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Even with the Spanish proof mark? I guess it doesn't mean anything because every piece has different numbers on them. No serial number matches.On the rifle shown above, that is a French Army sling cut in the left side of the butt of the stock. Or so it appears. They made this modification on many captured German K.98 rifles after WW2.
Without looking the rifle over more closely, I'm not sure what you've got there. It isn't exactly a Spanish M43, because it has a turned-down bolt handle which the stock is cut for. But it doesn't have a K.98 handguard. The stock has the round, metal fitting through the butt stock for firing pin take-down, which isn't seen on the Spanish M43, this is a typical German feature on the K.98. The bayonet fitting lacks the adapter that M43's were originally made with, although this was sometimes removed.Even with the Spanish proof mark?
As I understand it, they were equipped by the Germans, but also used captured weapons. From Blue Division Soldier, 1941-45: Spanish Volunteer on the Eastern Front, by C. Caballero Jurado: "Once in Germany, they were equipped, sworn in and were sent off to the front at the earliest opportunity." and "Although Spanish troops were impressed by the quality of arms with which the Germans equipped the Blue Division, they soon came to appreciate that Soviet weapons were often more reliable and hard-wearing."I don't know if the Blue Division supplied its own equipment or if they simply used German issued stuff.
It does have the cut out and the z stamps.Maybe a reworked Wz.29. Stock looks like a Wz.29 stock for sure. Handguard has dowel reinforcements. Is there a dowel reinforcement in the bolt cutout? Like this? Any circle Z stamps on the metal?
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