WW2 German Rifle posted especially for British Red
- Thread starter Biker
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Fantastic . . . Mega find . . . . 
I was talking to (Geordie) German reanactor at a show in Sheffield recently and he had a WWII German rifle (that had been captured by Russians at some point)
It was a nice looking thing but I must say I had mixed emotions when you think about what it's done. Especially when these were pointing at my Grandad and yours
The highlight of the show was when the American Civil War guys were riding round in the German half track, complete with confederate flag hanging out the back . . . .
I was talking to (Geordie) German reanactor at a show in Sheffield recently and he had a WWII German rifle (that had been captured by Russians at some point)
It was a nice looking thing but I must say I had mixed emotions when you think about what it's done.
Especially when these were pointing at my Grandad and yours The highlight of the show was when the American Civil War guys were riding round in the German half track, complete with confederate flag hanging out the back . . . .
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Fantastic . . . Mega find . . . .
I was talking to (Geordie) German reanactor at a show in Sheffield recently and he had a WWII German rifle (that had been captured by Russians at some point)
It was a nice looking thing but I must say I had mixed emotions when you think about what it's done.
I must say tho the highlight of the show was when the American Civil War guys were riding round in the German half track, complete with confederate flag hanging out the back . . . .
Yep, I know exactly what you mean by that comment. Handling that rifle up close and personal did make me wonder at its heritage. Let's hope it was as HillBill says and it was actively used by the resistance and not dwell too much on the alternatives.
Sounds like those civil war guys had a blast in the half-track! That would make a great *** type photo too.
Glad you're finding this story so fascinating, hoped you would too. Thanks for the info and comments. :You_Rock_
You can't blame the tool dude..... else your no different than the anti- knife brigade
It was a nice looking thing but I must say I had mixed emotions when you think about what it's done.
Thank you Aaron. The K98 is 7.92 was, and is, a riflemans rifle. Not quite the equal of the Enfield in my view (for a number of reasons), but no competent rifleman would feel undergunned with such an icon.
The rifle your friend has in unquestionably of Second War issue - the foresight was not shrouded until that time. I cannot tell easily the manufacture date - but you will be able to by checking the woodwork. If it is walnut, its pre '38. If it is laminated ply, its post '38. If the butt plate is curved its post 1940 (I don't think that one is)
An odd point is that the 98k only came with a third of a cleaning rod - three rifles rods had to be screwed together to make a full length rod.
Either way its a great gun, with some real history. I could speculate as to its purpose given the careful method of concealment in a French property, but it would be speculation.
A lovely gun that deserves to be shot. I was honoured to allow a serving serviceman to shoot my Enfield yesterday - he shot damned well with it too which was a pleasure to see.
I wish your friend joy of his discovery -I hope he gets to shoot it.
Thanks for the pictures and the smile Aaron - a great rifle!
Red
The rifle your friend has in unquestionably of Second War issue - the foresight was not shrouded until that time. I cannot tell easily the manufacture date - but you will be able to by checking the woodwork. If it is walnut, its pre '38. If it is laminated ply, its post '38. If the butt plate is curved its post 1940 (I don't think that one is)
An odd point is that the 98k only came with a third of a cleaning rod - three rifles rods had to be screwed together to make a full length rod.
Either way its a great gun, with some real history. I could speculate as to its purpose given the careful method of concealment in a French property, but it would be speculation.
A lovely gun that deserves to be shot. I was honoured to allow a serving serviceman to shoot my Enfield yesterday - he shot damned well with it too which was a pleasure to see.
I wish your friend joy of his discovery -I hope he gets to shoot it.
Thanks for the pictures and the smile Aaron - a great rifle!
Red
resnikov
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
widu13
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
It doesn't matter, if from memory the round is still available it's illegal in France (I seem to recall- I may be wrong).
BTW Aaron - remove and check the bolt. I suspect it may be worn. The disc on the butt stco was used as a bolt stripping tool. Yours is missing - it my be that it was problematic in use and the disc used to field strip the bolt.
Sorry, rifle nerd
Sorry, rifle nerd
Thanks for the info Red, I shall copy and paste the link to the thread to Simon so he can read it all first hand.
Looking at the other hi-res photos I have of it, the grain marks which are very red in colour now look rather too uniform and the top view of the breech shows clear even red lines which resemble laminates to me. What I assumed was red grain pattern could be red glue between the laminates. So maybe this is a post '40 model after all.
Just added a thumbnail in the hopes you can see those red glue layers between the laminates.
The top of the breech has "dou" stamped with 43 underneath that (the year of manufacture perhaps?) on the left side of the breech casing is the German Eagle with 6799 and a "r" under the numbers. That's what's in the thumbnail in posting #17 above.
Again thanks for the info. I doubt Simon will ever fire this since it has no bullets and getting them could be a problem, and even if he could the condition of the barrel could a major issue, given the years since it was last used. It could well just fail spectacularly.
Mark, yes I do indeed still have that Fairburn Sykes. The SS Dagger got sold last year and paid for my ticket to The Moot.
Looking at the other hi-res photos I have of it, the grain marks which are very red in colour now look rather too uniform and the top view of the breech shows clear even red lines which resemble laminates to me. What I assumed was red grain pattern could be red glue between the laminates. So maybe this is a post '40 model after all.
Just added a thumbnail in the hopes you can see those red glue layers between the laminates.
The top of the breech has "dou" stamped with 43 underneath that (the year of manufacture perhaps?) on the left side of the breech casing is the German Eagle with 6799 and a "r" under the numbers. That's what's in the thumbnail in posting #17 above.
Again thanks for the info. I doubt Simon will ever fire this since it has no bullets and getting them could be a problem, and even if he could the condition of the barrel could a major issue, given the years since it was last used. It could well just fail spectacularly.
Mark, yes I do indeed still have that Fairburn Sykes. The SS Dagger got sold last year and paid for my ticket to The Moot.
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Could well be a 43 issue - its not 44 or later ( it would not have had a disc on the butt for example). The curved butt plate was not uniform - having one is only a signifier of "not earlier than" it does not mean "not later than".
The ammunition used can effect the bore - old primers contained a product that caused corrosion. Tell your mate to take the bolt out and have a look!
Nice bit of history regardless!
The ammunition used can effect the bore - old primers contained a product that caused corrosion. Tell your mate to take the bolt out and have a look!
Nice bit of history regardless!
Cheers for close up pics i can make out the waffen amt markings(eagle carrying swastika) and make out 43 and part of dou word there was a site that gave info on recogonising the factory's were these were produced etc by the marking but i cant for the life of me remember the site, as for its history guess we will never know never the less its a great find and piece of history.
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Id defo say 43 dated one the 43 on the breech is usually were they were dated.Chances are if it is 43 dated it would be no more than 18 months old when stashed- Jan 43 to June 44,Jan 43 earliest it could have been made,allies invade june 44, your based in Normandy and it was the first place liberated, technically if it was French resistance or German army niether would have needed it after this date?
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I know what he is saying tho, I was given a ww1 bayonet that had been notched 3 times (so it was blatantly "dirty")You can't blame the tool dude..... else your no different than the anti- knife brigade
didn't like it around the house and sold it on
I supppose it's possible. But that would mean the umbiquitous 30-06 is an illegal round.
