Suggestions for first Mauser purchase

[qman]

Hi Guys, can you offer a Mauser suggestion for a first time buyer?

I am looking for something nice, collectible, yet without breaking the bank ().

Anyone have one they would consider parting with?

Thanks in advance!

 

[majspud]

PM sent.

I also have a Gew88 (1890 Loewe) I'll be upgrading shortly.

T

 

[NinerMaine]

A Swedish Mauser M96. $350 and one of the best Mausers ever made. It certainly was my best shooting one.

 

[SKS Ray]

The new shop Armory in Woburn has a rack full of pretty nice K98s for fair prices. If you're looking for a nice example of a German K98, they're your best bet right now.

 

[PatMcD]

A Swedish Mauser M96. $350 and one of the best Mausers ever made. It certainly was my best shooting one.

This. Absolutely.
I think the Swedes are still the most undervalued of all milsurps.

 

[jpm]

The new shop Armory in Woburn has a rack full of pretty nice K98s for fair prices. If you're looking for a nice example of a German K98, they're your best bet right now.

Wow! Have they got a lot of milsurps there??

 

[majspud]

Are they all RC's?

T

 

[SKS Ray]

That's about it for milsurps. They're just starting out and had a bbq last weekend with raffles to gain interest. I was lucky enough to win a 700rd spam can of 7.62x39.

Currently I think they're only advertising on Facebook under Armory Woburn. I'm not even sure if they have a web site set up yet but once they do I'm thinking a lot of that k98 rack will be wiped out.

Didn't notice if they were RCs or not. If they are, they're the cleanest I've seen.

I know the markings aren't peened if they are Russian captures.

 

[K98]

Yes, all are RC. Bolts are electro-pencil serialized.

 

[majspud]

A RC with marks intact is the perfect starting K98. Highly recommended. Once you expand into more original pieces, this one can be your shooter. I still have my first K98; while not an RC it is a parts rifle of sorts and is my go to shooter so I don't have to worry about breaking a nice one.

T

 

[jester617]

The Swede!!!!! I have a 1 M96, 1 96/38 & and 2 m38 Husqis

A yugo 24 or 48 would be a great start especially the 48 most of which are near new condition if not unissued.

 

[headednorth]

Can someone give me an idea of how the ammo availability is for these? Is surplus and factory ammo readily available? Cost per round? Reloading components availability? Cost to reload per round?

Thanks.

 

[majspud]

'50's Yugo surplus, hard primers, $300 case
'70's M75 Yugo sniper, harder to find
PPU, Prvi, S-B factory new, $24-30/box
US commercial more
Romanian '70s getting scarce, very dirty ammo

Can be reloaded; I haven't gone that route yet - waiting for the surplus to run out.

CMP Hornady, vintage rifle loaded, $270/200

T

 

[jpm]

70's M75 is about $9/box of 15 right now. I know of one place that has a lot.

Easy to reload, uses a lot of the same powders as 30-06. Components are available but the surplus ammo is so plentiful that I almost can't be bothered. I find it for about 40-50c/round for 50's yugo and persian in bulk. Turkish is about the same I think.

 

[K98]

I picked up some surplus ammo as well. On average, 3 out of 5 rounds would not fire. Very hard primers. I now shoot Privi when I can find it.

 

[jpm]

I picked up some surplus ammo as well. On average, 3 out of 5 rounds would not fire. Very hard primers. I now shoot Privi when I can find it.

2 cures for this: 1 - replace your firing pin spring or 2 - pull the bullet and dump the powder into newly primed brass and re-seat the bullet (this can be done real quickly using a collet puller)

 

[majspud]

Get a 22# Wolff spring. Most go off eventually; 90% of failures need a double tap. My worst was the 5th time. 1 split case and maybe 20 duds is 3 cases worth.

T

 

[jpm]

5 taps?? Wow that's persistence!

 

[sweed]

A Swedish Mauser M96. $350 and one of the best Mausers ever made. It certainly was my best shooting one.

Where can you find for $350? I'm in the process of gettting my C&R.

Of course I say swedish mauser also, but I'm a little biased. Especially since I've never fired one!

 

[majspud]

5 taps?? Wow that's persistence!

I want to be sure they are really duds before I put them in the dud box.
T

 

[40 caliber]

I want to be sure they are really duds before I put them in the dud box.
T

usually you dont get past the 2nd tap with a good spring, but it happens. . i have had good luck with 50s yugo.

I usually give up after the 3rd, but i guess i need to rethink that!

 

[Stoneslinger]

Some Yugo ammo needs a second tap, my experience has put it at around one in three, but never had a complete dud. Haven't seen any 70's Romanian in months, but the stuff was my favorite to shoot, even if it was a bit dirty. You could shoot that ~150 grain all day, which is also why I don't have any left! As for a Mauser, take a look around the small stores, they usually have a couple Mausers of varying origin and quality hanging around. My first surplus rifle was a Mauser 38 I picked up for $230 early last year, and a few months after I got my hands on a Turk 38/46 for $185. I'd also look into reloading-- 8mm is getting hard to find and prices are going up.

 

[BillNed]

I pick up this 1897 Spanish Mauser Last Saturday for $125.00 I stripped down it down and went through it completely. Cleaned it up remove the rust and treated any hidden rust with phosphoric acid. Cleaned the stock and did 5 coats of the Drill Sgt's favorite thing Johnson's Paste Wax. The bore looks great little pitting, good lands and grooves. Polished the bolt (Before and after picture of the bolt). I just need to check the head space before taking it to the range.