Mauser K-98k
The serial numbers aren't matching though, thats only the serial number on the receiver. I don't know if I'm dissapointed or not, I wanted a German k98 that might have been used in the war at one time or another, but I can't get my money back or anything. Haven't even had a chance to shoot it yet, going to the range tomorrow. So Mauser actually made at least four C-96s with the serial number 4095 (to pick a number more-or-less at random). Low serial number guns with later production features turn up, implying smaller and otherwise unknown contract runs with their own serial ranges, so exactly how many guns with a particular serial number were actually made can be.
Length: approximately 44 inches
Mauser 98 Serial Number Location
Barrel length: approximately 24 inches
Mauser 98 Serial Numbers
Caliber: usually 7.92x57mm
The K-98k is a bolt action rifle that was built on the Model 98 system in the 8mm Mauser caliber. This rifle became the main German battle rifle of World War II, and was exported by the Germans to several other countries. After the war, these rifles ended up in the arsenals of many nations giving rise to many interesting varieties and variations which are too numerous for treatment here.
Mauser 98 Serial Number Lookup
The example shown here is a Russian capture K-98k. A Russian capture is the most commonly commercially available K-98k in the United States. The Russians 'refurbished' these captured rifles after the war re-bluing the metal and refinishing the wood with a kind of deeply stained shellac. The Russians loved to electropencil non-matching parts as if they were matched and would mark each capture with an 'X' mark on the receiver. A nice example will be priced at around $350.
Mauser Code quick reference:
Code | Start S/N | End S/N | Quantity | Year | Factory |
S 42K | 1726 | 5738a | 15737 | 1934 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147K | 478 | 7656 | 7656 | 1934 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 42G | 3526 | 2335 | 182317 | 1935 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147/G | 520 | 1654 | 75574 | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 147/G | 8954 | 6048b | Unknown | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 147/G | Unknown | 5581g | 17092 | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27G | 1558 | 3456 | 3456 | 1935 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S243G | 962 | 7671 | 7671 | 1935 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 42 | 1326 | 6392z | 256367 | 1936 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 72 | 8533t | 198514 | 1936 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 2695 | 3349b | 23347 | 1936 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 2038 | 5080c | 35077 | 1936 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 237 | 4337 | 1463a | 11452 | 1936 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
S 42 | 1064 | 6337z | 256312 | 1937 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 1088 | 8975r | 178458 | 1937 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 74 | 9274 | 99265 | 1937 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 3040 | 897h | 80889 | 1937 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 237 | 2683 | 6184d | 46180 | 1937 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 2492 | 3782b | 23780 | 1937 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
S 42 | 67 | 8011i | 98002 | 1938 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
42 | 126 | 1631z | 251606 | 1938 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 127 | 9849i | 180413 | 1938 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
147 | 9663g | 431s | Unknown | 1938 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 5474 | 6650i | 168339 | 1938 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
27 | 6047g | 8355q | Unknown | 1938 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 8153 | 4997k | 176308 | 1938 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
243 | 5941i | 6325r | Unknown | 1938 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S/237 | 5474 | 7962d | 84692 | 1938 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
237 | 3491b | 4700h | Unknown | 1938 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 48 | 9363d | 49359 | 1938 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
42 | 199 | 9105bb | 279078 | 1939 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
147 | 2106 | 9278t | 199259 | 1939 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ohne | Unknown | 1916 | Unknown | 1939 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
27 | 127 | 5722m | 135709 | 1939 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
243 | 944 | 7684x | 237661 | 1939 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
237 | 6571 | 8791l | 118780 | 1939 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 1257 | 3822e | 53817 | 1939 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
337 | 2562 | 9295 | 9295 | 1939 | Berlin-Suhler/Gustloff-Werke |
660 | 833 | 7427a | 17426 | 1939 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
42 | 1660 | 5498qq | 415457 | 1940 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
147 | 5567 | 5209v | 215188 | 1940 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
27 | 2909 | 7434e | 131274 | 1940 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
