French Marked svw MB Mauser K98k 23.5” 7.92mm Bolt Action Rifle 1945 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,025.00
LSB# LSB260625WM029
Make: Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar Germany, Made Under French Occupation.
Model: K98k
Serial Number: 18823 C
Year of Manufacture: Late, 1945 / C&R
Caliber: 7.92x57mm (8mm Mauser)
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round magazine.
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked, “Mod.98 / svw MB”. The left side of the receiver is marked with a 5-pointed star and serial number, “18823 C”. All the serialized parts are either matched or force-matched. There is no visible import mark. There are various small Waffenamt throughout.
Barrel Length: 23.5”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a barleycorn blade dovetailed to a serrated base. The rear sight is a v-notch sliding escalator assembly marked 1-20.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The stock is a two piece laminate wood set with a forend cap & stacking rod, barrel band w/ sling bar, through bolt, semi-pistol grip, sling well & pass-through, straight comb, and cupped steel buttplate. There are scratches, pressure dents, and small chips throughout. There are a few faint cracks forming at the front of the bottom metal. The LOP measures 13.1” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates about Very Good overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is bright and the rifling is pronounced. There is faint erosion in the bore along with some moderate stubborn fouling. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 7/10.
Many military and C&R eligible weapons have bores that will show erosion. This is not only due to age but to the fact that corrosive primers were commonly used in ammunition worldwide. For example, the U.S. used corrosive ammunition throughout WWII. The U.S. military did not begin to phase out corrosive-primed ammunition until the 1950s.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 98% of its metal finish. There are a few light scratches and wear marks throughout. There are light spots of patina throughout. The action has light wear. The markings are mostly clear with the smaller proofs being blurry. Overall, this rifle rates in about Very Good to Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements.
Box, Paperwork & Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: The Mauser K98k rifles produced under French occupation represent the final chapter of German K98k production. Following the end of World War II, French authorities took control of the Mauser-Werke Oberndorf facilities and continued limited production using existing machinery, tooling, and component inventories. These rifles retained much of the familiar K98k pattern while incorporating late-war manufacturing characteristics and postwar French-controlled production markings. The “svw MB” receiver code identifies this example as a Mauser-Werke Oberndorf rifle produced under French occupation, making it a historically important transitional example between wartime German manufacture and postwar European arms production. This rifle remains in Very Good to Excellent condition, retaining approximately 98% of its original blued finish. The exterior shows only light scratches, handling wear, and scattered areas of patina. The action exhibits light operational wear, the markings remain mostly clear, and the smaller proof marks show some softness. The laminate stock shows scratches, pressure dents, and small chips throughout, with faint cracks beginning near the front of the bottom metal, but remains in Very Good overall condition. The bore is bright with pronounced rifling and exhibits faint erosion with moderate stubborn fouling, rating 7/10 in this writer’s opinion. Mechanically, the action functions correctly.
For collectors of Mauser military rifles, a French Occupation svw MB K98k is a particularly interesting transitional variant. These rifles represent the continuation of the legendary Mauser 98k design after Germany’s defeat and demonstrate the importance of the Oberndorf factory during the immediate postwar period. While the bore shows expected age-related wear and the stock has minor cracking, this remains a well-preserved and historically significant example of the final K98k production era. -R.E.