Which mauser to buy

[Bojangles7]

I'm wanting to start collecting mausers from different countries and wanted some opinions on what you would prefer to start with. So far I've got a Carl Gustafs /96. On my list:

M98k (BRNO)
Yugo 24/47
Turkish K Kale 98
Persian 98/29

These I can get locally or online. Any other ones that should be on my list? I recently recieved my C&R license and now I'm ready to use it.

 

[MAJ Mike]

I've got a pre-WWII (1937) Kar98. Its a Russia-capture but a former student cleaned it up to near presentation grade.

 

[stan rose]

1909 Argentine

 

[wlewisiii]

Want a wall hanger? Get whatever tickles your fancy.

Want a shooter? BRNO everytime. Built them even better than Mauser did.

 

[wlewisiii]

Oh and if you become serious about them, you'll want at least one of each:
1891 Argentine
1893 Spanish
1895 Swedish (best of the early bunch. Another shooter).
1898 German (bolt action development ends here. There are cheaper ones, but none better.)

 

[Bojangles7]

I guess I should have mentioned that I'll only buy shooters. I love shooting the older rifles and have no use for a wall hanger. Thanks for the suggestions to add to my list. Of course I'd love to start with a Gew. 98 but I figured I'd start with the cheaper ones first.

 

[SimplyChad]

Gew 98

 

[ssyoumans]

Yugo M48. $220 from Cheaper than dirt. Makes for a great shooter, I like mine a lot, after I put in a $60 Timney trigger for it.

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/2PWAM48-1.html

Biggest problem is that they shoot really high at 50 & 100 yards, but Brownells sells a taller front sight $15 that you can file down to get a zero for your load.

Reasonably smooth gun, but the feeding isn't as smooth as on my K98.

 

[bobbo]

Try an 1871 and then an 1888 Commission rifle. If you're going to start somewhere, start at the beginning .

 

[crazysccrmd]

I love my 1891. Smoothest action I've handled. My hunting rifle is a customized m48. Can't go wrong with a mauser

 

[texgunner]

The K98k is pretty ubiquitous and about a bazillion were made. You should be able to find one for a good price at a gun show.

 

[critter]

I like 98's. I have a K98 Russian capture, M48A, VZ24. All are relatively 'cheap' but typical and classical M98's.

I have also used (already bubbed) 1909 Argentines and VZ24's to make custom rifles which turned out really well.

 

[303tom]

1903..................

 

[Bojangles7]

The last gun show I went to there was a guy selling a really nice Israeli Mauser. I was just getting into the milsurps and wasn't really sure if I wanted to spend the money. I still regret not getting it but I'm sure there will be others.

I'll have to keep an eye out for some of those older ones you guys have mentioned. I guess with all the retailiers still selling some of the more modern versions, there seems to be more buzz around them.

1903..................

I'll get around to collecting the American milsurps too. I'm still young and have plenty of time to get to those. I don't have any currently and fell in love with my Swede after shooting it a couple times, so I thought I'd start with the mausers first. I've debated getting a cmp garand but I figure I should focus on one group at at time.