My New Russian Captured German 98k

[RI_John]

Just got this 30 minutes ago in the mail, came home to meet UPS guy. Wow. Nice rifle!

Gustloff Werke factory, 1940 German 98k Russian captured, with 2 Nazi style eagles over swastika markings.

My camera seriously sucks, I did the best I could with it!

Bad picture, 1940 is very clear in real life-

2 Eagles/Swastikas

 

[majspud]

Welcome to the club; I've got five and counting. Now time for some serious cleaning and refurbishment if you are of a mind to do so. PM me if you need help; I've restored three myself.

MS

 

[pernox]

Mind sharing what you paid for that beauty? I think a k98 is my next purchase, and I'd LOVE to have a captured gun.

Nice find! We expect a full range report, btw.

 

[RI_John]

Mind sharing what you paid for that beauty? I think a k98 is my next purchase, and I'd LOVE to have a captured gun.

Nice find! We expect a full range report, btw.

$395 + shipping. PM for where if you want.

Range report when I get back from Maine- I'm taking the 98k and my newly acquired 1943 SA Garand to Maine to shoot between deer hunting excursions up there over T-giving.

 

[massgun]

Looks pretty nice to me. I've been thinking about getting one, but I don't know much about them. I certainly would like one from the WW2 years with nazi markings and without import stamps. What is the significance of Russian capture? I'm sending a PM requesting where you got it from, I have a C&R license, so that should make the sale pretty easy.

 

[RI_John]

Looks pretty nice to me. I've been thinking about getting one, but I don't know much about them. I certainly would like one from the WW2 years with nazi markings and without import stamps. What is the significance of Russian capture? I'm sending a PM requesting where you got it from, I have a C&R license, so that should make the sale pretty easy.

the Russian capture mausers were just that, Germans invading Soviet Union, and the German rifles were captured/taken. Then the Russians refurbed all of them! Can't get matching #'s, etc. I'm sure someone else knows more of the history. I'm just getting into the WWII 98ks.

 

[majspud]

Hold the phone. Perhaps a little background on Mauser collecting would be helpful here.

A RC Mauser is entry level fun. The Russians captured literally millions of K98s. They lay in storage for a few years until the 50s when the Reds realized they were in an us-versus-them cold war. They stripped down all the rifles, throwing the pieces into piles by types, cleaned and refurbished them, reassembled them, and stored them again for future use by partizans or home guards. There was no effort made to reassemble matching pieces. In an early arms reduction effort, the Russians claimed to have destroyed their K98s, but they merely removed the capture screws, cleaning rods, and sight hoods and pretended they did. Some of these pieces were retained, and some melted down for other uses. Some rifles have the "X" capture cross, some don't. Some have German markings peened out, and some don't. After the fall of the wall and the New Russia needing Western $$, they began emptying out their warehouses. Average cost $300-$350, and going up. You can go nuts restoring these to close to original configuration; plan on spending another $300 to do it right. Original slings ($80-$300) and original cleaning rods ($65-$150) are available. Reproductions are cheaper.

Slightly upscale, is a "Mitchell Mauser." This company refurbishes and refinishes RC Mausers. This company has a bad rep as they claim these rifles are original German, when they are RCs. Most serious collectors won't touch them, but they have their place. If you want someone else to clean up a Mauser for you and don't care too much about authenticity, you can get in for $400; $600 for prime examples, more for code selection, or SS, etc. Though at this price they step into the next level of fun.

The next level of fun is a returning veteran bring back. These rifles are all matching except the bolt. When a GI and his trophy came hame on the boat, he had to surrender the rifle's bolt to his sergeant to prevent "accidents" on the way home. He picked up another bolt on his way down the gangplank. Almost always, the bolt didn't match. These rifles go for $500-1000 depending on code. Many are "duffel cut," that is the stock was sawn in two, usually behind the lower band so it would fit into a GI duffel bag. You can get a beautiful bolt MM rifle for the cost of a RC is you're willing to take a chance to fix it. I did, and for $330 and $30 in hardware supplies have a great rifle. I have a thread here on how I did it.

The highest level is an all matching bring back. These go for $1000-$3000 depending on code and condition. Many auction and retail sites available. The gunboards K98 forum is a great way to learn. Or pick the brain of someone who knows. If I could have a second chance, I would have passed on the Mitchell I got as my second K98 for a bolt MM instead. Problem is I knew nobody to ask at the time, and was not a forum member until later.

MS

 

[RI_John]

Hold the phone. Perhaps a little background on Mauser collecting would be helpful here.

A RC Mauser is entry level fun. The Russians captured literally millions of K98s. They lay in storage for a few years until the 50s when the Reds realized they were in an us-versus-them cold war. They stripped down all the rifles, throwing the pieces into piles by types, cleaned and refurbished them, reassembled them, and stored them again for future use by partizans or home guards. There was no effort made to reassemble matching pieces. In an early arms reduction effort, the Russians claimed to have destroyed their K98s, but they merely removed the capture screws, cleaning rods, and sight hoods and pretended they did. Some of these pieces were retained, and some melted down for other uses. Some rifles have the "X" capture cross, some don't. Some have German markings peened out, and some don't. After the fall of the wall and the New Russia needing Western $$, they began emptying out their warehouses. Average cost $300-$350, and going up. You can go nuts restoring these to close to original configuration; plan on spending another $300 to do it right. Original slings ($80-$300) and original cleaning rods ($65-$150) are available. Reproductions are cheaper.