ax | 7691f | 1287n | Unknown | 1940 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
243 | 510 | 8230t | 198211 | 1940 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
237 | 2723 | 6553t | 196534 | 1940 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
duv | 135 | 4431l | Unknown | 1940 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
337 | 9170 | 157n | 130144 | 1940 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
660 | 48 | 505n | 130492 | 1940 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. | 9724k | 352n | Unknown | 1940 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
byf | 4814 | 6474hh | 336441 | 1941 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 1005 | 613v | 210592 | 1941 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ax | 3 | 3808i | 93799 | 1941 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
ar | 3462 | 1814m | 121802 | 1941 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
duv | 906 | 9308r | 179291 | 1941 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
bcd | 176 | 3685q | 163669 | 1941 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz. | 2005 | 9724k | 109714 | 1941 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
ax/ar | 8798l | 9073m | Unknown | 1941 | ERMA / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 209 | 459nn | 380421 | 1942 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 3139 | 3339s | 183321 | 1942 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ce | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 1942 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 4583 | 5004 | 110489 | 1942 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
duv | 4333 | 2428y | 242404 | 1942 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
bcd | 3225 | 8203p | 158188 | 1942 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz. | 728 | 6043l | 117836 | 1942 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou. | 1186d | 2591i | 92582 | 1942 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd/ar | 6394a | 5510l | Unknown | 1942 | Gustloff / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 4238 | Unknown | 1142336 | 1943 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 8216 | 6567gg | 326535 | 1943 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ce | 8216 | 6567gg | Unknown | 1943 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 205a | 664m | 120652 | 1943 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
bcd | 450 | 5138ff | 315107 | 1943 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz | 248 | 596u | 217880 | 1943 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz | 145 | 8233 | 8233 | 1943 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou | 1502 | 9542nn | 409502 | 1943 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
dot | 7390 | 9864u | 219843 | 1943 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd ar | 1926a | 811f | Unknown | 1943 | Gustloff / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 2875 | 342330 | 1434219 | 1944 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 1169 | 7309u | 207289 | 1944 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 669 | 8101h | Unknown | 1944 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
bcd | 1253 | 99899 | 348081 | 1944 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz | 4469 | 9529 | 175816 | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. | Unknown | 4917q | Unknown | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. (Ruhne) | 1638 | 6469 | Unknown | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou. | 3360 | 8676nn | 408636 | 1944 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
dot | 3665 | 7333aw | 621959 | 1944 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd bnz | 7626j | 8451 | Unknown | 1944 | Gustloff / Steyr-Daimler-Puch |
byf45 | 989 | 8268a | 205591 | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
svw45 | 10377a | 5593b | Unknown | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
svwMB | 6690b | 11265c | 29297 | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
bcd | 8357 | 91679 | 91679 | 1945 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz45 | 4166q | 5935t | 196625 | 1945 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou | 141 | 9079b | 29712 | 1945 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
swp45 | 43026a | 87685a | 187684 | 1945 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
Mauser 98 Serial Numbers
Caliber: usually 7.92x57mm
The K-98k is a bolt action rifle that was built on the Model 98 system in the 8mm Mauser caliber. This rifle became the main German battle rifle of World War II, and was exported by the Germans to several other countries. After the war, these rifles ended up in the arsenals of many nations giving rise to many interesting varieties and variations which are too numerous for treatment here.
Mauser 98 Serial Number Lookup
The example shown here is a Russian capture K-98k. A Russian capture is the most commonly commercially available K-98k in the United States. The Russians 'refurbished' these captured rifles after the war re-bluing the metal and refinishing the wood with a kind of deeply stained shellac. The Russians loved to electropencil non-matching parts as if they were matched and would mark each capture with an 'X' mark on the receiver. A nice example will be priced at around $350.
