New 98k Mauser

[southshoresig]

I just got my 1942 BYF 98k from XXXX, it is as nice as described except for horrible varnish job by russians. What should I use to get stock looking right? Where can I buy a sling,cleaning rod and capture screws to complete this rifle? Who's selling surplus 8mm ammo?
Thanks in advance

 

[USMA-82]

PM sent!

 

[SKS Ray]

Welcome to the K98 refurb club. I finished mine and it wasn't half as hard as I thought. The Russian shelac finish is pretty durable. I used a paint stripper designed to remove paint from plastic bumpers that I use in my body shop and it worked great w/out damaging the wood. Standard aerosol citrus based paint strippers found at Lowes, Home Depot, etc will work too, just remember to scrub real good with watyer and an SOS type scouring pad later. Let the stock dry over night and tung oil away untill you get the finish you want. I used 4 coats.
E Bay is the best source for goodies to complete the rifle. I got a front sight hood in a parts lot I won, along with capture screws and the cleaning rod. The sling is a diferent story. Some people like the Israeli K98 slings because they look similar to the German ones but I wound up posting a WTB thread on Gunboards and had an E Bay seller (LibertyTreeCollectors) contact me and offer me a post war German one for $40 so I jumped on the deal. K98 slings on E Bay often fetch prices of $60+ and the repros look too fake IMO. I've got one that I'll let go for $10 shipped if you want it.

 

[Chuck]

Hey USMA-82, can you post all your great suggestions here as well?! I remember "most" of what you told me when I showed you my new-to-me 98K. I have the wallpaper troughs, denatured alcohol, and green scrubbing pads waiting in the basement -- waiting for time! One thing though, I used one of the pads to clean something, and noticed the water turned a little green -- is that normal with these things or did I get some shit variety at Stop-n-Shop?

And thanks M4M, I would like to get a sling and I'll follow your suggestions. If only the darn cleaning rods were not so expensive as well!

thanks,
Chuck

 

[Dirtypacman]

Pic Pic Pic --- We want a Pic!!

 

[USMA-82]

Chuck:

I will bow to the superior rifle finishing skills of Milsurps4Me. Whatever he does, the pictures he posts here and elsewhere are unbelieveable.

Here's one place you could get some reasonably-priced (repro) K98 stuff:

http://www.landser.com/k98_?b=1

But also check all the other standard "parts places":

www.e-gunparts.com
www.ssporters.com
www.tngunparts.com
www.sarcoinc.com

Don't worry about the water turning green - what matters is that you get the old finish off, and have it ready for the new finish. Don't rush it, and make sure it dries out completely before hitting it with the tung oil or other.

Ken

 

[Pilgrim]

I have one 98k - byf 44 - and without the 'cleaning rod'.

When I bought it there were other Mausers in the rack and the dealer decided I could take a rod from one of the others there. I appears that there are several different lengths and at least 2 different diameters of rods and none of those there fit.

Someday, maybe I'll find the right one, but since the rod must be removed to mount the bayonet (I have a nice one) and I think it looks cooler to have the sticker on the end than having a rod there.

 

[levergun]

I picked up a 41 CE K98 last week. It's on of the Isreali ones. I think I'm gonna keep mine w/ the varnish though.

 

[Dirtypacman]

Pilgrim she is a beauty!

 

[southshoresig]

Thanks for all the great info. I'll try to post some pics, but don't have a working camera right now. I took it shooting yesterday with some romanian? surplus I bought at Zero Hour. It was in 15 round boxes on 3 stripper clips. The box was marked 1955, and every other round failed to fire, unless I rechambered and tried it again. They all shot the second time. Anyone ever had any trouble with this ammo, I'm going to try some different as soon as I find some, but otherwise a real blast to shoot! Anyone know another source for surplus 8mm?

 

[JuergenG]

I have one 98k - byf 44 - and without the 'cleaning rod'.

When I bought it there were other Mausers in the rack and the dealer decided I could take a rod from one of the others there. I appears that there are several different lengths and at least 2 different diameters of rods and none of those there fit.

Someday, maybe I'll find the right one, but since the rod must be removed to mount the bayonet (I have a nice one) and I think it looks cooler to have the sticker on the end than having a rod there.

Nice rifle !
The early German cleaning rods are 10", the later ones are 12" in length.
There shouldn't be any difference in diameter. The Spanish rods are much thicker than the German ones.

 

[SKS Ray]

Thanks for all the great info. I'll try to post some pics, but don't have a working camera right now. I took it shooting yesterday with some romanian? surplus I bought at Zero Hour. It was in 15 round boxes on 3 stripper clips. The box was marked 1955, and every other round failed to fire, unless I rechambered and tried it again. They all shot the second time. Anyone ever had any trouble with this ammo, I'm going to try some different as soon as I find some, but otherwise a real blast to shoot! Anyone know another source for surplus 8mm?

That sounds like Yugo ammo. The 50's production stuff has always been said to have some failure to fire issues. The 70's production ammo is supposed to be way better. You can tell the date by the headstamp on the shell.
I have a bunch from both production times and have never had problems with it.
I'm guessing you took the bolt apart and cleaned inside. Tough to get at cosmolene can gum up the spring and firing pin and can cause light primer hits, especially when its cold out.
I use a big over sized nylon brush to get inside and free up all the crud I can before blowing it out with compressed air and re-assembling. Soaking in Ed's Red will loosen any hard to get at spots and get the parts clean.
Everything you could ever want to know about Mauser bolts, and Ed's Red can be found at Surplusrifle.com
Try Collector's Gallery for ammo. They have a lot of different types.

 

[Joe R.]

Thanks for all the great info. I'll try to post some pics, but don't have a working camera right now. I took it shooting yesterday with some romanian? surplus I bought at Zero Hour. It was in 15 round boxes on 3 stripper clips. The box was marked 1955, and every other round failed to fire, unless I rechambered and tried it again. They all shot the second time. Anyone ever had any trouble with this ammo, I'm going to try some different as soon as I find some, but otherwise a real blast to shoot! Anyone know another source for surplus 8mm?

Was the color of the cases green or brass? The only stuff from that date and on strip clips is Yugo and it's brass. Most of the Romanian stuff is green steel case with red sealant and no strips. I use the Yugo not on strips and have never had a round not go off the first try. At the least, take the bolt apart and clean out the striker area - could be some cosmolene causing drag.

Joe R.

 

[southshoresig]

It was brass, so it must be yugo. I did clean the cosmo out before going shooting but didn't spend alot of time on it as I was dying to shoot it. I will reclean and try again. Thanks

 

[SKS Ray]

It was brass, so it must be yugo. I did clean the cosmo out before going shooting but didn't spend alot of time on it as I was dying to shoot it. I will reclean and try again. Thanks

Try a can of compressed air like the kind used to clean off PC keyboards. Blasting it from the bolt face will clear and crud out. I use this stuff everytime I clean a bolt.