Mauser 98k in 7.62x39 ???

[PocketRocket]

I recently bought a Mauser 98k from a friend at a very good price. The rifle also came with a “story”, but for me it doesn’t matter because I really like the rifle -- story or no story.

The “Story”: When the Russians took over East Berlin they kept the 98k in their arsenal for training the East German Army. However, they rechambered them in 7.62x39

And that’s what I have -- a 98k in 7.62x39. Bull or no bull?

 

[R.W.Dale]

A bunch of small rings were converted by interarms in the 90's I believe it was.

I had one but it tended to have feeding issues.

Is this rifle a sporter or in full military configuration?

 

[Chevelle SS]

I wonder how hard it would be to convert one.

 

[fatcat4620]

I would convert mine. 8mm kills the wallet.

 

[Ian]

I've seen a number of Arisakas converted to 7.62x39 by China, but haven't seen a Russian military conversion of a Mauser. Can you post some photos of it?

Was the bolt face altered? How about the magazine follower?

 

[PocketRocket]

R.W.Dale - The rifle is in full military configuration. I have feeding issues with it also, but it is not important to me. I just wanted a shooting example of a milestone in the development of rifles and this caliber makes it easy to acquire cheap ammo and a much softer recoil.....Ric

Chevelle SS - I would think a simple rebarreling would do the trick and a spacer in the magazine well would complete the job. I'm thinking that the spacer in mine is the cause of the feeding problems. After I complete the honeydews and a ton of other more pressing projects I'll try to resolve this problem.....Ric

fatcat4620 - I've never fired an 8mm cartridge in a bolt gun,but I have a G43 semi-auto that gives a stout recoil, but not really too uncomforable.....Ric

 

[Mobuck]

I converted a 1916 Mauser (already converted to 7.62x51) to 7.62x39 using a chamber sleeve and magazine filler. Feeding was iffy and accuracy was nonexistant.
A properly chambered and correctly bored barrel should take care of the accuracy issue but the smaller case rim of the x39 will always be a problem.

 

[mookiie]

you have a G43 lucky you ric!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

I would convert mine. 8mm kills the wallet

It would be cheaper to buy a simple handloading set, like the Lee handpress (around $60) than to "convert."

First of all, you'd need a new barrel -- think $200 to $400. Then you'd need to have it installed. And, as mentioned earlier, it probably wouldn't feed well. The M98 Mauser's feed lips are machined into the receiver, and are designed to feed a specific cartridge.

 

[PocketRocket]

mookiie - I wish that I was that lucky! I was given the G43, BUT it had already been sporterized including a banded front sight and a Williams side-mounted rear peep sight AND it was blued - ugh! It had been done shortly after WWII when they had little value in their original condition.....Ric

Vern - So do you think my focusing on the magazine spacer is headed in the wrong direction or is the magazine spacer still worth some attention?.....Ric

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You can't tell until you try it. It might work.

But the 7.62X39 has a head diameter of 0.445" and a case diameter of 0.4398 just forward of the extraction groove.

The 7.92X57 (8mm Mauser) has a head diameter of 0.473" and a case diameter of 0.470 just forward of the extraction groove.

You can see the problem -- the 7.62X39 can have a tendency to jump out of the magazine under spring pressure.

 

[fatcat4620]

Pocketrocket, I reload but dies, brass, bullets, a new powder, and small things add up. I have a few thousand rounds of x39 already.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

While 8mm does kill the wallet, I don't think it's so killer on the shoulder. I've never had an issue with recoil, though, so I'm not a very good testament to that lol. I can shoot my M44 all day long, no problem. Same with my Turk in 8mm.

 

[PocketRocket]

Vern - The rounds have never jumped out of the magazine, but the cartridges cant as the bolt brings them forward causing the bullet point to miss the chamber opening. So instead of popping out the smaller case head shifts enough on occasion to cause a failure to feed. Hmmmm…..

Ian - R.W. Dale indicates that these might not be Russian military conversions so I would hold that belief in reservation. I’ve got my plate over filled until next Wednesday and I’ll try and take the photos you requested (They won’t be at all professional until I build a light box) and we can go from there. I would be curious if someone could authenticate it as a Russian military conversion.

fatcat4620 - I thought "fat cat" meant rich. If you are complaining about spending a few bucks why would you choose fatcat as a screen name?

