Mauser K98k Bayonet
- Thread starter albertacowboy
- Start date
The Wizard
CGN Regular
- Location
- Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
Yes to both of your questions.
Mauser K98k bayonet
This particular rifle is a 1942 Steyr K98k, all milled and matching furniture, in .30-'06 (Norwegian conversion) which is a private purchase from a friend. I wanted it because it has all the original German markings and waffenamts, but is in mint condition and in a convenient caliber. I had a similar rifle years ago in the original 7.92x57mm, and it was tough to find full-power ammo which was not corrosive military surplus.
I am in Edmonton, and Milarm sometimes has K98k rifles, but most are pretty beat and are Russian captures or late-war stamped-furniture, neither of which I wanted. This one was the result of years of looking, as nice early-war milled and matched examples are expensive and getting tough to find. This was only the second Norwegian conversion I have seen. Try P & S Militaria.
This particular rifle is a 1942 Steyr K98k, all milled and matching furniture, in .30-'06 (Norwegian conversion) which is a private purchase from a friend. I wanted it because it has all the original German markings and waffenamts, but is in mint condition and in a convenient caliber. I had a similar rifle years ago in the original 7.92x57mm, and it was tough to find full-power ammo which was not corrosive military surplus.
I am in Edmonton, and Milarm sometimes has K98k rifles, but most are pretty beat and are Russian captures or late-war stamped-furniture, neither of which I wanted. This one was the result of years of looking, as nice early-war milled and matched examples are expensive and getting tough to find. This was only the second Norwegian conversion I have seen. Try P & S Militaria.
German K98k rifles are not that difficult to find, but they usually sell pretty fast on the EE if priced right. Matching examples are obviously harder to come buy and quite a bit more expensive then your avg russian capture. I have a Russian capture that shoots like a champ though, if you are able to bring in more K98s at a decent price I know they will sell fast
Kar98k is a beautiful rifle, almost too pretty to be an Army rifle at all.
They have a reputation for kicking like mules, but a lot of this is from the heavy military loadings. Remember, the 196-grain JsS round originally was the anti-Tank loading for this cartridge. They tend to be quite docile and very accurate with the 170 bullet and kick less.
If you want a really sweet-shooting 98k, try using the World War One loading, which actually duplicates the US .30 M1906, just with a slightly-heavier bullet: 154 instead of 150. You can come pretty close to this with (my favourite) the Hornady 150 seated out so the cannelure shows (and to crowd the leade just a bit) and an appropriate charge of 4985 or 4064 powder. Shoot really nice and don't kick: just normal recoil, none of the back-tooth-jarring slam that you get with the anti-Tank load.
Nothing wrong with the Soviet-capture rifles and you can find some REALLY rare factory codes in them at very low prices. Friend bought a couple in Winnipeg and he has a Sauer and a Gustloff! So the numbers are scrambled a bit: just means that they show part of their history. I don't think the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS armourers really cared a lot about matching-up serial numbers and manufacturers' codes: they were too busy fighting a war.
Norwegians are utterly superb and there weren't very many done up like this, into the .30-'06. Some were actually used in the Olympics when "Ski-shooting" was a demo sport. It is now called "Biathlon" and is shot with very nonmilitary .22s, but was demonstrated by three of the four Scandinavian countries: Finland with MNs, Sweden with modded '96s, Norway with the fabled .30-'06 Mausers. Some Norski Mausers can regularly shoot third-of-a-minute forever: I have seen this.
But they are nice rifles.....
They have a reputation for kicking like mules, but a lot of this is from the heavy military loadings. Remember, the 196-grain JsS round originally was the anti-Tank loading for this cartridge. They tend to be quite docile and very accurate with the 170 bullet and kick less.
If you want a really sweet-shooting 98k, try using the World War One loading, which actually duplicates the US .30 M1906, just with a slightly-heavier bullet: 154 instead of 150. You can come pretty close to this with (my favourite) the Hornady 150 seated out so the cannelure shows (and to crowd the leade just a bit) and an appropriate charge of 4985 or 4064 powder. Shoot really nice and don't kick: just normal recoil, none of the back-tooth-jarring slam that you get with the anti-Tank load.
Nothing wrong with the Soviet-capture rifles and you can find some REALLY rare factory codes in them at very low prices. Friend bought a couple in Winnipeg and he has a Sauer and a Gustloff! So the numbers are scrambled a bit: just means that they show part of their history. I don't think the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS armourers really cared a lot about matching-up serial numbers and manufacturers' codes: they were too busy fighting a war.
Norwegians are utterly superb and there weren't very many done up like this, into the .30-'06. Some were actually used in the Olympics when "Ski-shooting" was a demo sport. It is now called "Biathlon" and is shot with very nonmilitary .22s, but was demonstrated by three of the four Scandinavian countries: Finland with MNs, Sweden with modded '96s, Norway with the fabled .30-'06 Mausers. Some Norski Mausers can regularly shoot third-of-a-minute forever: I have seen this.
But they are nice rifles.....
