Tapping a K98 reduce value?

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Northman999

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Fellows,

Does drilling and tapping a K98 reduce it's value? I'm not talking about drilling and tapping an expensive collector piece, just a very nice condition K98 like you might find if you went to a dealers and selected a real nice one around $300-$400. Thanks!
 
I would think any time you do ANYTHING to it with regards to externals or the finish, you're going to reduce value.

Think about it - if you saw two identical mausers - one drilled and tapped, and one without - which one would YOU pick? (okay bad example, since you WANT to drill/tap yours, but you get the idea!).

Milsurps should be left as is - no smithing and no extra parts bolted on!!!

But that's just me...
 
Northman999 said:
Fellows,

Does drilling and tapping a K98 reduce it's value? I'm not talking about drilling and tapping an expensive collector piece, just a very nice condition K98 like you might find if you went to a dealers and selected a real nice one around $300-$400. Thanks!
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Reduces value to $100. Find one that's already been bubba'd - there's enough of them out there.
 
On a related note, unaltered examples will increase in value while sporters will flatline in price. Three years ago Lee Enfield sporters were $150, they still are, while unaltered examples have increased in price.
 
Northman999 said:
Fellows,

Does drilling and tapping a K98 reduce it's value?
Click to expand...

Does a bear #### in the woods?

The only time drilling and tapping a K98 doesn't reduce it's value is if you are crafting something like this:

IMG_3151.jpg

IMG_3154.jpg

IMG_3152.jpg

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Otherwise, you've turned a $400+ milsurp into a $150 truck gun. Capice?
 
Claven2. Thats a nice one. I have a 7x57 argentine that has been sporterized
and its great to play around with but I would also say that if you have a decent original leave it as is. IMHO.
 
Northman, check out these stock numbers at Brownells website-

#122-185-610 M98 classic military mount.

or

#019-000-007 Mauser 98 scope mount.

These scope mounts don't require drilling and tapping, but the last one means "minor stock inletting"... If anyone has one of these setups, I'd love to hear from you.
 
Thanks for all the info guys, I'll check out the mounts as well. However, about the $100 - $150 "truck gun" thing; I've never seen one anywhere near that price to be honest. Cheapest K98's I've seen are at Tradex for just shy of $300 and that's missing cleaning rod etc. Are you guys suggesting that if I posted an "I want a drilled and tapped K98 in 8x57 (or 30-06) in very good condition." in the EE I'd have guys PMing me and wanting to sell me one for $100 - $150? Sounds a bit too good to be true.
 
I believe that there is a "scout scope" mount that simply replaces the ladder on the rear sight. At least that way nothing is done that cannot be reversed.
 
Northman999 said:
Thanks for all the info guys, I'll check out the mounts as well. However, about the $100 - $150 "truck gun" thing; I've never seen one anywhere near that price to be honest. Cheapest K98's I've seen are at Tradex for just shy of $300 and that's missing cleaning rod etc. Are you guys suggesting that if I posted an "I want a drilled and tapped K98 in 8x57 (or 30-06) in very good condition." in the EE I'd have guys PMing me and wanting to sell me one for $100 - $150? Sounds a bit too good to be true.
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If you post a WTB ad, the prices will come in at absurd levels because you're "needy".

If you go to most gunshops that sell used guns, a roughly sporterized military mauser (ie, stock cut by bubba and action D&T'd) will be in the $150 range.

The above "sporter" was entirely built by Gunco in Ottawa using high-end parts including a Gentry 3 position safety, match trigger, hand-carved and hand-checkered stock, precision match barrel in .35 Whelen, banded sights and sling mount, hinged bottom metal, hand-engraved markings, etc. and cost a couple grand to have made. NOT a bubba.
 
Northman999 said:
Thanks for all the info guys, I'll check out the mounts as well. However, about the $100 - $150 "truck gun" thing; I've never seen one anywhere near that price to be honest. Cheapest K98's I've seen are at Tradex for just shy of $300 and that's missing cleaning rod etc. Are you guys suggesting that if I posted an "I want a drilled and tapped K98 in 8x57 (or 30-06) in very good condition." in the EE I'd have guys PMing me and wanting to sell me one for $100 - $150? Sounds a bit too good to be true.
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Remember:

By Drilling and Tapping, you kill any collector value that the rifle had.

Any dealer is Full Retail.

It's your gun, your money, do what you want.
 
I won't be drilling and tapping anything. I hate to wreck a good milsurp anyways, but I didn't realise how much it would affect this rifle. I'll look locally for one that is already tapped. I recently sold a very nice Jungle Carbine that was an unusually good shooter because I find the J/C sights to be too clumsy and was really tempted to drill and tap it. Instead I passed it on to someone who will leave it alone and got myself someone else's chopped and bubba'd J/C and did it up with Armacoat and a nice new scope and it really kicks ass for a practical fellow like myself. So, like I said, I won't be drilling any holes in any K98's. Thanks again (maybe I should just put that in my sig line...)
 
Thank god you aren't going to D&T that K98. I loathe bubbas destroying history. Would you drill holes in the back of a classic car so you could mount a new fiberglass spoiler? Other than wanting to get beat up I mean.
 
Any sort of change that would be considered irreparable would de-value a Kar98k (or any rifle in military configuration). I have seen some really attractive looking sporters based off military service rifles and others that make you want to vomit and swear at any sporter you see.
 
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