 

[goatman54]

Recently purchased a 1916 Spanish Mauser converted to .308 from 7 mm mauser. Plan on convetring to 7.62 x 39 with kit from MCA SPORTS located in Alaska. Maybe I should just leave it at a .308 cal. ?? Rifle is properly head spaced (gun smith checked). Would appreciate any comments/suggestions.

 

[tahunua001]

I find the claims that it was done by the russian military hard to believe. if they were working with captured rifles it would have been the period shortly after WWII. since there is little point in training a conscript to fire a bolt action only to hand them a fully automatic AK47 they would have probably only been used while bolt actions were still heavily fielded by the russian military so if they converted them to anything I would say that it would be more likely that they used 7.62x54R rather than 7.62x39.

 

[PocketRocket]

goatman54 - I’m a noobie here myself, but I guess it’s okay to say…Welcome!

The .308 is a fine round that is well suited to the Mauser and it is easier to reload (finding or buying boxer primed cases is the problem for the x39) if you ever decide to go in that direction..

You didn’t say what your motivation for the conversion was (cheap ammo?), but I think you would be trading off a more accurate cartridge for one of less than stellar performance. I’m not saying that the x39 cartridge won’t come up to snuff in a properly accurized rifle, but my experience with my “National Match” AK (4” +/- groups at 100 yards) leads me to believe that you would have a long row-to-hoe bettering the .308.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Recently purchased a 1916 Spanish Mauser converted to .308 from 7 mm mauser. Plan on convetring to 7.62 x 39 with kit from MCA SPORTS located in Alaska. Maybe I should just leave it at a .308 cal. ?? Rifle is properly head spaced (gun smith checked). Would appreciate any comments/suggestions.

I would keep it in .308 -- remembering it is not a true .308, but rather the 7.62 CETME, which is dimensionally identical to the .308 but loaded to lower pressure. I would stick with the starting loads in your handbook when reloading for this rifle.

 

[PocketRocket]

“…if they were working with captured rifles it would have been the period shortly after WWII. since there is little point in training a conscript to fire a bolt action only to hand them a fully automatic AK47...”

My uncle was a paratrooper in WWII and he trained with a Springfield bolt gun and upon arrival in France was issued an M1 Garand.

At Paris Island I trained with an M14 semiautomatic rifle and a 1911A1 pistol. Upon arrival in V.N. was issued a 1911A1 and an AK47. Go figure…

Vern -

“…remembering it is not a true .308, but rather the 7.62 CETME…”

I haven’t had any experience with Mausers converted from 7mm to .308 . I thought the conversion was to .308 Win. Are these rifles stamped with .308 CETME on it? At any rate, it’s good to know. Thanks for the heads-up…..Ric

goatman54 - Is your rifle stamped .308 CETME?

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Vern -
Quote:
“…remembering it is not a true .308, but rather the 7.62 CETME…”

I haven’t had any experience with Mausers converted from 7mm to .308 . I thought the conversion was to .308 Win. Are these rifles stamped with .308 CETME on it? At any rate, it’s good to know. Thanks for the heads-up…..Ric

The Spanish inherited a select-fire design from the Nazis -- the same design the Germans fielded during the '50s as the G3. That's basically a delayed blow-back design and worked best with a fairly low pressure cartridge. The Spanish chose to chamber it in .308/7.62X51, but at lower pressure. That round is the .308 CETME.

They then realized the low pressure .308 CETME would be safe in the M1916 Mausers, and began rebarreling them accordingly.

 

[PocketRocket]

Mr. Humphrey - You are a veritable cornucopia of information -- thanks…..Ric

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Thanks . . . I think.

 

[JT-AR-MG42]

Well I'm looking forward to the pics of the 98.

Still can't help but wonder why those crazy Rooskies would turn down a 7.62 x 39 barrel blank to fit the 98 stock and hardware while leaving the boltface/extractor to fit the larger 7.92 base!
It's not like the German Army didn't leave them a bit of surplus 8mm ammo or anything.
Kinda tosses the whole controlled feed thing out the window.

What part of 'Think it Through' did they not get?

Sounds interesting though and maybe you can get close ups of any barrel markings that might have been applied when the conversion was done.

I'll stay tuned, JT