Sometime soon I really would like to buy an old Mauser. I'm not too picky about whether its a k98, M48 or whatever. Neither am I too particular about its country of origin as long as its in nice shape overall. Has anybody bought one of the M48's I've seen floating around on various sites for roughly $500? They seem like they are in good shape but I'm still new to this so I'm curious about what others would recommend. Thanks!
Where would I pick up a good quality Mauser 98?
- Thread starter pzkmpfw14
- Start date
There are all sorts of decent 98 mausers in your price range.
The thing is, you need to do some due diligence on your own.
The M48 rifles range from poor to excellent, still in the grease and prices range accordingly.
Ganderite is correct but he didn't mention the numerous European manufactured and South American manufactured 98 mauser variants, chambered in 7.65x53, 7x57, 7.62x51 and 30-06.
Usually the South American 98 variants are in very good or better condition when they've been rebarreled to 7.62x51 and are usually in your price range.
The thing is, you need to do some due diligence on your own.
The M48 rifles range from poor to excellent, still in the grease and prices range accordingly.
Ganderite is correct but he didn't mention the numerous European manufactured and South American manufactured 98 mauser variants, chambered in 7.65x53, 7x57, 7.62x51 and 30-06.
Usually the South American 98 variants are in very good or better condition when they've been rebarreled to 7.62x51 and are usually in your price range.
I have a 24/47 in excellent condition. It is a very good shooter. Can't go wrong with a nice one. Still priced reasonably in my opinion. I know you said a 98 but if you're OK with "just" a Mauser consider a M38 Swede. I have a couple and they are beautifully made very accurate rifles. Once again only my opinion but priced below their "real" value.
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maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Be aware that the Yugoslav M47 Mausers are just a bit different from German 98 Mausers. The receivers are not the same length, so you are restricted to stocks and trigger guards etc are not interchangeable.
My favorite 98 style rifle is the Yugoslavian M48 about 5-600 However if you have your eyes set on a WW2 oiece i suggest a Russisn Capture K98 aboit 900 to over 1200 in some stores. The light compact M48 makes a great solid hunting rifle that is in a do all calibre. Also the price is none too shabby considering comparable priced rifles for durability, fit and finish and accuracy.
The price is a bit ridiculous in my opinion, but I can't say the RC K98s are junk though. From what I remember looking at the selection that Lever Arms had, none of them were junk - some were nicer than others for sure, but there was no possibility of getting a junk rifle. Besides that, with the refurbishment process the Soviets had when it came to captured arms was organized and advanced enough to scrap the "junk".
StrelokM38
CGN Regular
+1 for the Swedish Mauser. However thats through extreme bias, I'm in love with the things.
Reloading for it is cheap and easy, the things are usually often a tackdriver and then some, and the glassy movement of the bolt are just a few things that make them a wonderful addition to your collection. Nice and soft shooting too.
Try and get your hands on one with matching parts and an intact armorers disc on the stock. Provided nobody has screwed around with it prior to buying it you'll be set with a great gun.
Reloading for it is cheap and easy, the things are usually often a tackdriver and then some, and the glassy movement of the bolt are just a few things that make them a wonderful addition to your collection. Nice and soft shooting too.
Try and get your hands on one with matching parts and an intact armorers disc on the stock. Provided nobody has screwed around with it prior to buying it you'll be set with a great gun.
Coyote Ugly
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The big turn off with the RC K98's is the way they were refurbished - Belt Sander, Black Dip Blueing, Grinding, Vibrapencil, Mismatched parts, Peened out symbols, etc.
As a tool they function quite well and shoot well. I stick the RC K98's barrel end down in my garden in the summer as Tomato Stakes!
Yes, yes, there are many people who scoff at the merest mention of the Russian Capture K98. They show utter disdain and revulsion at the idea that there are people out there who want to own a German WW2 production K98, but do not/did not have the means available to pay $1500+ for a rifle that appeared to not have been captured by the Russians - but rather had been captured by any other Western Ally.
