Collector vs. Shooter?

mmattockx

mmattockx

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I am having some difficulty in balancing these two opposites. I am shopping for a K98 (among others). It will be a shooter and I couldn't care less about collector value. But I DO care about how well it shoots and functions. I would like to use it in some service rifle matches, for target shooting out to 300yds and maybe slaying a deer or two. So I don't really want a heavily used milsurp with a worn out barrel.

This leads me to - what are the collector ones to avoid and what are good shooters that I won't seriously devalue by using them as they were intended? I get that an all matching, unissued K98 from, say, 1941 will be worth a fortune. And shooting that would be a waste. At the other end of the spectrum are the RC K98's that seem to define the bottom of the range for complete, un-bubba'd 98's. They are perfect for my uses, but they are also well used.

What about the Yugo 48's? Is it a crime to take a lightly used one and wear it out? Any other 8mm Mausers that would be both a K98 style and not a collector first?

Last, can anybody point me in the direction of some decent books to help me sort out the tangle of 98's, with 14+ million produced in many countries?

Thanks,
Mark
 
At the other end of the spectrum are the RC K98's that seem to define the bottom of the range for complete, un-bubba'd 98's. They are perfect for my uses, but they are also well used.
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I've seen a lot with great barrels, just gotta look. The Yugo 48's are good as well and generally not considered "collector" pieces. Either would be beautiful shooters especially after a little trigger work.
 
I believe it pays to shop around and to buy any military rifle in collectable condition which fits your budget. I have learned from experience that an altered rifle is just fine until you want to sell or trade it! Rifles which are complete and correct make great shooters and when you move up or move on they are very saleable and only appreciate in value. It is also much nicer to go to a military shoot with a complete unaltered rifle. Just my thoughts. Good luck. Dave
 
Dantforth said:
I believe it pays to shop around and to buy any military rifle in collectable condition which fits your budget. I have learned from experience that an altered rifle is just fine until you want to sell or trade it! Rifles which are complete and correct make great shooters and when you move up or move on they are very saleable and only appreciate in value. It is also much nicer to go to a military shoot with a complete unaltered rifle. Just my thoughts. Good luck. Dave
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Dave,

I will keep it all original, I have no desire to meet Bubba. But I don't want to find a very lightly used one with higher collector value and then lower its value by using it. I plan to shoot 500-1000 rounds a season if I get into any sevice rifle stuff and that adds up over the years. Taking a great condition collector and wearing it out seems the wrong thing to do. I want a great working tool, not a safe queen.

Mark
 
You could buy a $150 Mosin-Nagant, and shoot 10,000 round through it; if taken care of, you could sell it in 10 years (maybe with some rifling wear...) and get your $150 back!
:D
Lou
 
Take a look at the K 31 in 7.5x55. They are built like Swiss watches and have a reputation for accuracy. Good ones can be had for around $265.

Take Care

Bob
 
Milsurp

Check out PSMILITARIA.com site. Jean has literally tons to choose from. I think a Russian capture K98 will be what you are looking for. Many will have dark, but strong bores. Ask him for one with a perfect bore. Collector value is minimal, so you wont feel quilty about shooting the hell out of it.
You could always look at an Israeli K98 in 7.62.

Geoff
 
Shooter VS Collector?
Sorry but these are becoming intrinsicly the same rifle.
If a rifle is in "As Issued" condition with an excelent bore expect to pay a little bit more money (As you should and likely will).

It bugs me a little to see WTB adds that state: "Want a shooter not a collector" as it means they are not willing to pay market value. In general terms I stay away from these adds because these people will never be satisfied.
 
The answer to this thread is RUSSIAN CAPTURE K98k

You'll have no problem finding one for less than $400, it'll likley out preform you, mine out preforms me, and you could probably even get Jean at P&S to handpick you one with a nice bore...

And if later on you decide to doll it up a bit you can get a real beauty...

