Why was the "X" marked on RC / VoPo Lugers?

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by alanint

Quite the opposite. It takes far longer to rebuild individual weapons than it does to simply inspect, repair and issue.

And that premise simply does not jibe with the empirical evidence that I and most of the people I talk with have confirmed; Almost all RC capture firearms ARE MOSTLY, (if not all) MATCHING. Only sometimes small parts are force matched to achieve function. A complete takedown and rebuild for each weapon is against all logic and simply not how government arsenals would work;

They would take a stored weapon, inspect it, determine if it is serviceable or needs work. Add the parts that are necessary, test fire and out the door. You of course are going to run into basket cases that are going to be built up from a hodge-podge of parts, but they are the exception, not the norm.

Doug

How come that the vast majority of all the K98K that are being sold here are RC and have all the same reddish sort of stock, a new s/n written with an electric pen, the usual big "X" and sometimes the waffenamt cancelled, and believe me I don't want to contradict you Doug but they are NOT matching at all, apart from the fact that genuine matching K98K are practically non existent , I can assure you about that , I used to collect K98K and I had a biggish number of them in the safe at the time.

[alanint]

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

Doug

How come that the vast majority of all the K98K that are being sold here are RC and have all the same reddish sort of stock, a new s/n written with an electric pen, the usual big "X" and sometimes the waffenamt cancelled, and believe me I don't want to contradict you Doug but they are NOT matching at all, apart from the fact that genuine matching K98K are practically non existent , I can assure you about that , I used to collect K98K and I had a biggish number of them in the safe at the time.

The only theory I can offer you, Sergio, is that the premier surplus stocks are finding their way to our, (US) market, (the most important market for these types of surplus sales on earth), and your market is getting the leftover "basket case" junk that our importers passed over.

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by alanint

The only theory I can offer you, Sergio, is that the premier surplus stocks are finding their way to our, (US) market, (the most important market for these types of surplus sales on earth), and your market is getting the leftover "basket case" junk that our importers passed over.

Maybe you're right Doug about ... the basket case junk that your importers passed over..., I don't know for sure, I'm not an expert on anything, but let me say that it's pretty strange though.
In another forum long ago I "met" a young chap from the States that was stubbornly convinced to have a full original all matching K98K of Russian capture, and he affirmed that in the States full matching K98K were not difficult to find...
On the other side I've got some German friends that have started collecting K98K many years before me, and they are still collecting, but I remember that they confirmed what I said above.

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by Edward Tinker

thus why I wanted to be sure what we said on the FAQ was stated as best guesses or empirical evidence.

I go along with the premise that guns were stored in oil - I have talked to folks who went over to look at the Lugers and K98's and the plastic grips are made newer than the 40's.
Two separate guns

RC - usually dipped - grips replaced - many times matching - usually an 'x' on them - probably never used

Vopo - reconditioned and then used by the East Germans, usually matching either force matched or original, with vopo grips, matching, to include magazine (2/1001 marked magazine)

Absolutely true, although Ed doesn't need me to confim it, but absolutely here we are talking about two different catagories of pistols.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

Doug

How come that the vast majority of all the K98K that are being sold here are RC and have all the same reddish sort of stock, a new s/n written with an electric pen, the usual big "X" and sometimes the waffenamt cancelled, and believe me I don't want to contradict you Doug but they are NOT matching at all, apart from the fact that genuine matching K98K are practically non existent , I can assure you about that , I used to collect K98K and I had a biggish number of them in the safe at the time.

Well,
Italy and the US are a continent and an ocean apart.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are different "qualities" of RC weapons for sale, or were.

What one sees in any given market is the result of who, where, when, and how many were purchased at the time. JMHO.

[Sergio Natali]

Originally Posted by DonVoigt

Well,
Italy and the US are a continent and an ocean apart.
There is no doubt in my mind that there are different "qualities" of RC weapons for sale, or were.

What one sees in any given market is the result of who, where, when, and how many were purchased at the time. JMHO.

I agree if we talk about 1911 pistol, but about K98K I respectfully disagree, apart from me, I know that top notch German collectors in the past years have found a lot of people in the States genuinely enthusiast but perhaps not enough informed.

[DonVoigt]

Originally Posted by luger.parabellum

I agree if we talk about 1911 pistol, but about K98K I respectfully disagree, apart from me, I know that top notch German collectors in the past years have found a lot of people in the States genuinely enthusiast but perhaps not enough informed.

Not a question of being "informed" , only having eyes to see!

I totally resent your insult and implication that somehow "German collectors" have a corner on knowledge of firearms!

I would dare say that there are more "correct" K98 rifles in the US brought back from their former owners possession; not to mention the largest market in the world for surplus firearms, like the RC rifles.

You know not of what you speak.