Someone posted this on another board and I'd like to help him out, if possible. I've already asked him what the bore size is but haven't heard back yet. Anyway, here's his post:

I have no experience with anything other than some U.S. Military arms.
A coworker has a rifle he would like me to help identify. The rifle barrel is not caliber marked. He is mostly interested in this information.

On the left side of the receiver it is stamped Mod 98 toward the barrel is an eagle stamp. Below this stamp is 4406 over ak
On top of the receiver is stamped dot above an eagle (swastika?) and below that 63. Below that the year 1944
On top of the barrel which is stepped narrower towards the muzzle 4 times closest to the receiver is what looks like a shield with the number 13 in the lower portion. to the right of this shield is a large stamped FD
On the right side of the receiver are two more eagles (swastikas)
The top of the bolt handle is stamped 4406 over ak
The bottom of the bolt handle has the eagle over 63 twice. Once tiny and once larger.
4406 is stamped on the bolt collar and safety also.
The bolt release has a copper colored insert in it.
The magazine follower is stamped Lxr
Furthest forward on the trigger housing below the second of two mounting screws is stamped LU. Toward the middle of the housing and inch and a half forward of the hole in the guard is again stamped LU over 4406.
The stock has been replaced with a sporter stock and the rear sight is a Lyman adjustable peep.
Can someone help me with identifying the caliber of this rifle?
Thanks,
BTL

Anyway, it sounds like a wartime production rifle, can anyone tell me what factory, etc that it was made at?

Thanks

from what I can glean from "Mauser Military Rifles of the World", it's a Czech rifle made under German occupation at Brno.

maybe either a 33/40 Carbine, or a 98K Carbine- as you describe the "dot over the eagle" on the the receiver, the book calls this a sniper version of the 98K Carbine, and it has a 4 digit date at the bottom- but no 2 digit number below the eagle.

the other example, the 33/40, has a small 3 digit number over "dot", and the 4 digit date at the bottom.

so all that can be deduced from what I have here is that it is perhaps a 98K or 33/40 made in Brno.
as the position and number of markings don't exactly match those on your rifle.

this page-

http://users.swing.be/sw017995/k98kmarkings.htm

identifies a "dot 63 1944" receiver as being made by Waffen Werke Brünn A.G., Brünn. the numbers on the sides of those receivers don't match yours.

this page-

http://www.radix.net/~bbrown/codes_full_alpha_a-b.html

identifies an "ak" code as Munitionsfabriken (formerly Sellier u. Bellot, Prague), Vlasim, Czechoslovakia.

I wonder if "Brunn" is just the Germanicized spelling of Bruno?

if the rifle still has the original stepped barrel, it's an 8mm.

That's a ton more info than I started out knowing, thanks a bunch for that.

Brno yes, but definately not a 33/40.

Most likely just a 98K.

flaco

dot is the code for Brno.

33/40s were only built '40-'42.

After that they built the 98Ks.

flaco

I think you're right, flaco (see additions above). looks like a Brno 98K.

Can you post photos?

quote:

Originally posted by D Humbarger:
Can you post photos?

Nope, I've never seen it.

fjold:

I know that this is an older post but I think I can help. It is most definitely a wartime 98k produced at Brno. It should have the 'dot' code but I don't see that in your description. However, there are a few documented rifles issued in this serial range by Brno that don't have the dot code but were made from recycled receivers.

The rifle is in the "au" serial block.

I am not a gunsmith but actually a military collector. Hope this helps.