(Revision 2 due to a lot of information and I should say, corrections from PTSanchez on Gunboard. Thanks!)
Karabiner 98k K98K byf 43 WaA135
Manufactured at Mauser-Werke Oberndorf Maschinenbau GmbH in Oberndorf am Neckar, birthplace of Peter Paul von Mauser, in 1943.
The carbine was manufactured at the Oberndorf Mauser-Werke factory in 1943. It was built to be a marksman’s rifle as it has the Zf-41 scope mount base. Some of these ended up in sniper use in the Russian campaign.
The barrel is an uncommon Ruhrstahl AG, Witten, Ruhr. (WaA13) marked barrel with their arrow logo.
The rear sight has the receiver’s matching S/N as does the front bands, trigger guard, floor plate, upper and lower stock, sear, and bolt release.
The bolt is not matching, but two parts match themselves. Per PTS it is likely a “dou” bolt due to the font they used. Suspect when imported the bolts were removed and later put in some other carbine.
The buttplate has the qgm code indicating Loch & Hartenberger. It is marked “43”, consistent with the date of the rifle. They were a subcontractor and provided the butt plates to byf. Per Sanchez, there are no byf butt plates.
The front sight hood is missing.
At the encouragement of Mr. Sanchez, I pulled the carbine apart to get additional information I inserted above. Was happy to find that the stock was matching and the inside condition was impeccable.
Other than the bolt, this appears to be a all matching, as manufactured carbine.
both side view of k98k
top of receiver showing byf 43
main serial number
Zf-41 scope mount rail, not a SSR as marked
right rear stock
right side of receiver
right side showing bolt handle
left side of stock
right front side showing barrel
front band showing matching s/n
trigger guard and floor plate matching s/n
right side of stock
correct sub-contractor butt plate, underneath, a 6 30 43 cure date
non-matching bolt, but parts match each other, have been corrected, it is 8992, probably a “dou”
matching bolt release
side of barrel showing matching WaA135, it isn’t a thickened SSR sidewall, it is the thickened Zf-41 base.
front band and lower band sling mount have matching serials
original sling made by AOS?
lower case “d” on cleaning rod
butt end of stock showing cure date of 6th day, 30th week, 1943
Reichsadler on stock, possibly a double strike, both very faint
bolt release showing matching s/n
top of chamber showing the byf Mauser-Werke in Orbendorf manufacturer and the year, 1943
top of rear sight
stock halves showing matching carbine serial 24273 and you can see a blue dyed mark on the left I am unable to identify
right side of the receiver showing the WaA135 waffenamt
back of rear sight showing matching serial numbers
rear sight and Zf-41 scope mount
top of chamber showing the byf Mauser-Werke in Orbendorf manufacturer and the year, 1943
left side of chamber showing serial number, Reichsadler, barrel production number, and Mod. 98
scope mount bottom with arrow logo and better quality logo inset
barrel shank marked 0
barrel shank marked 5
receiver underside detail showing the WR logo
circles identify other markings. Between the 3 and the 7 might be a 1. To the right of the three is a H, but it might be an FH or something in addition to the H. Ro the right of that is either a machining mark or some other symbol. The lower left circle appears to be a 1, and the lower right circle is clearly an “s”
k98k bore shot at different focal points
Thanks to the internet, I was able to find a picture taken during the war of an SS soldier shooting my carbine.., well, maybe not MY carbine, but maybe….
Hi
Please let me know, when you come across k98k byf 43 all matching
813 505-5982
Will do, but very rare because at a minimum the bolt will have been swapped.