Builing a Kar98k from scratch

BeaverMeat

BeaverMeat

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Always been a fan of the original K98. My grampa's mix-master Yugo refurb was my first center fire rifle. The rifling was worn at the muzzle, but it still shot very decent. Had it for years unaltered till I passed it on to my cousin.

Looking to get another shooter... but, man did prices for K98s skyrocket! I'm not really in it for any historical significance and many of the options aren't too appealing for me so I looked into building one. Aside from labour costs one can be built for close to the price of what people are asking for Russian or Yugo refurb mix-masters.

Has anyone here actually built a Karabiner 98 kurz from scratch using random components?
 
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Keep searching the EE. I've two 98's and an 91 that I bought for an average of 175$ each. One is a commercial sporter with a slim profile bbl, a Lyman 57 peep, knife handle on the bolt and double set triggers. It's tired and hard on the eyes, but shoots like a dream.
Heck; both my sporters have more $$$ tied up in sights than the rifles.
But I sure ain't no master, lol.
Just a regular member; some are a better aid to the shooting community and some are...well, they struggle, lol.
 
Kar_98K_-_AM.021488.jpg


I’m not referring to a Sporter. This is a Karabiner 98 kurz ^^^

I have a nice shooting Husqvarna Sporter with open sights already. Got it as a replacement for my open sighted K98. The problem with a Sporter with an exposed barrel is you can’t shoot large volumes of fire in a short time because heat mirage becomes excessive. Which sucks for off-hand open sight 100-200 yard shooting. Something my K98 had no issues with.

That’s why I want to build a quality military dressed K98.
 
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OK, then good luck with your quest. I thought that I might help...obviously you have it under control.
You could put a flat strap front sight to rear...its an Israeli sniper trick to deal with mirage from a hot barrel. But you likely knew that...right?
 
i was looking into the same thing. I want a K98 but dont care for crappy RCs and also not for matching ones worth $4000. The only thing I want original is the action. everything else is fine repro.

that said if you search the forum for K98 there is a post that links to a (i think polish) store that makes K98 stocks. There are also some in the US but I am sure they are gun parts and cant be exported


keep me up to date in this thread or if you order parts let me know. maybe can order two and split cost
 
tokguy said:
OK, then good luck with your quest. I thought that I might help...obviously you have it under control.
You could put a flat strap front sight to rear...its an Israeli sniper trick to deal with mirage from a hot barrel. But you likely knew that...right?
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*smacks forehead*... mirage strap. Forgot about those... I remember reading about the beginnings of Accuracy International rifles. The first batch of British L96A1 rifles were issued them. I guess that will do the trick.



As for building a K98... still want to. lol
 
Teac said:
i was looking into the same thing. I want a K98 but dont care for crappy RCs and also not for matching ones worth $4000. The only thing I want original is the action. everything else is fine repro.
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Keep an eye out for Czech post-war Kar98k. There was one on the EE not long ago that went for $900.
 
Arrow105 said:
Keep an eye out for Czech post-war Kar98k. There was one on the EE not long ago that went for $900.
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usually those can sneak by cheap from the right seller...

According to my calculations the parts to build a K98 is around $900 minus labour and finish costs. That's with a new Loather-Wather barrel, complete donor sporter rifle with action/bottom steel, new or used surplus stock (new may cost a bit more because you have to find the metal parts), rear sight base and front sight base.

I can build a squeaky clean custom K98 in any caliber I want for around $1500 (that’s paying someone to assemble the barrelled action and finish the parts)

A nice non-D&T's sporter restoration would be preferred... but those are becoming slim-pickens... and owners want a $1,000,000 for them. Which is cool, I just want to shoot it.
 
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BeaverMeat said:
Always been a fan of the original K98. My grampa's mix-master Yugo refurb was my first center fire rifle. The rifling was worn at the muzzle, but it still shot very decent. Had it for years unaltered till I passed it on to my cousin.

Looking to get another shooter... but, man did prices for K98s skyrocket! I'm not really in it for any historical significance and many of the options aren't too appealing for me so I looked into building one. Aside from labour costs one can be built for close to the price of what people are asking for Russian or Yugo refurb mix-masters.

Has anyone here actually built a Karabiner 98 kurz from scratch using random components?
Click to expand...

I have, yes. A few times to build up replica sniper variants for shooting. It is NOT economically viable to do so compared to buying a complete rifle. I only did it so I wouldn't booger a complete one, and used previously drilled actions, etc.
 
BeaverMeat said:
usually those can sneak by cheap from the right seller...

According to my calculations the parts to build a K98 is around $900 minus labour and finish costs. That's with a new Loather-Wather barrel, complete donor sporter rifle with action/bottom steel, new or used surplus stock (new may cost a bit more because you have to find the metal parts), rear sight base and front sight base.

I can build a squeaky clean custom K98 in any caliber I want for around $1500 (that’s paying someone to assemble the barrelled action and finish the parts)

A nice non-D&T's sporter restoration would be preferred... but those are becoming slim-pickens... and owners want a $1,000,000 for them. Which is cool, I just want to shoot it.
Click to expand...

can you buy all the parts and fittings in Canada though?
 
Claven2 said:
I have, yes. A few times to build up replica sniper variants for shooting. It is NOT economically viable to do so compared to buying a complete rifle. I only did it so I wouldn't booger a complete one, and used previously drilled actions, etc.
Click to expand...

but for 1500 you can not get a mint K98 ...
 
If you’re patient you can get a good one for cheap. I got an East German refurb for $900 not too long ago. Very nice rifle, many parts match, stock is gorgeous, eagles are intact.
 
gordonlbyrne said:
View attachment 321485
theres no way you can rebuild this for less than 1000
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If I had all the skills and tools I could. Parts are cheaper than you think. Unmarked NOS parts are dirt cheap. The only real big ticket part is the barrel.

If I’m making it to shoot then why not? If I don’t hump it with German markings all is well.
 
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Tough to find a stock set. Not a Yugo reworked set ( Tradex had some ) when you put the rifle together the handguards didnt fit. If I remember right they were too long. Source for a stock set ?
 
The newest parts you will find are israeli. There used to be a lot of new israeli wood, but not much now. The stock metal is mostly exc to mint
but the buttplate's are cupped, so you need a cupped stock.
I went through this rebuilding FN k98 22 israeli rifles. The 308 k98 israeli are easier to do because there are a lot of k98 parts in exc
condition if you look
Some of the best k98 parts dealer's in America won't ship to Canada anymore, I was fortunate to buy lots when they did.
They had exc to mint condition parts
 
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