My rather broad range of interests in collectable military surplus fireams is partly due to my fascination with different types of firearms and how they operate, as well as the diverse history. This rifle definitely fits in both of those categories.
The G98/40 name is odd, since the rifle is not derived from a Gewehr 98, nor is it even a Mauser. It is a German contract rifle made by Fémáru Fegyver és Gépgyár in Budapest. Presumably the design was accepted in 1940, hence the "40", but the reason for calling it a "G98" is a mystery. The German factory code for FEG was jhv and about 140,000 of these were made for the Germans from 1941-44.
The G98/40 is derived from the Hungarian 35.M, which had a straight bolt. In turn, the Hungarian 43.M was a direct derivation from the G98/40 with the only significant difference between the two being the nature of the bayonet lug. The German rifle accepted a standard M1884/98 bayonet, as used on the K98k.
The bolt is a cock-on-close type and the receiver has a split bridge design with a socket for the buttstock similar to a Lee-Enfield. The left locking lug of the bolt head also serves as the ejector. When the bolt is retracted, this moving element of the bolt head hits the bolt stop and ejects the empty cartridge case from the action.
G98/40s are relatively scarce, since few were made relative to the millions of K98k rifles, and probably many were destroyed or captured on the Eastern front. Many of these were used to fulfill Luftwaffe contracts, though the stocks do not bear the characteristic "L" seen in Luftwaffe contract K98k's.
Due to the scarcity, very fine condition matching examples bring around 3K and I'm honestly not quite
that interested. So, I'm happy to have snagged this one regardless of being mismatched with a lot of browning, as it fills a hole in my collection and allows me to examine one up close for a small fraction of the cost of an excellent condition matching rifle.
The bolt body is from an "l" block rifle, hence a 1944 G98/40, based on known serial number ranges.
The five digit serial number suggests the replacement floorplate is from a 43.M, since the German G98/40 SNs were up to four digits with a letter block suffix.
Ny = nyitva (literally "open", meaning ready to fire).
Z = zárva (closed, safe). These abbreviations indicated that the safety lever is from a 43.M.
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