Mauser K98

drache

drache

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How hard is to find a real surplus K98 with the original German markings be? Also what would be the going cost for shootable version?

I figure if my helmet doesn't sell that I'd create a small collection of German WWII items.
 
A good Russian Capture (aka 'RC') will go for much less ukie.

They're usually mismatched bolt/receiver and missing the retaining screw and cleaning rod. The retaining screw and cleaning rod can be had for under $20 usually. They usually have some of the German/Nazi markings removed. Other than that, they're usually in good condition and make excellent shooters.
 
If you are looking for a matching, original configuration German k98 rifle, you are likely to pay almost twice as much as what you are wanting for your helmet, I wish you luck:)
RC rifles are great collectable pieces, chalk full of history. there are some ncie ones on the EE.

drache said:
Of course not, but if I was going to start a small collection of German WWII items I'd want the German markings still on the K98 even if it was a RC.
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I have a great looking 1940 RC "42", and from what I know, all markings are intact! got her for 260$
 
wow. either I have a piece of junk and I don't realize it or i got a great deal! Mine has 2 swastikas. both in good shape.
 
If I'm looking for a good shooter, I can sometimes overlook non-matching numbers. The bore condition is the top priority in this case and unmatched rifles can be had for a good deal. If you're more interested in a collectible piece, watch the EE like a hawk and hold out for the exact one you want, but needless to say it's going to cost you. The other thing is, what is really the difference between a forced matched / electro pencilled job compared to a completely non-matching bolt? To me they are pretty much the same thing. I'd likely even consider the non-matching one, all else being the same, if the price was better.
 
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check p & s militaria or deslins who has a ee add.

price gavin was what ive seen them for on the ee that were not rc's
 
Most RC's I've seen have all of their original markings with just the added "X" and serials from the Russians.
 
redrommel said:
Most RC's I've seen have all of their original markings with just the added "X" and serials from the Russians.
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In fact, no RC has it's original numbers.
All were electropencilled with new numbers by the Russians.
If a rifle somehow missed the electropencilling stage, it would still be pieced together from donor parts, and therefore be mismatched.

The only thing the russians didn't seperate and renumber were the barrel and receiver. It's almost miraculous to find any other original matching parts on an RC (although I've seen one with a matching buttplate, and another with a matching stock, but the Russians reworked about 7 million.)

Sure the original nazi stamped numbers are usually there... sometimes scratched out, sometimes not... but they're almost never the original parts to the gun, and almost never share original nazi serials...
 
Something to remember when looking for surplus ANYTHING;

Military equipment belonging to and manufactured by the countries that LOST is going to be more scarce than equipment belonging to the Countries that WON.

Rifles, cannon, tanks and metal kit were a convenient source of steel when Russia and England were rebuilding after the war.

RC K98's are what they are simply because so many were captured. They wouldn't have bothered if they weren't waist deep in dead Germans and captured rifles. The rifles were stripped en masse and the broken/worn parts were discarded. I'm guessing it also gave the thousands of captured Germans something to do.
 
I suspect that weapons after capture often were "made safe" by simply separating all the bolts from the rifles. Which could be partly why it's quite rare to find a completely matching K98. I don't know why the RC's in particular are such a mix of parts though. The Russian armourers obviously took them completely apart. Deltasilver's suggestion is as good as any I can come up with.
 
To some extent it's probably makework programs to keep the arsenals busy once they've completed more urgent work. Many M-Ns were reworked at the same time and they were torn down and refinished as well.
 
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