Manufactured at the very tail end of the WWII, the VG-98 was part of the "Volkswaffen" (People's Weapon) series of armaments, intended to gear up German 2nd line defensive formations without diverting higher quality armaments still needed by the main formations of the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS. Most of the units destined to receive these weapons were "Volksturm" (People's Storm or People's Assault), which consisted mostly of men too old and boys too young to be properly drafted. When the war came to an end, few VG98s were picked up by Allied trophy hunters since they weren't as "pretty" as the more common 98k or mechanically novel like some other Volks weapons, resulting in very few being available on the contemporary American market. The heart of the VG98 is a Model 98 receiver, with crude fixed sights, a roughly finished barrel, and a one-piece stock. Tack welded blade front and dovetailed notch rear sights, a numbered barrel and a rough machined matching numbered bolt without a guide rib. The stock fully encloses the magazine, with a "U" bend steel trigger guard, wire sling swivel and a naked butt. Provenance: The Thomas Whiteman Collection

Very good, with 70% of the thinning blue finish on the receiver, showing a refinished mixed artificial brown patina on the barrel, a small amount of pitting, and scattered spotting and handling marks. The stock is very good, with mild scrapes and dings. Mechanically very good.