Please Help! Information on this German WWII Era K98 would be appreciated

[anton67]

Thank you for your input.
I just want to know for sure whether the bolt was re-stamped to match by someone other than the German army.
And if so I would like to know how one can tell.

Also what would account for the trigger guard and floor plate being replaced?

Here is information regarding the Waa stamps.
Here is what I have found.
77 is marked on the: Receiver (next to the 3 swastikas); bolt stop (top); Rear of the bolt; under the bolt handle; under the safety;
Waa623 is marked on the: Barrel (right side); stock; muzzle band;
Waa497 is marked on the butt plate.

There are NO import marks.

Hope this helps.

[anton67]

Update: Also marked 77 on bolt sleeve and firing pin.

[anton67]

I took the bolt apart and found that the firing pin was also re-stamped (7 over 2).

At the suggestion of another member I posted it on the K98K forum and here is what they said:
bolt assembly was most likely renumbered at the factory before final acceptance. anybody's guess about the bottom metal but since the band spring is missing, other parts could have gone missing too since that rifle came into this country. there are plenty of k98k parts around.

[anton67]

For informational purposes, I was told on the K98K forum: The bolt assembly was most likely renumbered at the factory before final acceptance. Steyr had big problems with marking. Crooked, mistakes and such happened on the regular. They would do this. The font and correct acceptances are what has us thinking it's a corrected factory error.

There would be specific stamps if it were arsenal reworked and I haven't seen any.

e/77 is Radom and at this time they were in full supply mode to Steyr with a wide variety of parts. e/623 is Steyr so no problems there either.

Would anyone remove the Tung oil or leave it be?

[Tuna]

Are you sure it's Tung oil and not a poly like varnish? It can be removed but what would you replace it with?

[Emri]

I'm late to the party but, Nice Rifle !! Leave the stock finish alone, it looks fine. I can tell you this after looking at your pics; that rifle has not been out of that stock for a LONG time.

FWIW,

Emri

[dave]

Laminated stocks left the factory with no finish. It was not necessary as the "glue' is a epoxy which is water proof. The butt plate has been blued and I suspect the rest of the metal has also. If so it was some time ago, hard to tell from pictures. Real K98k collectors would not buy it at any price. Of course they are a real picky bunch!