Civilian Mauser

[stumpers]

I think this may fit what I am looking for, but I have a few questions I hope someone here can answer.

Value, if indeed a civilian Mauser?

Does the rifle appear to be correct? Or is it a good sporterization?

What markings should I be looking for?

It's a Redfield peep sight, which I assume is not original to a German non military Mauser.

The guy selling it says it's an 8mm and not sporterized, but I don't know much about older rifles.

I was keeping an eye out for a 1903, 1917, or a Mauser of some sort and I came across this...

 

[VegasAR15]

What is he asking for it? Have you seen it in person? Are there any markings on it? Does it have the guides for a stripper clip? Do you really want the two trigger setup?

 

[fguffey]

The rifle pictured has a hole drilled in the barrel meaning at one time it was a military rifle, the rifle also has a set trigger meaning it could be a guild rifle. There should be markings on the receiver some where.

Unless there is a special name stamped on the receiver and or barrel somewhere use that to your advantage, offer $150.00.

F. Guffey

 

[VegasAR15]

You said it may fit what you have been looking for. What exactly are you looking for?

 

[stumpers]

What is he asking for it? Have you seen it in person? Are there any markings on it? Does it have the guides for a stripper clip? Do you really want the two trigger setup?

$600. The guy says it's an Oberndorf, but there's no markings on it whatsoever. I have not seen it in person - it's an hour drive, so I wanted to be sure what exactly I'm going to see and what, generally, I would offer.

You said it may fit what you have been looking for. What exactly are you looking for?

I'm looking for something unique to use for deer, fun at the range, hang on the wall as a conversation piece.

 

[VegasAR15]

$600, ouch. For that price I would just pass on it, I seriously doubt you will be able to get him down anywhere close to what it is worth.

 

[stumpers]

I thought perhaps there would be some value to it, as well as functional for my wants.

The guy was nice enough call me with details, but I think it odd there's not factory or Mauser-brand markings anywhere on it.

I will probably pass and just keep looking.

 

[VegasAR15]

I thought perhaps there would be some value to it, as well as functional for my wants.

The guy was nice enough call me with details, but I think it odd there's not factory or Mauser-brand markings anywhere on it.

I will probably pass and just keep looking.

There is value to it, just not close to $600 worth.

If you are looking for something to take hunting and you want something in more of a sporterized configuration as opposed to original I would stick with a sporterized 1903 or 1917. They are usually pretty plentiful and you should be able to find one cheap; especially if you do not reload. You are going to have a lot more ammo choices in a 30.06 as opposed to 8mm and it will be easier to find.

 

[morcey2]

It looks like a small-ring 98 of some sort. It's got no step on the left side from the front receiver ring back to the side of the receiver. It's got a thumb cut on the left side which rules out a commercial action. It also has double set triggers which is something I've always wanted to try, but could never afford. My guess is that is a sportered Kar98a, or Kar98az or something like that. It won't be a VZ33 because they have the lightening cut that results in the step referenced earlier. It also has a stepped barrel which usually indicates a sporterized military rifle.

Matt

 

[eastbank]

the top mauser is a FN commercial 98 mauser,it does not have the thumb cut on the left reciever rail for useing stripper clips to reload, the bottom mauser is a german 98 military mauser(reworked by the norwegians) and you can see the thumb cut on the left reciever rail for useing the clips for quick reloads. i think you mauser is a 98 military rework into a civian sporting rifle. eastbank.

 

[morcey2]

the top mauser is a FN commercial 98 mauser,it does not have the thumb cut on the left reciever rail for useing stripper clips to reload, the bottom mauser is a german 98 military mauser(reworked by the norwegians) and you can see the thumb cut on the left reciever rail for useing the clips for quick reloads. i think you mauser is a 98 military rework into a civian sporting rifle. eastbank.

For some reason, your pic wasn't showing up, so I assumed that you were talking about the OP's pics. Comments removed.

 

[eastbank]

i posted pic,s of my own 98 mausers, they show up on my computer.eastbank.

 

[NCsmitty]

The OP's pictures show a sporterized military rifle with a milspec stepped barrel with some accoutrements that upgrade it a bit. The double set trigger is probably the most valuable part of the rifle. The bolt is a bit hard to see in the pic, but appears to be well done, but not bent to clear a scope if one was mounted standard over the action.
It may matter if there are markings on the rifle. As it sits, no more than $300-$350 without close up shots to identify it better.


NCsmitty

 

[jimmyraythomason]

As it sits, no more than $300-$350 without close up shots to identify it better.

