My new dot44/vz24 k98

[TEA]

Went to the gunshow yesterday here in Tampa, FL. It was k98 heaven. Lots of venders with different offerings. Seemed like anything in the $300 and lower range was reworked and mismatched. Was walking along and saw a fellow with 2 rifles in hand. Since I was keen on picking up a k98 that day his really caught my eye.



I stated looking it all over for mismatches and found none. So I bought it. I was offered more than what I paid by several collecters for it. Evidently necessity caused a vz24 receiver to be used to construct this rifle. NOT import marked, all matching #s. Not a rifle you see everyday! Bore is really bright and shiny. The story I was told was this fellas friend's Dad died and left him a nice firearms collection. His wife wont let him keep them so his buddy bought the collection from him and was selling off what he didn't want. Wierd thing is, I almost bought a nice looking mismatched Steyer k98 literaly a few minutes before I saw him walk by.

















I'd be super glad to provide more pics or info. Probly won't ever know what's up with the manufacture or how it got here but I'm happy to own it!

[BattleRifleG3]

Is that rear site original? Looks like it might be aftermarket. Everything looks nice though. Great find!

[TEA]

It's original according to all my research. At least it's not out of the realm that that site, without numbers, ends up on a dot44 rifle.

[TEA]

Here's a shot of the underside of the bolt. Looks to me like 2 side by side nazi eagles and one 63 proof.

[TEA]

Here's a post from a collector of Czech and Austrian made K98k's

Tea,

Very cool rifle, that is the first one that I have seen that used a VZ-24 receiver. I have seen other VZ-24's that were turned into K-98's but not like this one..

A brief history this variation: Robert Jensen wrote a KCN article in January of 1996 titled "Another unusual K98 variation". He does an overview that describes is this variation. If you want a scan of the article let me know and I will send it.

He indicates that these Brunn re-builds were built from battlefied damage or otherwise unservicable rifles. From observation of the ones that I have viewed it appears that only the salvaged receivers were used.

The rifles are rare, Jensen reported only three known examples back in 1996 consisting of an BYF43, AR44 and a BCD43. Since then it appears three more have surfaced a BYF41(my own), AR41 (from the RC lots)and yours built on a VZ receiver. The guns that have been located so far, including the ones in Jensen's study all exist between the AP and AQ letter blocks. It's probable that more of these exist in other alpha blocks. I'm sure there were more than six built, but know one knows how many.

The variation is disctinctive in the following ways:
1. The original serial numbers and proofing will have been ground off (in your case the E lion proofing on the left side) and no serial number added. You can see from the photo's attached that the recievers were scrubbed to different levels as the RC one has much more visible previous serial numbers.

2. The receivers were re-proofed using the smaller sized czech firing proof. Wa63 were placed in the center and right side of the reciever, just as they would have been located in standard DOT44's

The rest of the components are standard DOT44 production including the serial numbering on the barrel, dual alpha letter suffix and DOT 13 shield and Wa63's on the barrrel.

Its also interesting to note that they all contain a strike on the reciever for barrel indexing.

Stocks are predominantly white glue and should be marked "DOT" on the heel. Yours has that rear swivel that is were the mark should be. I have to agree with the previous opinion that the swivel was probably added post war. It would have been superflous on the weapon with the sling attachments already in the stock and bands. Otherwise, stocks and bands are numbered in typical DOT fashion.

I've been contacted by several collectors now and each recomends I do not fire it. Some have made offers from $1,000+ one said I might do quite well at auction.

Here's a few more picks that more accurately reflect the rifles appearance.









2 good things come out of this, I got a valuable collectable piece for $300 through the "gun show loophole" AND my daughter will now let me sell my Mitchel Arms stainless luger for a Nazi collectable.