Would like some advice for my k98 plz

[Expertowgunner]

I, like J. Anderson, have buyers remorse over my k98. I bought my k98 at a gunshow for 325 even, and at the time looked like a good deal. It was a BYF 43 mauser and had all the matching parts on it. It looked beautiful on the outside, and was so excited over seeing the only nazi mauser at the show, and bought it. I finally got it home and decided to clean it as it looked like it still had grease and stuff on it. Bolt looked really good and so did the rest of the rifle, but when i got to the barrel i realized something that gave me buyers remorse. The barrel looked like it was a rotted out sewer pipe and the rifling is very worn down. I was so mad that i thought about instantly going and selling it. After cooling down, i called up my local gunsmith and asked some advice. I mentioned changing out the barrel, but he said it would ruin the value of the rifle and considered any modification to the rifle a sin (He is a Collector of ww2 firearms). Well here comes the question, is it worth it to change the barrel on the gun or keep it original for the value to go up. How much roughly will this gun go for. I dont want to sell it unless i would break even on how much i spent on it. Also, where is the best place to order k98 barrels in new or good condition with waffen marks for cheap. any help is appreciated.

 

[Spiggy]

Plinker(lots of use) or Collector(safe queen)?

That is the question

 

[Jeremy2171]

A "matching" K98 for $325 is a steal.....now is it a true matching rifle or a Russian Capture thats been renumbered?

A RC gun for $325 is about normal. Before you change the barrel....shoot it first..you may be surprised.....

 

[Coronach]

1. clean the bore. sometimes what looks like a ruined bore will look a lot better afterwards.

2. Shoot it. Pitted bores will often shoot just fine.

Mike

 

[7mmsavage]

Definately try and clean it up first, and even if it didn't clean up I would leave it alone. My 98k story is the same as your's, $350 for mine though, 1944 late war model. The rifling in mine is in good shape but there is some pitting near the chamber and the bore is still dark no matter how much I cleaned it. I finally just learned to live with it, everything matches except the bolt and it's a decent shooter too, it's one of my favorites even if i did pay too much. Give it a chance before you replace that barrel.

 

[SigfanUSAF]

I assume by matching you mean electro-penciled by the Soviets? Is it a capture/import marked rifle?
Aim has R/C Mausers for $219, with no guarentee of bore condition. IO Inc has the same for $199.
Assuming this is the case, and you do have a force matched gun with a bad bore, yes, you paid a little much.
Pics would help.

Is it in a Kreigs model stock? Laminated or walnut stock? Stamped or milled parts? late bolt w/o guide rib? Certain features will surely help value.
How bad is the stock dished out on the left side where Ivan restamped the S/N? Are the R/C crossed rifles on the receiver ring large or small? How badly coated is the stock?

No easy find on the barrels, try looking on internet forums, bad barrels with sights can go for $20 or so. A mint K98 barrel would be worth hundreds, as there are none out there.

 

[Danny Creasy]

Silver safe queen.

I paid $90 for my K98 at a gunshow in 1996. I wasn't that worried about an emaculate rifle. I just wanted to fill that slot in my military rifle collection with a decent and representative weapon.

It has no bluing left. The bore was very clean but the rifling have lost their edge. It has trouble staying on a pie plate at 100 yards. It is marked "byf 43" and the numbers do not match.

The way it is so sanitized looking always makes me wonder if it was covered in rust and somebody soaked it in naval jelley and then scrubbed it off?

Sorry the pics arn't better. My fault.





I have not fired this rifle in years. But, I did shoot it extensively for a while and I found that it has the smoothest action of any of my centerfire bolt guns. For me at least, it is a natural pointer and a good fit. I could snap shoot water filled gallon milk jugs at 25 yards without even acquiring a sight picture. Just look down the barrel and shoot. I still have a partial box of S & B soft point hunting loads with 190 or 187 gr (not quite sure) TIG bullets. I always thought that this rifle and load would be a good pair to keep by the back door of a wilderness cabin or an African lodge. Not that I would ever have either one of those addresses.

 

[NC-Mike]

I have a 1938 K98 marked 47 which is a J.P. Sauer und Sohn rifle. Later became Sig. It is a Russian capture but what's interesting, is all the components are stamped and matching. I believe it's a Romanian rifle. Since they switched sides later in the war, it didn't go through the typical Russian rearsenal and had the parts mixed up. Even the stock and hand-guard is stamped and it has some nice, big spread-eagle stampings on the receiver and barrel. The bore is kinda so-so but it will still group about 8 inches, which I think is just fine.

 

[Dr. Dickie]

Try shooting it first.
I cleaned more junk out of the barrel of mine than there is in Rosie's trunk.
It still shoots far better than I ever will.

 

[MHBushmaster]

All matching Mauser 98k for $325?!?!?!
Post pics.
Where are you finding serial #'s on the rifle?

Its too good to be true, even with a sewer pipe bore.
$325 is WAY TOO LOW for an unpinged, Non-RC, all matching 98k.
Its either an RC Mauser and you over paid by about $75-100 or you got fleeced on a Mitchells Mauser.

Either way, take some bore scrubber and or copper solvent and go to work. I've had many a mauser bore that seemed like a sewer that turned out better than when I started after a little bit of elbow grease, and all turned out to be decent shooters if not better.