.
As all the rest of the metal, bolt, receiver, triggerguard and floorplate looked good and had that deep early Mauser dark blue, my guess is that this was a nice matching mauser that was sportered in the past, and then went back to military configuration after K98k prices took off.
It is really too bad that whoever did it went bonkers with the Numrich Eagle stamp, as this could have been a decent early stock, even sanded, but the fake markings are now deeply impressed.
The guy is looking a little downfallen now, and confesses he paid $1100. at a local show about six months ago.
He wanted to know what actual value was? If my analysis is correct, that the stock and bands are replacements and have fake markings, the rest of the rifle is original and matching, I estimated $500. The rifle did have a mint bore.
I was not in a postion to take pictures, and about thirty seconds after seeing the rifle I knew I was not interested in it, so I didn't even write down the entire SN. the last two digits were 57 and it was a k suffix, 1938 Mauser.
I know it is difficult to critique my analysis without pics. Believe me, the stock eagles were direct from Numrich, the bands gave me pause, the number font looked good, but a 1938 should have waffenampts on them.
I think the rest of the rifle was legit, what did I miss? what do you think it is worth?
I went over his rifle this afternoon, the walnut stock had been sanded, the external stock serial number was missing, but the stock eagles were very crisp?? In addition to the two stock eagles on the right side of the stock, additional eagles were on the pistol grip and just behind the triggerguard on the bottom of the stock. There was also a deeply stamped L above the eagles on the stock, but the L did not have an eagle by it.
All metal parts were stamped matching. Going first to the upper band, the number font looked pretty good, but the milled band did not have the E/63 on the right side, and the wear on this band was more severe than on the rest of the metal that was near mint. Lower band looked ok, but again missing the E/63.
I did not take the action out of the stock, and the owner said he had never had it apart, (couldn't get the upper band off).
About this time I tell the guy I was not interested, he asked for my evaluation of the rifle.
I told him the stock had been replaced, the original stock number sanded off, the entire stock sanded, and the eagles were fakes as was the "L". I explained this was pretty obvious as no way you have a sanded stock and yet the stock eagles are still crisp.
In addition this year stock should have an external serial number, and the takedown disc would be E/63 not E/214. I expect that the barrel bands were renumbered as their wear patterns did not match the overall condition of the rest of the metal and both lacked the expected E/63. Also the bayonet (correct in the white) had no waffenampt or SN.
As all the rest of the metal, bolt, receiver, triggerguard and floorplate looked good and had that deep early Mauser dark blue, my guess is that this was a nice matching mauser that was sportered in the past, and then went back to military configuration after K98k prices took off.
It is really too bad that whoever did it went bonkers with the Numrich Eagle stamp, as this could have been a decent early stock, even sanded, but the fake markings are now deeply impressed.
The guy is looking a little downfallen now, and confesses he paid $1100. at a local show about six months ago.
He wanted to know what actual value was? If my analysis is correct, that the stock and bands are replacements and have fake markings, the rest of the rifle is original and matching, I estimated $500. The rifle did have a mint bore.
I was not in a postion to take pictures, and about thirty seconds after seeing the rifle I knew I was not interested in it, so I didn't even write down the entire SN. the last two digits were 57 and it was a k suffix, 1938 Mauser.
I know it is difficult to critique my analysis without pics. Believe me, the stock eagles were direct from Numrich, the bands gave me pause, the number font looked good, but a 1938 should have waffenampts on them.
I think the rest of the rifle was legit, what did I miss? what do you think it is worth?
for a allmost all matching action i found. since you have all those gew 98 stocks lying around happen to have any that would go good with that DWM 1918 we talked about??? decided on a gew sniper project and keep action as is. waiting for that guy in france to re-post a set of gew98 double side claw mounts!!!