"As it sits" I would agree. Pull the barrel and part it out. The action alone will bring upward of $400 on gunbroker.com/rifle parts. It has a shotgun style trigger guard( cannot see the floorplate),the double set triggers are worth upward of $100,the receiver sight,depending on brand....another $100+. That European style sporter stock ????? This is one of those times when the individual parts are worth more than the collective.

 

[MattShlock]

"As it sits" I would agree. Pull the barrel and part it out. The action alone will bring upward of $400 on gunbroker.com/rifle parts...

400 US dollars or Turkish? For a milsurp Mauser receiver and bolt!?

 

[morcey2]

.... ETA: Where's the delete when you need it.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

400 US dollars or Turkish? For a milsurp Mauser receiver and bolt!?

U.S.dollars for Mauser 98 actions(receiver,complete bolt assembly,trigger,triggerguard,follower,follower spring,ejector and ejector housing plus action screws.). There are none available now but the last they had were all "buy it now" priced at $400 and sold at that. Complete military bolts are $125+ I spend a lot of time on gunbroker.com searching for Mauser parts for sporter builds.

 

[Willie Sutton]

Lots to like about this one, set triggers are at the top of the "good" list. Balancing that is the use of th original stepped barrel.. which will always look like a stepped military barrel no matter how well the balance of the rifle was sporterized. It's one of the tens of thousands of military Mausers that went thru sporterization, some at the hands of masters, and some at the hands of bubba. This looks to be about 2/3 of the way between a Mastepiece and a a Bubba. I'll let you guess which side it's balanced towards... but it's still an OK rifle. I also concur it's worth more as parts than as a rifle. The action and set triggers would make a VERY nice basis for a nice lightweight sporter. I'd build it up in 7mm Mauser or similar, with a full length Mannlicher style stock, and it would be a gem. It's a "new sporter" on the hoof... buy accordingly if you are interested. $600 is WAY too high. The action plus trigger and $1000 would make up a first class rifle. The rifle as-is? Uhh... <sigh>... were it not for the stepped barrel... it would be a $300 keeper "as is". I could never own that with that barrel though. And yes you "can sort of" have the steps removed in a lathe, but the resulting contour might not please you.


Willie

.

 

[Edarnold]

After WW1, lots of ex-military 98's were sporterized in Germany and Austria. This looks like one of those, due to the very Germanic stock and the barrel band sling swivel. They were popular in Africa as a cheap light rifle for hunters, as well as on the Continent. I've seen German catalogs from the 1920's that showed low end rifles that looked just like this one. The peep sight is a Redfield with hunter knobs, I've got a drawer full of them. Anybody for one for $100?

As far as parting the gun out for big bucks, less than a year ago I had a Mexican M36 action with scoped bolt handle, buehler safety, Dayton-Traister trigger, and a complete Redfield scope mount up for sale on GunBroker. I got exactly one offer on it. And sold for $280. I don't who expects to get $400 for an issue 98 action, but I think there are a lot more asking than selling for that kind of money. For $400 I'll part with my commercial Zastava action, no military stamps and commercial blue. Any takers? Didn't think so.

I'd keep the gun as a shooter, assuming the bore is good, and you can get it for maybe $350.

 

[stumpers]

I passed on the rifle after I was sent a closer photo of the action.

Aside from zero markings...

It's clearly a military rifle and not the Oberndorf civilian Mauser the guy alluded to. He was asking $600, and after reading the comments here I was at less than $200.

 

[VegasAR15]

Sometimes people just think that they are sitting on a gold mine.

 

[fguffey]

"Unless there is a special name stamped on the receiver and or barrel somewhere use that to your advantage, offer $150.00"

I do not believe anyone said it was not worth less than $200.00, I have Turk Mausrs that are VZ22 and VZ23 rifles. The receivers were scrubbed and then stamped by the Turks. I have seen P.O. Ackley built rifles with nothing but a serial number, when the rifles were sent to Ackley for build they were stamped with military markings.

F. Guffey

 

[Clark]

I negotiated a price of $165 at a pawn shop in 11-15-2004 for a sort of similar 8mm rifle, but does not have the double triggers.

At a gun show I would expect that most likely the OP's Mauser to be priced at $1000 and not sell.

But less likely if I saw the OP's at $500, I would expect it to be negotiated down to $400 or $450 and sell that day.

 

[fguffey]

“.......or a nation of forced conformity of thought?” I am the only one that believes there is something very sick about ‘the forced conformity of thought’.

The hole in the barrel above the right hand in the picture provided by the OP prevents me from believing the rifle was built by a professional, most would have made an attempt to fill the hole. It is possible the barrel was set back, always a problem with that, the diameter of the neck.

F. Guffey

 

[Clark]

I am not sure than is a hole.
It could be a flaw in the pic.
It could be parts of the old military rear sight.