What is this?

[qz2026]

This gun interests me a lot but I've got no idea what it is. BYF - Oberndorf. Ok, got it. But the "19 G 40" date has me scratching my head. Additionally on the side rail the "MOD. 98" kind of confuses me. I've seen "Mod 98" but not "MOD. 98". It looks refurbished and painted in black paint which in some places is wearing off. And, I wouldn't be surprised if the shank had not been scrubbed. The only thing on the shank are those two lines pictured. I thought for a while that this must be some sort of Turk but there isn't one Farsi symbol on the gun. I am pretty sure the import stamp says M38 and possibly GERMANY but I don't know. All I know is that the gun is labeled as an M38. The M38 is what sent me down the Turk rabbit hole. This is not a (byf) k98k. It is a full sized battle rifle. Could Oberndorf have been in the refurb or rebarreling business at one time? Any idea what the "G" means in the middle of the date?

Any ideas guys?

[capt14k]

That doesn't look original

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[ffuries]

Show the whole rifle, something is hinky here. Post war refurb or a Bubba refurb.....! Pictures will tell more.

[qz2026]

PK, here are some more pictures.

[steelbuttplate]

Is it a arsenal refurbed GEW ? 8mm ?

[qz2026]

Is it a arsenal refurbed GEW ? 8mm ?

Looks a lot like a Gew 98 but the MOD. 98 stamping is so deep that I just don't think the Gew 98 could have been scrubbed off and the new stamp (very deep) stamped over it. Yeah, it's 7.97mm.

[capt14k]

Definitely post war. Mauser didn't use capitalized BYF

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[millman]

Are those the only marks on it?

[qz2026]

Are those the only marks on it?

Yes

[millman]

I looked through every page of Ball's Mauser book and saw nothing like it. I'd hit up some of the Mauser forums. It would drive me crazy not knowing what it was.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Maybe somebody created it from a Turk Mauser?

[qz2026]

This is what some Mauser forums are saying. But, I see no Farsi or indications of this even on the rear sight blade. If a Turk M38, I have never seen a barrel stamped by the Turks like this and, of course, the import mark says nothing just M38 8MM. No country of origin... nothing. Any idea about the MOD. 98 stamping? Who did this? I suppose that a Gew98 stamp would be light enough to have been scrubbed. And it appears that the shank was scrubbed at some point to. The serial number perplexes me as well. And you may have something about "somebody created it". The metal looks painted and in various areas it is wearing off. The brass butt screws kind of confuses me as well. The strange wood screw in the barrel band could indicate Turk as well since many of these haven't come in the country with the appropriate screw intact, sometimes even missing which could be the case with this one. The matching numbers are perplexing as well as the apparent refinishing of the stock and perhaps even the metal. I have seen and owned very few matching Turks. Weird.

But, you are not the only one who says Turk though. Even in the other Mauser forums. This gun is for sale but for about $100 more than I'd be willing to pay. And this gun would need some conservation done to it to return it to what it is supposed to be.

[capt14k]

To me it is a fantasy piece and worth whatever a shooter would be worth. Maybe $300?

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[qz2026]

To me it is a fantasy piece and worth whatever a shooter would be worth. Maybe $300?

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Agree

[millman]

To me it is a fantasy piece and worth whatever a shooter would be worth. Maybe $300?

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Agree

I agree as well. I'd spend my 300 somewhere else.

[sheepdog]

Every stamp i see is wrong. Any others? Prop gun?$300??? Not from me. I'd be scared to shoot it.

[steelbuttplate]

Every stamp i see is wrong. Any others? Prop gun?$300??? Not from me. I'd be scared to shoot it.

There's no reason for all the detail for a prop, it looks like a commercial remake, kinda like some of the Mitchells Mauser. What is the bore condition ? Is the bolt numbered ? Does it have the Mauser locking screws ? Guns were taken up in Germany in what year ?

[qz2026]

Every stamp i see is wrong. Any others? Prop gun?$300??? Not from me. I'd be scared to shoot it.

There's no reason for all the detail for a prop, it looks like a commercial remake, kinda like some of the Mitchells Mauser. What is the bore condition ? Is the bolt numbered ? Does it have the Mauser locking screws ? Guns were taken up in Germany in what year ?

All of the outside numbers match. I don't know about the internals.
Bore - Nicely defined lands and grooves (There are no pictures of the bore and anymore, it is becoming more and more difficult to really understand some descriptions... I would expect a decent bore.
Serial numbers and locations - Left side Receiver "97211", Bolt Lever "7211", Sight Ladder notch "97211" Sight Ladder slider "211", Sight Ladder base "97211", Floor Plate "7211"
Other Markings - Right side Barrel in front of forend "PW ARMS REDMOND WA M38 8MM", Top of Receiver "BYF, 19 G 40", Left side of receiver to right of serial number "Mod.98" the "8" in that is double stamped.

The screws appear normal. No locking screws though. Screws are not numbered. The screws in the rear sling swivel are brass as are the screws in the butt stock. Kind of odd...

I don't know what you mean by "taken up in Germany in what year". If Turk, they had a long business relationship with Germany at least in the Gew98/Model 98 days. And being a PW ARMS import, there is no country designation in the stamping as there would have been from a Century import. And even Century would label Turks Germany or Turkey based on what methodology, I don't know...

I have no reason to think that it couldn't be a good shooter other than you never know about headspace. As others have said, it appears to be a fantasy gun. And I can't help but think that this was some sort of build but by who, I've got no idea.

[capt14k]

There is a designation in the stamping that PW bought it from Turkey. Turkey is the only country that would use M38 designation for a 8mm Mauser.

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[qz2026]

There is a designation in the stamping that PW bought it from Turkey. Turkey is the only country that would use M38 designation for a 8mm Mauser.

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I think the correct statement is that the importer would be the only one to use the M38 designation. But you are probably right. I had a 1954 ATF that had the same import stamp and goofy stamping on the receiver rail.

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So, I will have to conclude that this was some sort of Turk that was bubba'd at some point, I am just perplexed that there is not one indication on the gun that would indicate it was from the middle east. Other than a crest usually the sight blade gives it away. Of course sight blades can be replaced.