German byf Code K98k Mauser 23.5” 7.92x57mm Bolt Action Rifle, 1943 C&R
SOLD FOR: $1,090.00
LSB# LSB251211TN015
Make: Mauser-Werke, Oberndorf on the Neckar Germany
Model: K98k
Serial Number: 2894f
Year of Manufacture: 1943 / C&R
Caliber: 7.92x57mm (8mm Mauser)
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round magazine
Markings: The top of the receiver is marked with, “byf / 41”. The left side of the receiver is marked, “2894f / Mod.98”. The serialized parts are not all matching the receiver. There are various Reichsadlers and Waffenamt stamps throughout. The buttplate is marked, “brg 41” There is no import mark.
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 capped forend, hole for included cleaning rod, barrel band w/ sling bar, semi-pistol grip, straight comb, sling well & passthrough, bolt disassembly tool and steel buttplate. There are scratches and pressure dents throughout. There are several chips and chunks missing, especially around the through bolt. The grain of the stock is splitting from age. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. Overall the stock rates at about Fair overall condition as refinished. The cleaning rod is bent.
Type of Finish: Blued
Finish Originality: Refinished
Bore Condition: The bore is semi-bright and the rifling is pronounced. There is faint erosion and heavy lead fouling throughout. In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 8/10. The bore appears to have been polished.
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 95% of its metal finish. There is a moderate even patina and light rust freckling. The action has light wear. The screw heads show light to moderate use, the front action screw locking stud is broken. The markings are mostly clear with the smaller ones being slightly blurry. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good + condition as refinished.
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: Leather sling.
Our Assessment: The German K98k manufactured at Mauser-Werke Oberndorf bears the “byf” factory code used by the Oberndorf plant during early wartime production. The Karabiner 98k served as Germany’s primary infantry rifle throughout World War II and was built on the proven Mauser 98 controlled-round-feed action. The receiver marking on this example reads “byf / 41,” indicating production during the early years of the war at the Oberndorf facility. With its 23.5 inch barrel, tangent rear sight graduated to 2000 meters, and laminated military stock, the rifle retains the classic configuration associated with German service rifles of the period. Chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser, the powerful German service cartridge adopted in 1905, the K98k provided strong ballistic performance and battlefield reliability. This example retains approximately 95 percent of its refinished metal finish with moderate patina and scattered rust freckling visible. The bore is semi-bright with pronounced rifling and faint erosion, earning a rating of 8 out of 10 despite heavy fouling and evidence of polishing. The laminated stock shows significant wear including chips and missing wood around the through bolt area along with age-related grain splitting, placing it in Fair condition as refinished. The cleaning rod remains present but is bent.
Mechanically, the action functions correctly and cycles in accordance with the Mauser 98 design. Several serialized components are mismatched, and the front action screw locking stud is broken. Screw heads show light to moderate use, though most receiver markings, Waffenamt stamps, and factory codes remain identifiable despite some softening. Accompanied by a leather sling, this Oberndorf-produced K98k stands as a refinished wartime Mauser that reflects the wear and modifications often encountered on rifles that have passed through multiple decades of military service and later civilian ownership. -R.E.