[Sarge]

On bbl markings - not sure what the 36 is - steel lot nr?, 40 is year of mfgr & RD is bbl makers code. When you disassemble your rifle see if there is an 0.2 on the bbl collar - part that is above the bbl and buts up against the rec.

Steyr, like most of the 98k mfgrs & many sub contraktors sent all manner of parts to Depots for use in rebuilding worn/dammaged rifles so finding a 623 proofed bbl on ANY 98k code is not an improbility. IF a legit WW 2 rebbl there should be the 0.2 mark on the collar. That would account for the different looking 6 on the bbl., But not on any other part.

On 41 dated rifles both the bbl AND receiver should have the ser nr on them - from ALL the different mfgrs. This was not discontinued till 43.

I don't know anything about the Swed 96 Mauser, but would question it being worth $350 unless in Mint condition??? I do not think trading for that one would be a good deal. The rifle you have should be an excellent shooter so keep it and enjoy it. Having been assembled with parts from 3 or 4 different rifles doesn't hurt it's shootability.
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

They should have said front sight blade and no it will Not have any effect on accuracy.
Well, for sure it isn't a German rebarrel - at least that is nothing like any such mark I've ever seen identified. Which means no telling who, when or where the bbl was changed.
Thats the bbl end of the rec, not the trigger end.
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

Bill
Read my post again - I didn't say it wasn't a German bbl, rather "Well, for sure it isn't a German rebarrel" that it was not a rebarrel job done by the Germans. Big difference!
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

Beginning in 1943 the Germans quit numbering both the bbl & rec. Some numbered only the bbl and some only the rec. There was no set pattern and it seems like one of the czech factories - dot or dou - continued to number both.

Bill
Figured something like that. Hey if we didn't all screw up occasionaly it would be dull & boring!!
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

Radom never made K98k barrels durring German occupation/control.
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

"Radom didn't make 98 barrels, I'm sure you're right. But they did seem to go overboard with heiroglyphic-like marks on what they did produce. Maybe this was some sort of Polish thing?"

Yes, on the undersiide of bolt handles and bottom of receivers from Radom - marked E77 - you will find a wide variety of odd marks. Won't find them on anything else that I remember. This practice gradually decreased as the war progresed, but didn't stop.

"I understood that Styer 623/77 marked rifles got the 77 marked parts from Radom, a location in Poland. Mightn't this 623 barrel come from other Polish mfg. source?"

NO. 623 was Steyr in Austria. Steyr was given oversight controll of Radom in late 39 and supervised everything that went on there. That is why Radom shipped 98k parts to Steyr for assembly - going to the parent company so to speak.

Yes Mauser - byf/135 - supplied parts to other mfrgs, including Steyr/bnz and yes they had one 135 proof on them. Some also had byf on them. Anything with 2 135 proofs - like trigger guards or floor plates were items that were assembled at Oberndorff.
The 358 is definately 359, but is Walther - NOT Sauer! Walther supplied a variety of parts to many of the mfgrs/assemblers of K98k rifles - All of the rear sight assembly(6 parts), Receivers and other parts. All were E359 proofed.
The bnz bbl on a ce rifle example with non matching fonts is probably a rebarrel at some depot or field repair point so the numbers would not match.

Again - ALL of the rifle/parts makers sent parts into the repair/replacement pools for future use so it is possible to find any mfg part on any other makers rifles. In the case of bbls you can easily find a 1937 bbl on a 1941 rifle.
Sarge

 

[Sarge]

I would expect to find many, if not most of the same marks on Radom parts durring the German occupation that were on the pre war guns. Don't think they marked quite as many parts though? The only thing that changed for them would have been the final proofing process under the Germans.

Yep, I get that Red X box krap every once in a while - really irritating!!!
Sarge