German Kar 98a 8mm Mauser Spandau Bolt Action Rifle C&R 1908 w/Bayonet
SOLD FOR: $833
WOA#: WY240117CB049
Make: Spandau Arsenal
Model: Kar. 98a
Serial Number: 1327
Year of Manufacture: 1908
Caliber: 8mm Mauser (7.92x57mm)
Action Type: Bolt action, internal 5 round magazine
Markings: The left side of the receiver is marked with an Imperial eagle mark, “1327”, and “Kar. 98”. The top of the receiver is marked “7,92” with a crown, and “Spandau 1908”. The right side of the receiver is marked with three proof marks. The top of the bolt stop and the magazine follower are marked with a crown stamp and “27”. The bolt handle is marked “A 6761” and with two proof marks. The bottom of the magazine floor plate is marked with a crown stamp and “27”. The front of the trigger guard assembly is marked with two crown stamps and “1327”. The action screws are marked “27”. The undersides of the rear sight slide and rear sight escalator are marked “1327”. The top of the rear sight base is marked “1327” and “94”. The left side of the rear barrel band is marked “74” and “1327”. The stacking hook base is marked “27”. The left side of the front barrel band is marked “1327”. The top is marked “15”. The right side is marked with an acceptance stamp. The left side of the barrel is marked with a very small import mark. The left side of the front sight base is marked “27”. The right side is marked with an acceptance mark. The buttplate is marked “1327”. The left side of the bayonet crossguard is marked “M24” and with the Cyrillic letter ‘Be’. The right side is marked “50806”. The reverse side of the scabbard is marked with a triangle “BT3” factory mark.
Barrel Length: 24”
Sights / Optics: The front sight is a windage adjustable blade post set between two protective ears. The rear sight is a v-notch blade attached to a sliding escalator assembly.
Stock Configuration & Condition: The two piece wood stock has a semi-pistol grip, scallop for the bolt handle, finger grooves, nose cap with bayonet lug, stacking hook, barrel band, barrel band with sling bar, through bolt, sling well, sling pass through, bolt disassembly disk, and a metal buttplate. The buttplate is heavily pitted with areas of light oxidation throughout. There are compression marks, scuffs, and scratches throughout the wood. There is a repair at the rear of the receiver tang with what appears to be wood dowels that were then shaved to be mostly flush with the wrist. There are also a couple hairline cracks coming off of the repair. There is a long crack in the upper handguard that appears to have been repaired at some point. There is a small amount of separation between the buttplate and the buttstock around the edges of the heel. The LOP measures 13” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The stock rates in about Fair overall condition.
Type of Finish: Blue
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is dark and the rifling is defined. There is heavy erosion throughout the bore.
In this writer’s opinion, this bore rates 3.5 out of 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 55% of its metal finish. There are scuffs and scratches throughout the metal surfaces. The finish on the receiver is thin and most of it has been converted to a patina. There are large scratches on the top of the receiver bridge. There is pitting along the stock line on the receiver. The finish on the trigger guard assembly and magazine floor plate is very thin and there is pitting throughout. There is pitting on the barrel bands and the barrel exterior. The stacking hook has been re-welded onto the base. The screw heads show moderate use. The markings are mostly clear, though some have wear along their edges. Overall, this rifle rates in about Fair to Good 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: This rifle comes with a WWII era German S 109(j) bayonet.
Our Assessment: Starting with the Dreyse rifle, Prussia, and later Imperial Germany, had had a long history of creating carbine length versions of their primary bolt action service rifle. The Gewehr 98 was no exception and work on a carbine length variation began soon after its introduction. This led to the creation of the Kar. 98 (the ‘a’ was added post First World War). The Kar. 98a was a shorter Gewehr 98, with a turned down bolt handle that had a flat sided bolt knob, hinged forward barrel band, underside stacking hook, and a sling pass through in the buttstock. The Kar. 98a was very popular with German troops during the First World War and was famously used by German stormtroopers. This example was built by the Spandau Arsenal in 1908, which was the first year of production. The bolt is not original to the rifle or the model as it does not have a flat-sided bolt knob. But, most of the other parts have matching serial numbers. The stock has wear, with a very strange repair at the rear of the receiver tang that seems to have been done with wooden dowels. There is also a large crack in the upper handguard that appears to have been repaired. The metal retains some of its finish, though much of it has either been worn away, is very thin, or has been converted to a patina. The bore is very dark with heavy erosion, but the rifling is defined. The rifle also comes with a Second World War era German S 109(j) bayonet, which was a German conversion of a Yugoslavian conversion of an Imperial German M1898/05 a/A bayonet. A very odd bayonet, but it does still fit onto the rifle. These are a seldom seen rifle that paved the way for the famous K98k. This would fit into any German, Mauser, or First World War collection. Please see our photos.
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