I want a military bolt action, and since I'm not a fan of the Enfields and the Springfields I'm looking for are way out of my price range I was thinking of getting a Mauser. I was wondering how difficult is it to find ammunition for these rifles? Also, has anybody purchased a rifle from Mitchells Mausers. I ask this from the standpoint that I am willing to pay a little more for a nicer looking gun. I don't really care where it was made as long as its accurate and reliable. Ideally I would like to find something in like new condition that is ready to go out of the box. Any opinions are welcome.
Some Mauser questions...
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spacemanspiff
Senior Member
mitchells yugo m48 and m48a's are indeed fine rifles. but they never saw active duty, nor are true mauser 98's as used by the german military.
if that doesnt matter to you, you will be more than happy with a mitchell mauser. what a lot of military rifle afficiandos sneer at is the misleading advertising mitchells employs.
every ad for mitchells makes the rifle sound as if its a war relic, made before/during WWII. they never come right out and say it, but its implied.
finding ammo isnt that difficult, theres still a lot of surplus around, very economical, and a lot of fun. inspect each and every round before firing, check for cracks, loose crimps, corrosion, etc. if in doubt, err on the side of caution.
plan on spending some quality time cleaning the rifle you buy of cosmoline. its cumbersome and time consuming, but it will leave you with an intimate knowledge of your rifle and a greater appreciation for the workmanship put into building it.
if you want a piece of history, there are still plenty of affordable mauser k98's on the market.
if that doesnt matter to you, you will be more than happy with a mitchell mauser. what a lot of military rifle afficiandos sneer at is the misleading advertising mitchells employs.
every ad for mitchells makes the rifle sound as if its a war relic, made before/during WWII. they never come right out and say it, but its implied.
finding ammo isnt that difficult, theres still a lot of surplus around, very economical, and a lot of fun. inspect each and every round before firing, check for cracks, loose crimps, corrosion, etc. if in doubt, err on the side of caution.
plan on spending some quality time cleaning the rifle you buy of cosmoline. its cumbersome and time consuming, but it will leave you with an intimate knowledge of your rifle and a greater appreciation for the workmanship put into building it.
if you want a piece of history, there are still plenty of affordable mauser k98's on the market.
Feanaro
Member
"Mauser" encompasses a LOT of territory. Do you like really long rifles(98 pattern) or short(Kar types)? Straight bolt or bent? Aimsurplus has VG or better Turkish Mausers on the cheap. Empire Arms has Czech Vz24 carbines and Russian capture 98Ks. Impactguns have Persian Mausers. FAC has a variety.
The big ammo makers have a load for 8mm. But usually only one soft-point load loaded to 30-30 levels(8mm was originally loaded to 30-06 levels and still is in Europe) for around $1 a cartridge. Surplus ammo(Corrosive until proven innocent) is available for much less. Yugoslavian 8mm is supposed to be great stuff and is around 10 CENTS a round.
Don't buy directly from them. Really, don't. Overpriced and advertising bordering on lying. Some of the retailers selling their rifles have decent prices though.
The big ammo makers have a load for 8mm. But usually only one soft-point load loaded to 30-30 levels(8mm was originally loaded to 30-06 levels and still is in Europe) for around $1 a cartridge. Surplus ammo(Corrosive until proven innocent) is available for much less. Yugoslavian 8mm is supposed to be great stuff and is around 10 CENTS a round.
Don't buy directly from them. Really, don't. Overpriced and advertising bordering on lying. Some of the retailers selling their rifles have decent prices though.
twoblink
Member
I bought a K98 Mauser that was already rebarrelled to 308. That way, ammo's not a problem, and if you have another rifle in 308, it works well logistically.
$215 for a K98 with a brand new 308 barrel...
$215 for a K98 with a brand new 308 barrel...
Okiecruffler
Member
If you're willing to pay Mitchell's Mausers prices
Get in touch with Dennis at Empire Arms. His stuff is alittle pricer than you'll find at AIM, SOG and the like, but his stuff is hand picked by him and you'll know exactly what you're getting. Military Surplus ammo is easy to find, but corrosive and you'll have to clean your rifle carefully after shooting, but you should be doing that anyway.
Get in touch with Dennis at Empire Arms. His stuff is alittle pricer than you'll find at AIM, SOG and the like, but his stuff is hand picked by him and you'll know exactly what you're getting. Military Surplus ammo is easy to find, but corrosive and you'll have to clean your rifle carefully after shooting, but you should be doing that anyway.
The best made rifles on the surplus market today are the Czech VZ24's. The down side is that many are well worn and more suitable to using as the basis of a project rifle than to be used as is.
