German WW1 & WW2 Mausers

[RON]

These aren't recent purchases of mine but I was itching to share them...
The WW1 G98 Mauser (dated 1916) is mismatched and doesn't have a sling but is nevertheless very hard to find nowadays (bought back in the mid-90's).
The WW2 Kar98k Mauser (dated 1939) is matching & came with its original sling; it still carries its original nazi Waffenamt (many of these rifles were denazified after the war for recycling purposes).
Both of these are properly stored in my gun locker in Montreal alongside their WW1 & WW2 Russian & British/Canadian Counterparts.

 

[ebeeby]

I've been looking for an all matching , decent Gewehr 98 for a couple of years - haven't found it yet.

 

[RON]

If you find an unmatched, you should go for it nevertheless because you don't find many of these in gun shows anymore... Not the German Heer ones anyway.
The M16 Stahlhelm I added has an Ersatz replacement chinstrap and its 3 padding cushions.

 

[poniatowski]

Nice! I like the mask with the helmet... Austrian chin strap I believe? Or did the Germans use web straps? I've one like that too.

Ron

 

[RON]

I bought the helmet and oxy. mask seperately.
When I bought the M16 Stahlhelm; it was advertised as such but with no mention (or photo) of the chinstrap so I assumed the latter was missing. To my surprise, it landed on my doorstep some 2 years ago with this chinstrap. At first I thought it was a fake since it wasn't made of leather. After learning about ersatz/replacement parts and seeing one on Tony's site (Kaiser's Bunker) quite similar to mine with one of his camo. M16's, I'm now hoping mine might be an authentic German (ersatz) strap after all... [-o<

 

[RON]

Gentlemen, would anyone know the difference(s) between the WW2 & WW1 versions of the Mauser muzzle cover (the metallic not rubber one) with pictures if possible? There's plenty of Kar98k/WW2 on the net but I've never seen its Gew.98/WW1 counterpart...

 

[Gustaf]

Hey Rony,
I have not handled many, but I think one feature to distinguish them would be an imperial proof mark on the WWI version. With out an imperial proof mark, no matter the disign, I would ID it as either WWII or export.
Best
Gus

 

[RON]

Hello Gus!
I guess you're right...
How about a CROWN over 'N' and 'Bülow' on another side? Does that sound Imperial, WW2 or export?
CROWN= Imperial for sure; 'Bülow' sounds German but what does the 'N' stand for?? (Norge as in Norway maybe? Did Mauser export to Norway?)

 

[Gustaf]

Hey Rony,
Crown over N is the Imperial German Nitro proof, I would not expect to see it on a muzzle cover, but then there are a lot of things I do not expect (getting out of bed evey morning for one) the Crown over N proof was used post war, but I doubt that these were made during the period post war that would have had this proof, as there were a gozillion of them made before and during the war. So I would say it is probably good
Best
gus

 

[RON]

What's 'Imperial German Nitro' Gus?
(and how big is 'gozillion'?? )

 

[reservist1]

Muzzle covers for Imperial German Gew. 98 and Kar. 98AZ rifles are made from forged and machined steel. The covers for World War II era Model 98K rifles are made from stamped sheet steel. The Imperial covers should have an inspector's mark consisting of a crown over a script initial. This mark is usually found on the top and/or front of the cover. Early production Imperial covers were nickel plated, later production Imperial covers were zinc plated. In some cases a unit identification marking will be found stamped on the front of the hinged cap.

World War II vintage covers, if marked, will usually have a WaA inspection mark and /or an early production number code prefixed by a letter. These covers normally have a blue finish.

The following photo illustrates Imperial and World War II style covers. The GEW. 98 cover is the upper left and the Kar. 98AZ cover is the upper right.



Reservist1

 

[RON]

Very helpful photo, thank you!

The one I saw looks exactly like the one on the upper left.
I has a CROWN over 'N' and 'Bülow' on another side; does this sound OK?

 

[Larmo]

Good job R1.

I have an early nickle plated one with a crown M proof on the top and a plain crown proof on the flip-cover. It came with my Amberg 1907 GEW 98 at time of purchase. I thought the cover might have been perhaps a KM issue, although the rifle is unit marked B.1.R.J.2.64 .

As you state, sometimes the sheet metal ones are seen with waffenamt proofs, sometimes not. Thousands of marked and unmarked sheet metal muzzle covers of both styles came out of Portugal in the 1990's.

Larry

 

[RON]

Based on the above discussion, the cover below can now be identified as Gew. 98, correct?

 

[Larmo]

Ron, our cover looks just like the one in your photo...marked crown M on the upper angled portion and a plain crown on the hinged cover. It was on our 98 when we bought it....so I say yea!

Larry

 

[reservist1]

Larry: The shape of the crown and letter M on your muzzle cover will tell if it is naval issue. The naval acceptance mark consists of a straight sided Hohenzollern crown over a block letter M. An inspector's mark as found on issue parts would be a round sided king's crown over a script letter. The following composite photo illustrates the differences.



Reservist1

 

[RON]

R1, great stuff again.
I tried to compare the markings with my cover but I can't really decipher which crown it is on top of the 'N'... There's also that 'Bülow' on the bridge side; what does it stand for? Pics hereafter:

 

[Larmo]

Once again, good job R1...guess I have a Navy one by that description and image. I like it. Thanks

Larry