Very good with traces of the blue finish still remaining overall, mostly in the protected areas of the rifle, with the exposed metal a gray patina finish, and the floor plate and trigger guard showing possible arsenal refurbishment.

Rifle is complete with an original cleaning rod and comes with a reproduction/new manufacture leather sling that incorporates the original sling swivels that came with the rifle. (Rifle is number 561cc, scope is numbered 533cc, very close in number!) It has a single elevation knob on top of the scope with a standard WWI type reticle with the four short aiming posts. Rifle is fitted with a WWI (non-matching) commercial scope (which were government procured for these conversions) that has an all blackish type finish that is marked on top of the scope tube with: 'A.G. The right side of the stock has two 'Crown/Letter' stock proofs below the takedown bolt. The handguard is the correct short pattern. The rifle has a full length walnut stock and handguard with the finger grooves on the sides of the stock, a single stock bolt, and a flat buttplate.

It is fitted with a standard inverted 'v' type fixed front sight with the large tangent ski-slope type rear sight. Bolt handle is the correct arsenal bent unit with correct proof marks at root of bolt handle.

It has the correct early style milled barrel bands, trigger guard and floor plate. The top of the receiver is covered with the scope base and is stamped with the 'German Eagle' firing proof on the left side of the receiver ring over the serial number. This is the later pattern sniper rifle that has the double claw front mount with the offset double claw rear mount. This is a late WWI GEW rifle that was arsenal converted into a WWI sniper rifle.

Mauser gewehr 98 serial numbers