Does anyone know what this is?

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It's a sporterized German Kar 98k made by Steyr-Daimler-Puch in Austria. It's been heavily modified. The stock is replaced / cut and the sights are a commercial front ramp and rear aperture. They look like Williams pattern.

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

Thanks! Do you know what would make it an "SS" model?

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PeaceThruFirepower@reddit

Three things on it are SS unique. First is the single "S" rune on the receiver. Second is the plain 4 digit serial number without a letter suffix. Third is the absence of the usual Army-style acceptance stamps on the receiver. There may be one on the trigger guard since that part was typically sourced elsewhere.

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pandahki@reddit

Since it's a Steyr-Daimler-Puch "single rune rifle", this rifle was most likely made in Mauthausen concentration camp by prisoner labor for the SS. There are other types of SS-rifles too, but the markings differ.

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moving0target@reddit

Where it has k98 near the action, it would have an "SS" stamp. In original condition that would add about $2000 to the unmolested value.

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tankl0ver@reddit

Looks like a kar 98k perhaps.

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

Maybe got chopped up I'm thinking.

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XgUNp44@reddit

Yes. these rifles were incredibly popular post WWII. Tens of thousands of them were shipped over here post war, whether it be with soldiers or commercial imports. They even gave them to soldiers as hunting rifles when they came back.

This one might even be laking import stamps!

Also it got cut up as the furniture was incredible high quality and cumbersome. So hunters and hobby plinkers alike cut the stocks up. Maybe even cut down the barrel in some cases.

Even more fun fact over how the government likes fucking over people. My great grandpa before he passed told me when he came back from over seas when he got off the ship (he came back post war, stayed over an additional 6 months to a year destroying bunkers and munitions) they gave him a rifle but made him take the bolt from a different rifle so it would be not matching numbers. It’s like they knew parts matching would make it valuable.

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Strong-Review5880@reddit

That was partly done to get away with war trophies I'm surprised they didn't let him take the og bolt too, officially taking dropped weapons is a no no so non matching guns give you plausible deniability because armed forces are more likely to hand you a new rifle than replace the bolt so mismatched parts can be claimed as civilian market purchases

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XgUNp44@reddit

Huh, was it actually a no no? Or just being undocumented? I have seen “bring backs” from WWII and Vietnam for sale.

I no longer have the hunting rifles he brought back but I do still have a Luger p08 he brought back. He always said he was lucky they didn’t drill the barrels but when he checked it in they didn’t ask any questions it was right on top of his military suitcase/trunk.

Sadly their house burned down in the 1970s and all I have is the metal frame. Still a beautiful piece of history and family history too.

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Strong-Review5880@reddit

A lot of people brought back stuff illegally then sold it later but given the lack of registry or paper trail it's really easy to get away with selling that stuff, people did bring back weapons specifically legally but they were often given permission or awarded those pieces with approval kinda like if your boss let's you take stuff home from work but doesn't want his boss to find out, approved trophies were often intentionally damaged to prevent either a trail proving it was a trophy or to prevent missuse

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Lupine_Ranger@reddit

Man, Bubba always picks the rare ones to fuck up

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Beagalltach@reddit

I'm not a 98k guy, but is this a true single rune rifle?

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Lupine_Ranger@reddit

Looks like it.

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Beagalltach@reddit

That is a big oof

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

How fucked up is it really??

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ilikerelish@reddit

Looks like it has a nice Lyman rear sight, the original is missing, the handguard is missing, the stock is cut, but beyond that looks to be intact.

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Lupine_Ranger@reddit

Compare it to photos of a normal K98k for reference. Stock has been chopped and reprofiled around the pistol grip area, the upper handguard is missing along with most of the stock metal. The receiver has been drilled and tapped for a peep sight, and the original rear sight is gone.

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

Ah I see that yeah. Well I wonder what dumb ass would do something like that.

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Bluefalcon325@reddit

It was common enough before they became collectible, and were just seen as cheap surplus that everyone could afford by the case.

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Porcflite@reddit

That’s a rifle

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One-Challenge4183@reddit

It’s a k98k made by Steyr.

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Strong-Review5880@reddit

Some sporterized military surplus can't quite tell specifics personally but not a bad looking piece tbh kinda nutty quality job on the stock at least

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Strong-Review5880@reddit

Take that back I didn't scroll it's some sort of kar 98

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rocketstovewizzard@reddit

Sure do look like a Mauser. Says M98. Yugoslavian.

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Roger-the-Dodger-67@reddit

Austria, not Australia....

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SneakyChief655@reddit

That is NOT Yugoslavian

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rocketstovewizzard@reddit

It would be nice to see the caliber designation. My dad had a Czech Mauser in 8mm. It was a shootin' son of a gun.

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

I'm not seeing one on it anywhere.

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pat_e_ofurniture@reddit

I've understood the ones with an S rune were made by concentration camp labor.

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

Where would this "S" rune be located?

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Parasite76@reddit

The S on most means they can shoot modern ammunition. Never heard about that mark tied to slavery but maybe I guess

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Beagalltach@reddit

The S on a Gew. 88 denotes a spitzer conversion. On a 98k an S rune (if real) signifies that the rifle was made for the SS

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pat_e_ofurniture@reddit

Directly beneath the N on the receiver

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Adventurous_Option64@reddit (OP)

Oh! Okay thank you!

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LunchboxKovacs@reddit

It's an Arisaka

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ShermanWasRight1864@reddit

A bubba fucked k98

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Geronimo5316@reddit

It’s a sporterized Gew98. I don’t think it was bubba, importers had to “civilianize “ weapons after ww2 to keep them in their homes in Europe and import to the states. It’s not kn its original condition, but you could get it there easily.

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NthngToSeeHere@reddit

It's a k98k not a Gew98

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willss3@reddit

Carpet, usually used to give a nice soft feeling to your feet as you walk. Gets way dirtier than you think. Take better pictures next time. You focused too much on the Mauser SS K98k BNZ 43, and it blurred the carpet.

SHOW ME MORE CARPET! I DEMAND MORE CARPET!

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jeropian-moth@reddit

Shoes in house family

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willss3@reddit

Gross. I also bet the German soldier who had that rifle didn't wash his hands after using the bathroom.

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jeropian-moth@reddit

Uh huh. Have you ever went to pee in a urinal at the store and when you finish and try to walk away, and your shoes kinda stick to the ground a little from all the piss on the floor?

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