BSWfront.jpg
 
Dantforth said:
500- 1,000 rounds per year is quite a lot. I thought that I did a lot of shooting! Good luck with your quest. Dave
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I know it sounds like a lot. The service rifle competitions in Calgary are 50 rounds total and held every month while the weather permits. Figure on 6 events in a year plus one practice session (of 50 rounds fired) in between each competition round and that is 600 rounds per year... With no hunting, plinking or just playing around shooting involved.


Riflechair said:
Shooter VS Collector?
It bugs me a little to see WTB adds that state: "Want a shooter not a collector" as it means they are not willing to pay market value. In general terms I stay away from these adds because these people will never be satisfied.
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I am not looking for cheap. I am looking for a quality rifle that will not have its value seriously lowered by being used regularly. It is a waste to buy a high collector value gun and then take it out and use it, destroying much of its value in the process.

Now for the full story, there is a Yugo M48bo in the EE that is basically in brand new, unfired condition and looks great. I am not quibbling about the price, I think it is pretty fair for the age and condition (given that an RC K98 is $375 + tax + shpping from P&S). But I am loathe to buy it and decrease that value by 25% simply by shooting it. Am I right on this, or is that rifle not going to be devalued by steady use?

Thanks,
Mark
 
mmattockx said:
There is a Yugo M48bo in the EE that is basically in brand new, unfired condition and looks great. I am not quibbling about the price, I think it is pretty fair for the age and condition (given that an RC K98 is $375 + tax + shpping from P&S). But I am loathe to buy it and decrease that value by 25% simply by shooting it. Am I right on this, or is that rifle not going to be devalued by steady use?
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Sounds like you just made your mind up. And a good choice it is.
 
Riflechair said:
It bugs me a little to see WTB adds that state: "Want a shooter not a collector" as it means they are not willing to pay market value. In general terms I stay away from these adds because these people will never be satisfied.
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This has been my experience as well, basically want you to give it to them.
 
Well, even if you use a 25% devalue number, which is high, in my opinion, really, it's not that much money. It's less than a hundred bucks. I have both an M48 and a K98 and I shoot them both. Are you in this to have some fun, or get your money back? Remember, a loss is only a loss, if you sell it. If it's a shooter, and you wear out the barrel, buy new barrel. I don't think you'd be dissapointed with either. Your only dissapointment, once you start shooting, is that you waited so long. Have fun, and post some pics of whatever you buy.
 
The yugo is not a bad gun to take shooting. They can and often do shoot as well as the nicest K98k does, but in general they are more affordable for comparable condition.

I disgree however that they aren't collectable. The non-refurbed ones in excellent shape are wonderful guns - I love mine and do consider it nicely collectable.

Here are a couple of my yugos that I consider collectable, though I do have more where I lack file photos:

P8111434.jpg

P9161863.jpg

PC222851.jpg


Believe it or not, I have a nice, albeit small, representative collection of yugo guns. They can be rather nice.
 
A Collectors rifle in my opinion will always a cost similar to a shooter rifle. However a Plinker rifle will not be as much as ether of those 2.

Reason being is that if the wood is in very good condition which is what the collectors want the most then it stands to reason the bore should be just as good which is what shooters want.

However plinkers who only care about shooting tin cans at 50 paces can be happy enough with a "shot out bore" that will give them minute of pop can at that range.

Dimitri
 
I'd Rather buy a beater with a good bore and gets years of fun out of it than have a rifle that just sits in a safe and gathers dust.
 
For the record, collectible does not always mean the gun can't or shouldn't be shot. The only collectible guns I don;t shoot are those I either haven't had the time to get to yet, or ones that are so absurdly valuable that I couldn't justify breaking it - like, say, a rare cone-hammer broomhandle in new condition, or an unissued SS marked K98k, etc.
 
Japanese Paratrooped , Crome Lined Naval rifle , Still in the grease Irish Contract , those I share the sentiment of.
 
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