Can anybody offer me any help or assistance in trying to figure out the rarity or value of this rifle? It’s at my local auction and I was considering bidding on it but didn’t know the value. These photographs are from the auction house and I’ll try to get better ones tomorrow if it is available for viewing Otherwise it does look a little bit rough. Thank you for any and all input.
(https://i.ibb.co/JHx2n5B/IMG-3441.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/fqwbTcQ/IMG-3440.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/YDJm0PQ/IMG-3439.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/JkpdkF0/IMG-3438.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/ryjB7LF/IMG-3433.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/fGKb8bM/IMG-3437.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/tJk03fY/IMG-3434.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/VvCSJFV/IMG-3435.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
(https://i.ibb.co/QKjssXp/IMG-3436.jpg) (https://imgbb.com/)
Produced at Gustloff Werke in late summer of 1944. Barrel code is correct for a bcd. Cupped buttplate stock is correct. GW was still using milled bands, so that stamped one seems out of place. GW used sub-contractors that stamped parts with single letters. The recoil lug should have an “f” if it’s a GW original stock, and barrel bands should have an “l”.
The chipped finish on the buttstock made me wonder about a Russian Capture but there’s no SN on the buttstock or crossed rifles. I don’t see an import mark where Century placed them (right side, end of barrel).
Hopefully you can inspect it closely today.
Edit: info from Karem & Steve’s Karabiner 98k Vol. IIb
You can see examples of the small single letters sub-contractor codes on my GW.
https://sks-files.com/index.php?topic=6965.0
Of course the buttplate etc. are different on my earlier production GW than the ‘44 you were examining.