8mm Mauser

[antipop]

My father has an old M98 he's willing to let me shoot. It's got the Nazi dirty bird markings, and is in great condition. Problem is, the riflings gone. Now, it's decent at 100 yards, but it keyholes like nothing else. Where can I find a replacement barrel that won't cost me an arm and a leg? I don't shoot corrosive, so a surplus one is great. Any ideas?

Also, SOG has 8mm on 70 round bandoliers for around $5.00. It's non-corrosive surplus, and seems like a bargain. Am I right, or am I being misled?

 

[albanian]

Also, SOG has 8mm on 70 round bandoliers for around $5.00. It's non-corrosive surplus, and seems like a bargain. Am I right, or am I being misled?

It is corrosive. It is probably Turk ammo from the 1950s. It is really hot loaded as well. I think it was loaded for machine guns but I am not sure about that.

I shoot corrosive ammo and as long as you clean it soon after you shoot, it is no worse for your gun than any other ammo. If you are good about cleaning your guns right after you shoot, you will be fine. If you forget and leave it a week or two, you will have a furry bbl.

If your dad's Mauser is all original and it has Nazi markings, it would be a huge mistake to re-barrel it. The collecter value would be destroyed. If you don't care about collector value but want to shoot a 8mm Mauser because of cheap ammo, there are several good Mausers on the market for little money. You can get a Yugo in near new cond for about $100.

If you want, I will trade my excellent cond Yugo for your shot out old German Mauser.

 

[Okiecruffler]

I've got to agree

You can buy a Yugo for a lot less than it would cost to rebarrel that German, and a rebarrel would just be plain wrong.

 

[antipop]

Wow, I wasn't aware it was a collectors item. Is it rich in historical or monetary terms?

Also, whats a good place to snag a good Yugo?

 

[Greg L]

Is it rich in historical or monetary terms?

Nope, not at all. Don't listen to those guys.

Also, whats a good place to snag a good Yugo?

Why, now that you ask, I've got one right here. In fact, being the nice guy that I am I'll even pay for shipping both ways .

If you are really interesting in this deal PM me .

 

[albanian]

Wow, I wasn't aware it was a collectors item. Is it rich in historical or monetary terms?

Also, whats a good place to snag a good Yugo?

The Yugo Mauser is often called the M-48 or M-48A. I have the M-48A. I got mine from CDNN for $69.95 plus shipping. It was in excellent condition but the bolt didn't match the rest of the gun. It is strange because the rest of the gun looks unfired. I don't know how they lost the dang bolt on a new gun.

Anyway, there are many other inexpensive Mausers to try. The Turk Mauser was selling for $39.95 from a lot of dealers not too long ago. There are Mausers from just about every country on earth it seems. The German Mauser with the Nazi markings are consider the acme of the breed. There is no telling what it is worth until you have someone look at it for you or you research it. It may be very rare or it may just be sort of rare. I am sure it is worth a whole lot more than a Yugo M-48 though! The M-48 is just as good of a rifle but it just does not have the collectability of the German marked ones.

If you just want an inexpensive rifle to shoot, the Russian M-44s, M-38s and M-91s can be had for $39.95-$59.95 wholesale. You have to add shipping and FFL fees if you are not a FFL holder of course. The ammo these guns take is inexpensive also but not quite as cheap as the 8mm.

Let us know what you want from a rifle and we can point you in a better direction. I still think you should leave the Mauser as it is and find a less rare gun to shoot. I doubt your Nazi Mauser is going to be worth enough to retire on but it is probably worth enough to buy you several less collectable military surplus rifles.

 

[Okiecruffler]

It's difficult to put a price on it sight unseen. It depends on exactly what variation you have, when it was made, which markings you have and how sharp they are. But I'd be willing to bet it would bring a couple hundred at the least. If you rebarrel, you're looking at $100 minimum for the barrel (unless you gamble on a mauser takeoff) and then what ever a gunsmith charges to rebarrel and reblue. I paid $90 for my M48A with all matching numbers and it shoots 1.5inch groups at 100yrds with turk ammo.

 

[azrael]

Leave the Nazi rifle alone!

Get yourself a m48a and shoot the heck out of it


I have 2 of them and both of them are great shooters....Both will put 5 rounds off hand at 60-70 yards in a dinner plate...I used one for hunting this last season w/handloads and it put the deer on the ground HARD!!!


My "least" accurate m48a is going to be a scout rifle project of mine this year AFTER I get me a sewing machine....Good shooting

 

[No4Mk1*]

I avoid Turkish ammo because of internet rumor of cracked stocks where the bolts hold the stock to the receiver due to Turkish ammo. The 1940 Yugo or Greek is excellent and appropriately powerful, and the Romanian is underpowered so it recoils lightly. I prefer those three types of ammo.

 

[albanian]

That happened to my Turkish Mauser after shooting a bunch of Turk 8mm through it but I can't say that the Turk ammo would be the cause. I think any ammo will crack the stock if you shoot 1400rds of it! That may be the problem, the Turk ammo is so cheap that people are shooting more of it.