This is an extremely rare, pre-war K98 rifle that was manufactured by the Mauser factory that is fitted with one of the rare experimental/prototype Ureaformaldehyde (red plastic resin) stock and hand guard. This rifle is all correct and all original with an original "matching" numbered and proofed stock! The buttstock itself is correctly stamped on the right side below the takedown washer with a "Eagle/H" proof showing acceptance by the German Army over a double "Eagle WaA 211" acceptance proof, with an additional proof inside the pistol grip area. The underside of the stock is correctly numbered (matching) "283/C" over a double Eagle/211 Waffenamt proof. The barrel channel inside the stock and underside of the handguard are both correctly numbered "283" (matching). These stocks/rifles were manufactured on a very limited experimental or test basis only by the Mauser Werke factory at Borsigwalde and it is estimated that only a few hundred in total were produced for field evaluation/testing. This was an attempt by the German armaments ministry to develop wartime expedient materials and production methods to increase rifle manufacturing capability. The receiver is stamped: "S/243/1937" which is the secret wartime code for the Mauser/Borsigwalde factory over 1937 for the year of manufacture. The right and left sides of the receiver are correctly proofed with the early Mauser droop wing firing proofs with the correct "Eagle/211" Waffenamt proofs. The side wall has the block "MOD 98", markings. The various major parts/components, i.e. rear sight base, trigger guard, floor plate barrel bands etc. all have the correct "Eagle 211" Waffenamt acceptance proofs with correct matching serial umbers. It has the original matching bolt assembly with a renumbered safety lever that appears to be original to the rifle as it has the same level of overall wear and usage. The stock itself is the original red resin stock that is composed of a hollow fabric base, laminated with plastic resin strips molded to the shape of the K98 stock, with a lacquer finish. To help in strengthening the stock an aluminum liner has been inserted in the sling slot and a flat butt plate has been screwed on the plastic molded in cupped butt plate. Similar proofs of a plastic stocked rifle are depicted on page 278 of "Backbone of the Wehrmacht". One of the most convincing evidence of how rare these composition 98K stocks are is that the U.S. Army published a "ETO Technical Intelligence Report", (dated 1-17-45) that depicts one of these red "plastic composition" 98K rifle stock. These attempts to use a plastic stock rifle proved to be unacceptable to the German Army and most were destroyed either during or after testing, consequently very few are know to exist today which would make this the center piece of any WWII German K98 rifle collection.

Fine with 50% plus of the original blued finish still remaining overall with the blued finish on the exposed metal thinning and showing blue loss from actual field use. The stock and handguard are actually both in very fine condition showing excellent original proofs and cartouches with old, original minor/light pressure dents, scratches and dings overall also from actual field use. As noted this rifle has all matching numbered parts except the safety lever which appears to be a factory over-stamp as it has the same exact blue finish and wear as the rest of the rifle. Just a super rare virtually impossible to find original pre-WWII K98 rifle with the red phonetic resin stock and handguard.