Mauser Code quick reference:
Code | Start S/N | End S/N | Quantity | Year | Factory |
S 42K | 1726 | 5738a | 15737 | 1934 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147K | 478 | 7656 | 7656 | 1934 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 42G | 3526 | 2335 | 182317 | 1935 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147/G | 520 | 1654 | 75574 | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 147/G | 8954 | 6048b | Unknown | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 147/G | Unknown | 5581g | 17092 | 1935 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27G | 1558 | 3456 | 3456 | 1935 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S243G | 962 | 7671 | 7671 | 1935 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 42 | 1326 | 6392z | 256367 | 1936 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 72 | 8533t | 198514 | 1936 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 2695 | 3349b | 23347 | 1936 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 2038 | 5080c | 35077 | 1936 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 237 | 4337 | 1463a | 11452 | 1936 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
S 42 | 1064 | 6337z | 256312 | 1937 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 1088 | 8975r | 178458 | 1937 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 74 | 9274 | 99265 | 1937 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 3040 | 897h | 80889 | 1937 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S 237 | 2683 | 6184d | 46180 | 1937 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 2492 | 3782b | 23780 | 1937 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
S 42 | 67 | 8011i | 98002 | 1938 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
42 | 126 | 1631z | 251606 | 1938 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
S 147 | 127 | 9849i | 180413 | 1938 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
147 | 9663g | 431s | Unknown | 1938 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
S 27 | 5474 | 6650i | 168339 | 1938 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
27 | 6047g | 8355q | Unknown | 1938 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
S 243 | 8153 | 4997k | 176308 | 1938 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
243 | 5941i | 6325r | Unknown | 1938 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
S/237 | 5474 | 7962d | 84692 | 1938 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
237 | 3491b | 4700h | Unknown | 1938 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 48 | 9363d | 49359 | 1938 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
42 | 199 | 9105bb | 279078 | 1939 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
147 | 2106 | 9278t | 199259 | 1939 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ohne | Unknown | 1916 | Unknown | 1939 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
27 | 127 | 5722m | 135709 | 1939 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
243 | 944 | 7684x | 237661 | 1939 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
237 | 6571 | 8791l | 118780 | 1939 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
BSW | 1257 | 3822e | 53817 | 1939 | Berlin-Suhler Waffenfabrik BSW |
337 | 2562 | 9295 | 9295 | 1939 | Berlin-Suhler/Gustloff-Werke |
660 | 833 | 7427a | 17426 | 1939 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
42 | 1660 | 5498qq | 415457 | 1940 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
147 | 5567 | 5209v | 215188 | 1940 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
27 | 2909 | 7434e | 131274 | 1940 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
ax | 7691f | 1287n | Unknown | 1940 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
243 | 510 | 8230t | 198211 | 1940 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
237 | 2723 | 6553t | 196534 | 1940 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
duv | 135 | 4431l | Unknown | 1940 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
337 | 9170 | 157n | 130144 | 1940 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
660 | 48 | 505n | 130492 | 1940 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. | 9724k | 352n | Unknown | 1940 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
byf | 4814 | 6474hh | 336441 | 1941 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 1005 | 613v | 210592 | 1941 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ax | 3 | 3808i | 93799 | 1941 | Erfurter Maschinenfabrik ( ERMA ) |
ar | 3462 | 1814m | 121802 | 1941 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
duv | 906 | 9308r | 179291 | 1941 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
bcd | 176 | 3685q | 163669 | 1941 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz. | 2005 | 9724k | 109714 | 1941 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
ax/ar | 8798l | 9073m | Unknown | 1941 | ERMA / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 209 | 459nn | 380421 | 1942 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 3139 | 3339s | 183321 | 1942 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ce | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | 1942 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 4583 | 5004 | 110489 | 1942 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
duv | 4333 | 2428y | 242404 | 1942 | Berlin-Lübecker Maschinenfabrik |
