German WW2 K98 Canvas Receiver Cover (K98 Systemschutz)
Roughly, 40cm long and 30cm wide, woven blue/grey canvas construction K98 receiver cover with machine stitched seams, leather and natural steel fittings.
The cover has a full length, side opening with six, natural steel, studs to one side of the opening and six, corresponding, leather tabs, with cut-out eyelets, to the other side of the opening for securing the cover around the receiver.
The interior of the cover has a machine stitched on, protective, rectangular leather panel to each end and an additional two, dual-ply, blue/grey canvas, protective, rectangular panels positioned to the bolt end to provide additional protection.
One end of the cover is trimmed in leather to both the inside and outside edges while the other end of the cover has a roughly, 25mm wide strip of protective "horsehair" felt padding to the interior edge.
One of the interior protective leather sections is well marked with impressed waffen-amt and manufacturers code and date, "jqh 1942", indicating manufacture by Walter Krause Lederverarbeitungs-Industrie. Interior canvas also has a faint white inkstamp that appears to be, "Mod 98" indicating it was intended for use with the K98.
Overall excellent condition. These covers are very rare!
Last picture show how it was used, note that we borrowed this picture from the internet.
HISTORY:
The K98 receiver covers were originally developed on March 8TH 1938 and were intended to protect the K98 receiver mechanisms including the bolt, the trigger and trigger guard and the rear sight from becoming jammed with dirt and sand when the weapons were in transit. Regulations of July 1938 extended issued of the K98 canvas receiver covers to specialized personnel such as Dispatch riders, Motorcycle Infantry units and eventually Paratroopers on a limited basis. Later regulations introduced a second pattern K98 receiver cover that was basically identical to the first pattern but was constructed in waterproofed oilcloth. Of Note: Although the Luftwaffe had their own ordnance department under control of the RLM, Reichsluftfahrtministerium, (National Air Ministry), their primary focus was on aerial weapons and munitions with the basic ground based weapons obtained through the army’s ordnance department.
