Mauser Kar98k Portuguese Contract

Description

Offered for sale is this interesting & hard to find example of an early 'C series' Portuguese contract Mauser Kar98k which was diverted into Wehrmacht service instead of being sent to the Portuguese which is all correct & matching! Produced for the Portuguese, they were designated as the model M937-A by the Nazis. These are marked with MAUSER-WERKE A.G. OBERNDORF A.N in place of where the usual Mod. 98 would ordinarily be. The quality of these rifles is well known as these were still an export model & so were finished to a higher standard than the K98's destined for German service. They were also known for the solid walnut stock, even after production changed to the laminated stock. Although originally destined for Portugal, some were instead requisitioned by the Nazis & diverted to the Luftwaffe & Wehrmacht as their war needs took priority over exporting to a neutral country. The overall design is almost identical to the Kar98k with some small differences & chamber the same 7.92mm ammunition. On the receiver ring is the Portuguese crest & dated stamp along with the year of the contract. This rifle is from the original 1937 contract as identified by the stamp below the Portuguese coat of arms. Within collector communities, the 1937 contract is considered the most desirable. This is an example of what is often called a 1st Contract Portuguese contract Kar98k rifle. Correctly, there are Nazi firing proofs (the eagle with outstretched wings over the swastika) everywhere including the left side which has clearly visible Nazi firing proofs ahead of the serial number & the right side is marked with three "eagle/63" proof marks. These proofs are highly relevant as they were only placed on by the Wehrmacht when the rifle was accepted into service & not placed on rifles which ended up in Portugal. Another indicator of Nazi wartime service is the lack of the Portuguese crest on the left side of the stock near the butt plate. These crests were only put on by the Portuguese once in Portuguese service, so the lack of this indicates it never made it to Portugal but was retained in Nazi Germany. Many Portuguese Kar98's which were retained by the Nazi's ended up with the Luftwaffe although there is no evidence this is one of these although there is evidence of having seen service! This rifle is in good genuine condition & comes complete with the original sling & 10'' cleaning rod. Portuguese contract Kar98k's have always been desirable & highly collectable rifles, especially those known to have served in the Wehrmacht so this would make an excellent addition to any serious Kar98k collection. Do your own research & you will know if this is for you. Please view the photos carefully & make your decision based on what you see as they form the main description & override all written information. Ask for more if desired. We think we have described it accurately & correctly but do not claim to be infallible so if we have got anything wrong, it is unintentional & are happy for feedback from people who know more than we do. Whilst we check these out for serviceability, the warranty has expired & this is sold on an 'as is' basis. As with all used guns, we recommend you have this checked by a suitably qualified person prior to shooting. We have a pretty unique refund policy on our collectable guns whereby we will refund your money if it is not as described when you receive it. Just let us know before you send it back. Call for shipping cost to your dealer.    

Specifications