I have two RC Kar98ks: one is a an 1940 J.P. Sauer & Sohn and the other is a 1933 Mauser Banner Standard Modell 1924. Both have mis-matched numbers but both have excellent bores and shoot extremely well. I agree with smellie on IMR 4064 for powder, I have used this in combination with 170gr Hornady round nosed bullets and Remington brass and it worked perfectly in Mausers ranging from my Gewehr 98 up to my Kar98k.
Those Norwegian ones are hard to find as not many Kar98ks found their way to be converted to 30-06. Like RC rifles, some of them are really nice with their markings still intact.
I've been on Gunboards alot and, honestly, they are way too use to all matching Kar98ks and other rifles to appreciate the mis-matched ones that shoot just as well, if not better, and have just as much history to them. If you run into a Kar98k with a good bore and decent looks for a good price, I'd pick it up anyday of the week.
Oh, and to answer your earlier questions (it has already but just to confirm):
Yes you can mount a bayonet (i.e. 84/98 III bayonet) on a Kar98k that has the cleaning rod. There is a cleaning rod channel guide inside the handle of the bayonet that allows you to do this. You can also mount the bayonet on a Kar98k that does not have any cleaning rod. The bayonet has two lips that meet up with the fore end of the barrel when the bayonet is locked into position. From what I read, it was found that a muzzle ring hurt the accuracy of the rifle and this was dropped.
Those Norwegian ones are hard to find as not many Kar98ks found their way to be converted to 30-06. Like RC rifles, some of them are really nice with their markings still intact.
I've been on Gunboards alot and, honestly, they are way too use to all matching Kar98ks and other rifles to appreciate the mis-matched ones that shoot just as well, if not better, and have just as much history to them. If you run into a Kar98k with a good bore and decent looks for a good price, I'd pick it up anyday of the week.
Oh, and to answer your earlier questions (it has already but just to confirm):
Yes you can mount a bayonet (i.e. 84/98 III bayonet) on a Kar98k that has the cleaning rod. There is a cleaning rod channel guide inside the handle of the bayonet that allows you to do this. You can also mount the bayonet on a Kar98k that does not have any cleaning rod. The bayonet has two lips that meet up with the fore end of the barrel when the bayonet is locked into position. From what I read, it was found that a muzzle ring hurt the accuracy of the rifle and this was dropped.
I've noticed that aswell. Everytime someone posts a picture of a RC K98 or something other then an all matching, pristine piece everyone just calls it "mismatched garbage" etc.. etc... very ignorant if you ask me. Id like to shoot my RC against their matched K98s anyday - I bet it would give them a run for their money. Although from what Ive seen all of their K98s are safe queens anyway
I've noticed that aswell. Everytime someone posts a picture of a RC K98 or something other then an all matching, pristine piece everyone just calls it "mismatched garbage" etc.. etc... very ignorant if you ask me. Id like to shoot my RC against their matched K98s anyday - I bet it would give them a run for their money. Although from what Ive seen all of their K98s are safe queens anyway
I wholeheartedly agree! I too would like to prove those collectors wrong that even the Russian captures should get attention. Some members on Gunboards will post links to auctions that showcase "all matching" Kar98ks. Some will be re-numbered and be considered a fake. Others are considered genuine examples and some people will just go nuts bidding on these things. One example sold for over $3000 USD !! Think of all the RCs we could buy and bring home with that cash.
Have you seen some of the pictures of Gunboard member's "man caves" ? Some of them have well over 500 rifles in an "underground bunker". I feel a great sense of pity for those rifles as I bet 3/4 of them never see the light of day. After seeing those pictures, it was the primary reason I restricted the size of my collection so I know I will take them all out to the range.
I wonder how deep some of those pockets are thats for sure - more money then God. I sold off a few things a while back for the same reason, wanted to make sure everything I have was shot and used on a regular basis. Besides it helped pay for ammo and brass
Nothing wrong with a big collection, but when you have so many you can't remember whats what or where they all are theres gotta be a problem!
I certainly didn't mean to imply that RC Mausers were of poor quality or to be spurned; I wanted the Norwegian for the .30-'06 calibre and the intact German markings, as a better history lesson for my family. I am looking forward to taking it to the range, as the bore is mint.
The Norwegian K98 rifles are beautiful, a collecting theme in it's own. I love the Russian captures as they hold so much history and can tell a great story.
In the end, I've never met a k98 I did not like, regardless of who ended up with her after the war
.In the end, I've never met a k98 I did not like, regardless of who ended up with her after the war
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I don't see any RC Kar98k crates being opened up and sold like the Simonov SKS at my favourite gun shops. I think the time of importing them en mass has ended for the most part and any that do come in now are not going to be as cheap as they were 10 years ago.
The best place to look is either at gun shows or on the EE for people who either bought a whole bunch or just one and are looking to sell. I have seen quite a few pop up on the EE lately, some at really good prices.
The best place to look is either at gun shows or on the EE for people who either bought a whole bunch or just one and are looking to sell. I have seen quite a few pop up on the EE lately, some at really good prices.
Everything is more expensive than it was 10 years ago - ammo guns cars houses. Inflation and high cost of natural resources.
