K98 with ZF-41 type scope……….(f 500) SOLD

A good representation of the famous K98 ZF-41 Sharpshooters rifle

A standard K98 rifle with genuine zf-41 rear sight adapter and (probably) reproduction scope of 1.1/2 x magnification.  (The mount appears to be genuine.)  Chambered in 8mm mauser with a 5-shot internal magazine.  Mauser bolt action system with flag safety to the rear of the bolt assembly.  Late war laminated stock with flat steel butt-plate. Overall the blued finish to rifle is strong.  Mixed numbers and showing definite signs signs of having fallen into the hands of the soviet army on the eastern front.

The rifle has an interesting low serial number  without pre, or suffix; number 668.  Barrel and receiver match and all markings are picked out in white enamel paint.  The top of the receiver is marked “BSW” and dated 1939.  BSW is the coded marking for the Berlin-Suhler Waffen-und Fahrzeugwerke plant.  1939 is the year of production.  The action wall is simply marked “Mod 98”.  On careful inspection it is fairly obvious that all the swastikas underneath the Waffenamt “eagles” have been “punched out”.  This was a practice the Soviets employed to wipe all traces of the Nazi Reich of the map.  That one little symbol had caused the deaths of millions in Europe.

The bolt carries completely mixed numbers but, also has a number (not matching) electro’ penciled into the body of the bolt; “6033” – this was another Russian practice of the day.  The butt-plate is the early flat steel type with two different, yet no-matching numbers visible upon it.  The laminated stock has the number “2707” burnt into the underside and it is worth noting that the trigger guard and floor plate as well as the two front bands all carry this number.  The side of the stock also still shows the original”Heer” army makings from the Werhrmacht – it is odd that these have not been removed.

The real conundrum with this rifle is the matching number applied to the scope mount, plus correct code “duv” and waffenamt 214 below.  Therefore is it possible that the mount and the rifle  are original and someone has added a reproduction scope?  It has to be a reproduction as the author, at this point, has never been able to see much through one of these sights, this however is different and works well.  Clear optics, a sharply focused post & rail reticule and image plus adjustment dials that all function perfectly are all to good to be true!  Upon the rear face of the mount, in the correct position, are the markings “K98K  ZF41″  The scope has the two sliding sun-shades, and all the adjustment dials function well.  Elevation is graduated on the central  from 1 to 8 hundred meters. The barrel of the scope is marked as follows; ”  + triangle / cxn /ZF 41″   the code stands for A.G.Busch., Emil, Optische Jindustrie Rathenow, the makers.

To allow the scope to be fitted in the first place there is, what appears to be a genuine Nazi rear sight adapter block with a 135 waffenamt on its outward, face. The scope is easily removable and as with all known genuine pieces has to be mounted with the sliding block of the “open-sight” somewhat moved up the scale.

Additionally there is what appears to be a genuine carry tin for the scope, in the desert beige finish.  It has a webbing strap attached to the rear and internally carries a lens cleaning brush but all the other compartments are empty.  The scope fits well into the tin.  The tin is clearly marked on the rear with the manufacturers code; “jvb ” and waffenamt.  jvb was the code for Wesser & Muller the only manufacturers of these tins.  There is no rifle number on the scope tin, as is true of the majority of tins.  The tin is in good order with the mid-war production pull strap opener.  Within is a wooden block with the correct sized holes for both the scope and the lens brush.  the compartment in the lid which used to contain the  lens cleaning cloth is empty.  The whole tin has been undercoated in a red oxide type primer which is showing through in many places and finishes the inside of the lid.  The straps and hinges of the tin are all in good order and one whiff of the inside of the tin reassures you that it has some age to it and has probably spent sometime in storage.

The rifles bore is excellent with sharp rifling and no pitting or misting. The butt has the bolt strip-down disk in the normal position and there is provision for the classic side mounted leather sling.  These rifles are by their nature rare.  It is very difficult to say without doubt that any of these items are 100% genuine but, you get a feeling about most things and as explained in detail above this is a little bit of a mixed bag.  If one wanted to splash out of what the experts would call a genuine piece then be prepared to spend a lot of money, possibly even for that opinion.  this rifle has some history to it, it may not sit well with the purists that this weapon fell into the hands of the Russians, but that does at least start to provide some form of certainty to its whereabouts during a very prolonged conflict.  Punching out Swastica’s is not on the normal list of faked attributes!  So, in the end it is worth what anybody is happy to pay for it, or is it worth the sum of its parts, personally I think its a bit of both because there is some certainty that it was involved in the hard fought Russian campaigns of WW II.  Some argue this is where total war was seen, and where the second world war was won and lost.

Stock No’  f 500

£ 1400…..(SOLD)

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