K98 S/42 Pawn buy. Opinions wanted on what to do with it now

[relichunter]

This is my first bubbafied k98. I picked it up yesterday from my favorite pawn shop. I think it has good potential but I don't want to screw it up more. Actually, the "westernfield" butt pad and hose clamp are so ridiculous I am tempted to leave them.
[LOL]

Soliciting suggestions on what to do with it and any info about it.

Info I have observed. No import mark. Swastikas are not peened. Barrel, Receiver and Floor Plate Match each other (7651). Bolt matches itself (2288). Stock appears to be sanded and refinished (all marks are missing). Minor surface rust and very light pitting on muzzle.

Thanks

[BPTactical]

If it shoots ok then I would just leave it. You can sink as much into as you want but you will quickly spend more than it is worth. Accurizing and barrel replacement/re-chamber and you are approaching 600.00 +.

[Jherexx]

Have it checked out, if it's safe, shoot it. Cheap 8mm romanian surplus at AIM will have you shooting at less than $0.30 a round, thats cheaper than some .223 out there. What more can you ask for, a bargain rifle and bargain ammo to go with it.

Unless of course you are a purist or want a project, then restore it to original configuration for the nostalgia factor.

[gcrookston]

This looks like a pretty easy fix. A new stock, front barrel band and it will make a nice representative example. Before 1968, tens of thousands of these were imported (not to mention the boat loads that were brought back by returning GI's). As a kid I can remember them in a 55 gallon oil drum at a hardware store for $20.00 each.

They were the SKS of their day.

There are pictures of these rifles being surrendered at the end of the war. If I remember correctly the series World at War even had a clip of defeated soldiers lined up, bolts in one hand, rifles in the other, making huge piles of these in a field under allied supervision.

The parts necessary should be easy to find and as stated above, you'll have about a $600.00 rifle.

[AGC]

Doesn't look like the metal was tampered with?

Assuming there's no filing, drilling & tapping, sanded-down-and-painted-with-cold-bluing, etc, done to the metal, you could put it back into military form pretty easily and without spending too much money.

Check Springfield Sporters for parts: ssporters.com

They have a lot of Mauser 98 parts, though I don't see any German 98k stocks listed currently. They should have the correct handguard and bands though. May be difficult to find a "correct" early-war German 98k stock in decent shape; a lot of them got cut-down just like yours... An Israeli beechwood stock is fairly cheap and would not be entirely "wrong," the Israelis obtained a lot of 98ks and not all of them were converted to 7.62mm NATO. Springfield also has Israeli walnut stocks; I've never seen one of those so I don't know if it would be a better match for an early-war German stock? The beech stocks are set up for the cupped buttplates as used on late-war German stocks.

A few other places to check for parts: Sarco, Northridge International, Hoosier Gun Works.

Tennessee Gun Parts also: http://www.tngunparts.com/mauser.htm

[4gunfun]

How is the bore? See if it shoots straight enough for a restoration project. Looks like a nice find.

[relichunter]

Finally had a chance to clean it up. The bore is shiny with a little darkness. It should shoot well. I was going to shoot it Saturday but got rained out. Looking forward to getting a decent stock for this soon.

[sneakerd]

I say put a mil-spec stock on it along with the right buttplate , etc. Then take it out and get ready to rock. You haven't lived until you've put 100 rounds or so thru a Nazi K98. The next day isn't so great though....

[Guylee]

Want a good weekend project? Whip out the belt sander and MAKE a stock muahaha [Beer]

[jreifsch80]

If you're looking for a military stock look at r-guns, apex gun parts and buymilsurp.com they all from time to time have k98 stocks for sale

[lllRorlll]

I say put a mil-spec stock on it along with the right buttplate , etc. Then take it out and get ready to rock. You haven't lived until you've put 100 rounds or so thru a Nazi K98. The next day isn't so great though....
.. i think i made it through 25 8mm, then 25 7.62x54... and i was done..
how did i ww2 soldier do it all day?

[tmckay2]

.. i think i made it through 25 8mm, then 25 7.62x54... and i was done..
how did i ww2 soldier do it all day?

lets just say they don't make them like they used to

[rondog]

.. i think i made it through 25 8mm, then 25 7.62x54... and i was done..
how did i ww2 soldier do it all day?

Think about this....the average soldiers in WWII from ANY of the countries involved were pretty scrawny fellers. We eat much higher calorie foods nowadays than they did back then. Look at all the photos from that era, buncha stickboys. Ever try to sit in a WWII-era Jeep? Not made for fatboys, I can tell ya. Those rifles musta beat 'em up pretty good. The M1 Garands and M1 carbines aren't that bad, IMO, but the bolt rifles can hurt if ya don't have any meat on yer bones.

[leatherneck448]

what'r ya pansies talkin about recoil?!?!?!

but yeah, seriously, shooting 50+ rounds out of those old bolt guns is hellacious.

Ive got the two mentioned (german mauser, and a M91/30)
and also have an old stevens/savage 30-30
(a bolt-gun nonetheless...just leave it to stevens to think up some
crazy-ass invention like that...)
that has to weigh less than 6 pounds with a 18" barrel. in my opinon, thats the worst of the bunch.

I've found that a good shooting jacket (in my case, a worn out carhartt coat) helps a lot when shooting anything similar to the rifles in question.

[CrufflerSteve]

I do have a bunch of bolt action rifles in these rounds. They are tolerable to shoot but I use a recoil pad. Some macho types can call them pussy pads but I see no reason to suffer. They are not bad at all off-hand. At a bench they are rougher and prone is the worst.

The WWII generation might have been skinny guys but they were were much better motivated, being in a war and all. They probably never noticed recoil at all when it got bad and wore the bruise afterwards as a badge of honor.

Steve

[manbearpig72]

If it is safe to shoot, I would find a stock. It doesn't appear to have Russian re-finish so I would avoid a Russian Capture stock. You can spot them because they have shellac and the serial number stamped into the left rear of the buttstock. Depending on what you have invested into it you may or may not want to do this. I think you could find a nice, original stock for $200 or so. And you'll need to find a bayonet lug.

[GunsRBadMMMMKay]

Some macho types can call them pussy pads

Then I sir, am a pussy :p