bcd | 3225 | 8203p | 158188 | 1942 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz. | 728 | 6043l | 117836 | 1942 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou. | 1186d | 2591i | 92582 | 1942 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd/ar | 6394a | 5510l | Unknown | 1942 | Gustloff / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 4238 | Unknown | 1142336 | 1943 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 8216 | 6567gg | 326535 | 1943 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ce | 8216 | 6567gg | Unknown | 1943 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 205a | 664m | 120652 | 1943 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
bcd | 450 | 5138ff | 315107 | 1943 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz | 248 | 596u | 217880 | 1943 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz | 145 | 8233 | 8233 | 1943 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou | 1502 | 9542nn | 409502 | 1943 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
dot | 7390 | 9864u | 219843 | 1943 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd ar | 1926a | 811f | Unknown | 1943 | Gustloff / Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
byf | 2875 | 342330 | 1434219 | 1944 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
ce | 1169 | 7309u | 207289 | 1944 | J.P. Sauer & Sohn Suhl |
ar | 669 | 8101h | Unknown | 1944 | Mauser AG Borsigwalde |
bcd | 1253 | 99899 | 348081 | 1944 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz | 4469 | 9529 | 175816 | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. | Unknown | 4917q | Unknown | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
bnz. (Ruhne) | 1638 | 6469 | Unknown | 1944 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou. | 3360 | 8676nn | 408636 | 1944 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
dot | 3665 | 7333aw | 621959 | 1944 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
bcd bnz | 7626j | 8451 | Unknown | 1944 | Gustloff / Steyr-Daimler-Puch |
byf45 | 989 | 8268a | 205591 | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
svw45 | 10377a | 5593b | Unknown | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
svwMB | 6690b | 11265c | 29297 | 1945 | Mauser AG Oberndorf |
bcd | 8357 | 91679 | 91679 | 1945 | Gustloff-Werke, Weimar |
bnz45 | 4166q | 5935t | 196625 | 1945 | Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG, Steyr |
dou | 141 | 9079b | 29712 | 1945 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
swp45 | 43026a | 87685a | 187684 | 1945 | Waffen-Werke Brünn AG |
Some high quality replica parts can be found here:
John Rigby & Co. Mauser Sporting Best .275 Rigby (7x57mm Mauser). Supported by a factory letter, rifle number 1124 was shipped in 1898 with a 26-inch barrel, 'Peep 3 and flush 1-2-300″ sights and is based on a Mauser 98 action with serial number 200. Nearly 119 years later, these specifications remain true. ACTION: Waffenfabrik Mauser Oberndorf 1898' appears on the front ring. Serial number 200 appears on the front ring, bolt handle, bolt release, bolt shroud, safety and trigger. Properly modified for hunting, the follower was machined to permit the bolt to slide forward when the magazine is empty. The Rigby rifle number (1124) is engraved on the trigger guard and stamped on the lower part of the action below the stock line. The action has not been drilled or tapped. STOCK: Original and numbered by Rigby when created ('1124' impressed inside just behind the recoil lug recess), it retains what certainly must be the original dimensions and features, including the steel butt plate with widow's peak (properly numbered '24' on the underside at the toe). Barrel (new circa 2010 when restored) is machined to original contour and incorporates the original island front sight, hook loop and island rear sight. It is numbered '200' to match the action. DIMENSIONS: Weight is 7.2 pounds. Barrel is 26 inches log. Length-of-pull is 14.1 inches, drops are 1.5 and 2.2 inches, and cast is approximately .375 inches. MARKINGS: 'FKA' on the underside of the barrel, '100 YDS, 200, 300″ on the respective rear sight leafs', 'SAFE' in gold on the safety, a pair of 'stars' on the bottom metal, several modest proof marks on the action and 'Rigby's Peep Sight' on the rear of the aperture sight body mounted on the cocking piece. Finally, 'John Rigby & Co., 72 St. James's St., London, Restoration by Steve Nelson' appears on the barrel. RESTORATION: Circa 2010 by Steve Nelson, the work included a new barrel machined to the original contour, rust blue, oil finish and refreshed checkering. At some point, the action was bedded at the recoil lug and the barrel was bedded in its channel. The bolt release, extractor, front sight body and guard screws wear an elegant niter blue. CONDITION: As refinished, metal finish is about 95% with slight blotching over the chamber area. Metal integrity is strong, with only a few tiny overfished rough spots showing through on the rear sight and trigger guard. Wood finish is also 95%, with only light indications of wear. Wood integrity is about 90%, with a few impressions and some light scratches showing through the new finish. Clearly, Nelson was much more interested in restoring this wonderful rifle with a light touch, rather than destroying it in an effort to render it as new. The bore is pristine. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Factory letter dated 4/1/13 showing the rifle was sold to Mr A.W.J. Cecil on November 4, 1898. Based on this information, additional internet searching suggests that Cecil (1875-1936) was likely a descendant of King Edward III, fought in the Boer War, was a Captain in the Grenadier Guards and was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal. Printed research pages (included) reflect the above and also suggest that Cecil resided at Finchcocks (Goudhurst, now a museum and featured in the verse of poet Siegfried Sassoon) and a photo of Mr. Cecil.