The M48/M48A are good, but not as slick as the Czech rifles. FWIW, I am one of those who would never buy from Mitchell. They are overpriced and I am fed up with their "not quite lies" about the guns.
Jim
The M48/M48A are good, but not as slick as the Czech rifles. FWIW, I am one of those who would never buy from Mitchell. They are overpriced and I am fed up with their "not quite lies" about the guns.
Jim
There's a guy here that's selling a nice looking FR8 Spanish Mauser for just over two bills. That's .308 caliber (7.62x51, actually, but that's for another thread....), and there's some pretty good Aussie .308 out right now that's cheap, non-corrosive, non-magnetic, and accurate. I'd do that.
spacemanspiff
Senior Member
i dont trust s&b, not saying its cause thier ammo is crap, but i'm told it is usually loaded to higher pressures, and it was s&b ammo that blew the case apart in my enfield.
i got a handful of bulged cases and one with the back half inch torn clean off. could have been improper headspace, but i wont try s&b again.
theres another manufacturer that makes softpoints, relatively inexpensive, forget the name. think its packaged in a red/white/blue box. works fine, loads are light, but you can reload with its empty cases.
i got a handful of bulged cases and one with the back half inch torn clean off. could have been improper headspace, but i wont try s&b again.
theres another manufacturer that makes softpoints, relatively inexpensive, forget the name. think its packaged in a red/white/blue box. works fine, loads are light, but you can reload with its empty cases.
Okiecruffler
Member
Spiff,
I'll bet you're trying to think of Hotshot Ammo made in Bosnia. Never shot any of their 8mm, but bought a box of their .308 when I bought my Striker to use for sighting in so I didn't burn up my reloads. Cost 8 bucks a box local, I'm sure you could get it mail order cheaper. The .308 was surprisingly accurate, right at MOA. Not what I'm used to out of imported ammo.
I'll bet you're trying to think of Hotshot Ammo made in Bosnia. Never shot any of their 8mm, but bought a box of their .308 when I bought my Striker to use for sighting in so I didn't burn up my reloads. Cost 8 bucks a box local, I'm sure you could get it mail order cheaper. The .308 was surprisingly accurate, right at MOA. Not what I'm used to out of imported ammo.
jefnvk
Member
Last weekend at the local gunshow, 8mm was found for $80 for 1400 rds. Fires great out of my M48. One gun I passed on was a K98 rebarreled by Israel (I think) into .308 for $150.
Have you thought about a Mosin? THere are some real nice looking M91/30, M38 and M44's for around the $60-$80 range.
Have you thought about a Mosin? THere are some real nice looking M91/30, M38 and M44's for around the $60-$80 range.
cracked butt
Member
Change that statement to ...add 98/29s and I'd agree with you. 98/29s are just as well made as VZ-24s if not better, and few of them have seen any use other than ceromonial guard duty.
Okiecruffler
Member
Put me down as another Turk fan
I shoot the stuff by the case. Dirtiest stuff I've ever used, but loaded the way an 8X57 should be. And has proved accurate in everything I've shot it in.
I shoot the stuff by the case. Dirtiest stuff I've ever used, but loaded the way an 8X57 should be. And has proved accurate in everything I've shot it in.
spacemanspiff
Senior Member
touche! alright, so how about i change my statement to "i wont use s&b in my enfield" but i'll use turk in my far superior mausers? 
alright, so how about i change my statement to "i wont use s&b in my enfield" but i'll use turk in my far superior mausers? joe4702
Member
You might also check out Allans Armory (www.allans-armory.com). Like Dennis at Empire, Alan grades rifles individually. He also grades bore condition in detail, something Empire doesn't always do. You will pay a little (or sometimes quite a bit more) than at AIM or one of the other big wholesalers, but you'll know what you are getting. Alan still has some Yugo 24/47 Mausers in stock. I have one and another on the way. They are nice guns for the money ($150-$175 w/accessories).
Edited to add: I agree with the other folks, 98/29 Mausers are top notch, much higher build quality that the Yugos, but they are more $$$. The Russian refurbed VZ-24s at Empire ($175) are decent, although the bore and bluing on mine not all that great. The metal work is a notch above the Yugos but still below that of my 98/29.
Edited to add: I agree with the other folks, 98/29 Mausers are top notch, much higher build quality that the Yugos, but they are more $$$. The Russian refurbed VZ-24s at Empire ($175) are decent, although the bore and bluing on mine not all that great. The metal work is a notch above the Yugos but still below that of my 98/29.
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