Front Site Hood K98 Mauser

[dh1633pm]

I purchased Mini 30 a couple weeks ago. When I went to pick it up, sitting next to it was a beat up K98. It followed me home, along with a nice Yugo bayonet for the low price of $250. Over the last couple weeks I disassembled it and degreased it. Found out it was a Sauer made in 1941. Not matching. Appears to be a Yugo capture or acquired. The stock had most of its varnish worn off so I removed the rest. Then used linseed oil to oil it up. Still looks like its been through a war. The bore was a mess of blackness goo that took a while to get the patches to gray. I will continue to clean it until they are cleaner.

Anyhow, does anyone know a simple way to put the front sight hood back on? The spring steel is pretty strong. Thanks.

 

[mustanger98]

If you have access to a pair of pliers made to reverse... what I mean is as you squeeze, they spread. You might know someone who has that, or you might consult a gunsmith. That's my understanding of the easy way.

 

[dh1633pm]

I thought about that. Maybe I will look for a pair. I tired some pliers that I had that work the normal way and spreading them apart, however the roundness of them caused the hood to twist. Thanks for the info. See what I can come up with. The right tool for the right job is always important.

 

[303 hunter]

I used “C” clip pliers to install the sight hood on my 1891 Mauser. Just spread one end slightly and put it over the sight, then tap it on rest of the way with a wooden hammer handle.

 

[Robert]

Yup, a pair of snap ring pliers would work.

 

[JONWILL]

I have needle nose pliers.
I use a hammer to tap it in until it spreads the hood far enough to get it on.

 

[dh1633pm]

Thanks. I will stop by ACE today to get some pliers. I can also try out the needle nose pliers. I am heading out to help my dad move some furniture and will shoot my new Mini 30 in the rain. Stop by ACE on the way home.

 

[dh1633pm]

Got the pliers. Worked like a champ.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

Got the pliers. Worked like a champ.

View attachment 807340

Where are the rest of the pics? We want to see the rifle.

 

[dh1633pm]

Will do. Its not much to see. Give me a bit and I will have it covered.

 

[dh1633pm]

This is it. Paid $250 complete with Yugo Bayonet. I removed the varnish which was peeling off a bunch and then put some Linseed Oil on it. Didn't sand it very much, only enough to smooth it a bit.

 

[GunnyUSMC]

You did very good.
The stock looks a little oil soaked around the action area. If so there could be some soft wood behind the recoil lug. It would be wise to remove the stock and check.

 

[dh1633pm]

Already took it apart, down to the last screw and pin. The wood isn't soft. Just very dirty. Got most of the oil from it.

 

[mustanger98]

Looks pretty good for a "beat up" K98. I've heard JP Saur is one of the better K98's, especially early and mid-war production. Numbers not matching seems to be par for the course.

I see you got a flat buttplate. Did you notice a couple of Wiemar eagles on the side of the stock behind the bolt takedown ring? The Nazis changed from Wiemar eagles to "dirty birds" in 1938. I'm thinking you may have a pre-1938 stock.

It may well be a Yugo acquired rifle, but most of the Yugo K98's I've seen, the German markings were scrubbed. I thought of it being maybe a Russian capture, but I don't think so because I heard they put an "X" through some German marks.

Does the Yugo bayonet fit?

 

[dh1633pm]

The bayonet fits like it was purpose made.

 

[dh1633pm]

The rifle is all there. No missing parts. It was still pretty dirty from cosmoline when I got it. The stock for as dirty and as it is, if very functional. Since its a mismatch anyhow. I looked and their is an Wiemar Eagle on the stock. There is one on the bolt side. I did not or could not find one on the other side. I wouldn't mind finding a better matching stock since its a mismatch anyhow.

 

[mustanger98]

I've seen two or three veteran bring-back K98's from Western Europe... they were just as mismatched as that. The stock I saw with two Wiemar Eagles... they were both on the bolt side, maybe double stamped. My point here is some of these rifles came straight from the German army like what we find.