Slightly upscale, is a "Mitchell Mauser." This company refurbishes and refinishes RC Mausers. This company has a bad rep as they claim these rifles are original German, when they are RCs. Most serious collectors won't touch them, but they have their place. If you want someone else to clean up a Mauser for you and don't care too much about authenticity, you can get in for $400; $600 for prime examples, more for code selection, or SS, etc. Though at this price they step into the next level of fun.

The next level of fun is a returning veteran bring back. These rifles are all matching except the bolt. When a GI and his trophy came hame on the boat, he had to surrender the rifle's bolt to his sergeant to prevent "accidents" on the way home. He picked up another bolt on his way down the gangplank. Almost always, the bolt didn't match. These rifles go for $500-1000 depending on code. Many are "duffel cut," that is the stock was sawn in two, usually behind the lower band so it would fit into a GI duffel bag. You can get a beautiful bolt MM rifle for the cost of a RC is you're willing to take a chance to fix it. I did, and for $330 and $30 in hardware supplies have a great rifle. I have a thread here on how I did it.

The highest level is an all matching bring back. These go for $1000-$3000 depending on code and condition. Many auction and retail sites available. The gunboards K98 forum is a great way to learn. Or pick the brain of someone who knows. If I could have a second chance, I would have passed on the Mitchell I got as my second K98 for a bolt MM instead. Problem is I know nobody and was not a forum member until later.

MS

+x for you! Fantastic info- Thanks!

 

[majspud]

Anyone wanting to get into Mausers, I'm probably going to sell my Mitchell, and use the proceeds to get a bolt MM to replace it. It is a 1940 code 147 (JP Sauer). A beautiful rifle, no "X," no problems, and shoots great, but I'm now interested in higher levels of authenticity. Mitchell may say/advertise otherwise, but the rifle is a restored, restamped RC. I'll put it in the WTT/WTS at some point.

MS

 

[MAPMFF.]

Anyone wanting to get into Mausers, I'm probably going to sell my Mitchell, and use the proceeds to get a bolt MM to replace it. It is a 1940 code 147 (JP Sauer). A beautiful rifle, no "X," no problems, and shoots great, but I'm now interested in higher levels of authenticity. Mitchell may say/advertise otherwise, but the rifle is a restored, restamped RC. I'll put it in the WTT/WTS at some point.

MS

hmmmmmm

 

[George D]

Anyone wanting to get into Mausers, I'm probably going to sell my Mitchell, and use the proceeds to get a bolt MM to replace it. It is a 1940 code 147 (JP Sauer). A beautiful rifle, no "X," no problems, and shoots great, but I'm now interested in higher levels of authenticity. Mitchell may say/advertise otherwise, but the rifle is a restored, restamped RC. I'll put it in the WTT/WTS at some point.

MS

Great info in this thread +98 for you!

 

[majspud]

RCs available

In passing I have found 13 RC Mausers available. Nice selection of codes and dates, prices on the high side. Will probably be gone tomorrow. PM for info.

MS

 

[improman]

k-98 best deal going

AFTER all the years of having every kind,type of rifle,ive made a complete circle,going back to a bolt action and getting a mauser k-98.I KICKED myself for all the years of over-looking them.THE inexpensive romainian steel cased ammo $100.00+ for 340rounds is what motivated my purchase plus theres a few ww2 rifle matches that i wanted to try.**********WAS Where i bought the first 1 for 275.00 it was dealer price though.I GOT the ammo deal from ***********in ILL.680 rounds in 2 sealed cans for around 220.00 delivered.I took it to the range and set up @ 50 yds with a 2ftx2ft paper with a 1/2 inch orange dot in the center.IT SHOT 18 inches high...,,,DAMM not anyway to lower the rear sight any more...SO AFTER a few more rounds i decided it was,nt me..IT Definitly need a higher front sight,,,so i found 1 from??? internet sight $18.00 deliverd..FILE N FIT TAP TAP LEFT -RIGHT ok back to the range..this time i had a peice of 1/2 steel at 300 yds...where you could see the balls hit.first few were low so i took the rear sight up the slide too 300 yards/meters,,,then right dead on every shot.NOW - for the trigger pull..i decided to replace it with a sportsman trigger from timney,so theres not that long deadspace swing before theres resistance,,wow nice now,,,2-3 lbs...but what a time doing the replacement the first time with a peice of paper for instructions that werent totally saying what diagram b or whatever was.NOT KNOWING how but finally figureing it out... add metal or take it off some INSIDE the bolt.The problem was that the safty wouldnt go back too safe.BEFORE this is figuring how to disassemble the bolt..HOW IN THE HELL?? HMMM so i went to YOUTUBE,and there it was a lil 5 minute movie of the disassembly AND NOW I know what the hole with the metal is that goes through the stock is for...check it out on there ill leave it for your surprise to discover...SO i bought a rcbs die some brass and some 170 grain sierra spitzers using winchester 760...first shot with them on a bench 50 yards dead center in a 1/2 orange dot...now to swage some military brass and use boxer primers thats non corrosive and pull some romainian bullets apart with the kinetic bullet puller and use the powder and ball right on top of a boxer primer to save hurring up to clean the gun...BUT THATS the beauty of these military rifles they can be a very rewarding lil prodject that feeds the mind,and doesnt kill your pocketbook.