wwii axis reenactment forum

Does anyone know for fact what color K98 rifles where issued in.
Where they of a lite color or dark as seen today?
I just purchased a Mitchell Mauser from a friend of mine cheap.
The stock is lite in color (natural wood) of course there was a certificate that came with the rifle.
It states that it was a recently found weapon made in a concentration camp under the watchful eye of the SS.
Which is total bull shit. But I really don't know for fact what color the rifles were issued in.
I'm sure 70 years of ageing takes away from the original appearance of the true color.
Also looking for suggestions on books on the subject.

pm sent

Alot of the laminate stocks started life very blonde. So did much of the hardwood stocks. The colour you see today is 70 years of oil, crap, muck, storage grease/oil, and in some cases dirty horrible russian shellac.

iirc all of "Mitchell's Mausers" come with bolts that have been struck white. This is incorrect for WW2 period Mauser rifles used by the Heer, SS, LW, whatever.

If this is true with your rifle, I would advise taking the bolt to a reputable gunsmith who has the ability to hot blue the bolt. Cold bluing at home doesn't look right and doesn't last as long.

In regards to the stocks, as issued the stocks were often blonde with late produced rifles (1944) and so on. I wrote my thesis for my bachelor degree on Wochenschau films from 1944-45, and I distinctly remember one of the films had a segment on the "Vereidigung" of new Volksgrenadiere. They swore the oath and were handed new rifles. This was DW Nr. 748, which is available for all to view on Youtube.com. One can see how "light" SOME of the stocks were as issued to the men.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4o3Z4ZD-KU

Hope this helps.
-PK

..But bear in mind that a very popular German field 'treatment' for stocks was old engine oil ! ...this would darken the woodwork fairly rapidly, ( have you ever had Diesel engine oil on your hands ? ! )...also I have heard it mentioned more than once that the resulting dark coloured wood was preferred by the average landser, lots of wartime photos show dark woodwork rather than pale.. ultimately however the main point was to protect the thing with what was available

"Backbone of the Wehrmacht" by Bernard Law is a great source for 98k information. Most earlier 98k rifles were stained regardless of whether they were laminate or hardwood. As mentioned by some of the other guys, later (late 43 thru 45) in the war many but not all stocks were issued unstained. Another cost saving proceedure no doubt. Most Kriegsmodell 98k stocks were of the blond unstained version. Stock sub-contractors supplied both versions as well.
Nothing is absolute. I have an unissued 1940 laminated Kriegsmarine marked stock that is blond, a 1941 Walnut stock that is stained but rather light in color, and several kriegsmodell & semi kriegsmodell versions unstained.

mauser98

First off I wanted to thank you all for your input...great info! Keep it coming!!
Second her are some war time photos from Signal that shows difference in stock color.





Most seem to be brown in color.
I will post pictures of my war time k98 and the Mitchell Mauser a bit later.
I was lucky in the fact that I got one with a blued bolt.
I also only paid about $150 for the rifle it came (from friend) with an original sling and 85 rounds(with stripper clips) a Russian cleaning kit and Russian ammo pouches.Original German Cleaning rod and sight cover.
Total cost $300
I would not recommend this rifle, the stock is an inch shorter.The bluing is to dark (over pitting).Pretty sure it has been re stamped to have all matching numbers.This rifle on the site is $800.If I would have paid that I would have been very Piss off.
But as I see it.It will make a decent field rile to muck up.

Show your K98!
The first one is a byf 43 mismatch.
Second is the Mitchell Mauser bzn 42.