Regardless of which nation's solider captured a K98, it was a war prize. But, different nations had significantly different plans in mind for their spoils of war. When it came to the Yanks, it was a free for all with GIs grabbing anything and everything they would cart off and send home. Canadians were told they would have their items confiscated at the quayside on arrival in Halifax - and as such many items of significance were given a burial at sea (although officers were likely exempt from the order, and some enlisted men would have kept their spoils come hell or high water). The Soviets captured and looted enmass, as retribution for what the Germans had done to the Soviet Union during the war. The Soviets took their captured arms and armaments and stockpiled them away, in the event a third global conflict kicked off - as it looked probable one would. Items in very good condition would likely have been cleaned/greased and stored away, items in lesser condition would have run the gamut from minor repairs up to complete rebuilds from parts, to being smelted down.
Regardless of which nation's solider captured a K98, it was a war prize. But, different nations had significantly different plans in mind for their spoils of war. When it came to the Yanks, it was a free for all with GIs grabbing anything and everything they would cart off and send home. Canadians were told they would have their items confiscated at the quayside on arrival in Halifax - and as such many items of significance were given a burial at sea (although officers were likely exempt from the order, and some enlisted men would have kept their spoils come hell or high water). The Soviets captured and looted enmass, as retribution for what the Germans had done to the Soviet Union during the war. The Soviets took their captured arms and armaments and stockpiled them away, in the event a third global conflict kicked off - as it looked probable one would. Items in very good condition would likely have been cleaned/greased and stored away, items in lesser condition would have run the gamut from minor repairs up to complete rebuilds from parts, to being smelted down.
I will add if you plan to shoot one, do not get an original german matching one. Break a part and your $3000 matching rifle becomes a $1000 paper weight.
I was able to find a nice East German rework on the EE for around $1000. With full German markings, mostly matching numbers and nice wood and bluing though you have to be patient. Most K98 on the EE are the all matching safe queens or the $1200 RC.
Yugo M48 are nice as are the South American ones
I was able to find a nice East German rework on the EE for around $1000. With full German markings, mostly matching numbers and nice wood and bluing though you have to be patient. Most K98 on the EE are the all matching safe queens or the $1200 RC.
Yugo M48 are nice as are the South American ones
A good friend of mine, a well known Canadian, now deceased, was a WWII combat veteran. He told me that after the war, when his returning ship pulled into Montreal harbor, MPs came on board to tell the guys to throw overboard any contraband. He said there are tons of weapons at the bottom of Montreal harbor. Guys were throwing in grenades and machine guns and one guy even had a complete partially dismantled Kubelwagen that they threw overboard. My friend himself had a Schmeisser machine pistol with several clips of ammunition. He threw it overboard and told me that it was probably a good thing that he did, because he was on his way home to kill his parents. I asked him why he wanted to do that and he said he didn't know, but knew it was the right thing to do. He said the desire to kill his parents passed after a few weeks. But one of his friends did manage to smuggle in some sort of German machine gun and was later picked up shooting ducks with it on a lake north of Montreal.
Officers were apparently a different story. Another friend's deceased father had been a Canadian Army Intelligence Officer serving for unknown reasons with the British Army in North Africa and along with his own medals had all sorts of confiscated loot taken off surrendering German officers: lots of daggers, pistols (unregistered) and medals. He also had a signed letter from Field Marshall Montgomery personally thanking him for his outstanding service. I have no idea what he really did in North Africa, but it was significant. I had one good look at all this stuff many decades ago. I have lost touch with that friend but as far as I know the collection is still complete and well stashed away.
I know none of this helps anyone pick up a good Mauser, but there seem to be a lot for sale at most gunshows. If I wanted a nice 98, I'd avoid the Yugos and pick up one of those minty Brazilians in 7x57 that are still around.
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