Newbie to Mauser 98, should I buy this one?

[muddcat]

First off I'm new to the mauser 98, never handled one until today but have always wanted one. I have a few questions I hope can be answered. Found this one at a pawn shop but he didn't know much about the gun so he was no help really at all. First off the gun is in good shape, bore looks good, bolt action feels good. All numbers match except on the bottom at the trigger guard. I didn't write down the serial # but It has BCD and the german eagle mark stamped. I have talked him down to $340. Is this a good price for this particular gun? Also since I have never held one before I have a question... when I opened the bolt fully I noticed a quite a bit of side to side slop in the bolt. Is this normal or does this show excesive wear? when the bolt is half closed-fully closed before lock it is good and tight. Is this normal for a Mauser? Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[cal30_sniper]

That sort of bolt play is pretty much a trademark of a military Mauser rifle. You'll find the same play in a lot of sporting rifles, but it's made worse by the thumb charging slot cut into the left side of the receiver bridge. Once the bolt is pulled behind that, there's not a whole lot of support to hold the lugs and raceways perfectly in alignment, leading to the condition you describe. The only Mauser I've handled much that didn't feel that way was the Chilean M95s. They have a solid left wall with no thumb cut, and also have a small rail that runs inside the left bolt race where the extractor groove is to help keep the bolt lined up. After the M95, the action was simplified without that small rail because it was simply too expensive to produce them that way. Some of the war production Mausers, as this one is, have a bit more slop due to looser production tolerances and poorer fitting of parts.

I can't really help you for what it's worth, but I can help you with what it is. The letters "bcd" at the top of the receiver ring denote a Gustloff Werke rifle made after 1941. There should be another two or single digit number stamped beneath "bcd" which gives the year of manufacture. There is a pretty good write-up on different Gustloff Werke Mausers here:
http://www.ycgg.org/pdfpages/ww2/gustloff.pdf

Hope that helps.

 

[muddcat]

That helps a lot.. thanks for taking the time to reply with such good info. Also one question, just from reading it seems the German made ones are the more desirable ones correct?

 

[headoftheholler]

Most German K98s fall into 2 categories, russian capture and not. A RC is less desirable but at its base still a K98. RC k98s will have a "X" or * on the left side of the reciever, but for that price, you are good either way.

 

[cal30_sniper]

That helps a lot.. thanks for taking the time to reply with such good info. Also one question, just from reading it seems the German made ones are the more desirable ones correct?

Not a problem, glad I could help.

As far is what is the most desirable, you are getting into a wild and wooly world of Mauser collecting with a statement like that. I agree that the German Mausers are more desirable than the Yugos, Turks, Spanish, and some others. However, you also have other versions of 98s, such as the South American and Central American Mausers which are every bit as collectible and desirable as the Germans Army issued ones, sometimes more so. There are a ton of Mauser variants out there, and every one has a following somewhere.

If you like it, determine the price is fair, and you have the cash lying around, I'd say go for it. I've yet to buy a Mauser rifle of any type that I didn't thoroughly enjoy for what it was, as well as the history behind it.

 

[muddcat]

Most German K98s fall into 2 categories, russian capture and not. A RC is less desirable but at its base still a K98. RC k98s will have a "X" or * on the left side of the reciever, but for that price, you are good either way.

Why are the RC's less desirable? Is it because of the way they were handled after the war?

 

[headoftheholler]

Why are the RC's less desirable? Is it because of the way they were handled after the war?

The RC's are usually mismatched, sloppily reblued, stocks revarnished sloppily, but again, at its core its still a k98

 

[muddcat]

Not a problem, glad I could help.

As far is what is the most desirable, you are getting into a wild and wooly world of Mauser collecting with a statement like that. I agree that the German Mausers are more desirable than the Yugos, Turks, Spanish, and some others. However, you also have other versions of 98s, such as the South American and Central American Mausers which are every bit as collectible and desirable as the Germans Army issued ones, sometimes more so. There are a ton of Mauser variants out there, and every one has a following somewhere.

If you like it, determine the price is fair, and you have the cash lying around, I'd say go for it. I've yet to buy a Mauser rifle of any type that I didn't thoroughly enjoy for what it was, as well as the history behind it.

I understand what your saying about desirability. This being my first one I think I will get this one. Price seems good and it will put a smile on my face after years of wanting one

 

[muddcat]

The RC's are usually mismatched, sloppily reblued, stocks revarnished sloppily, but again, at its core its still a k98

gotcha

 

[cal30_sniper]

I understand what your saying about desirability. This being my first one I think I will get this one. Price seems good and it will put a smile on my face after years of wanting one

That's what it's all about. I just bought another yesterday, a sporter built off of a Peruvian 1909 action (Model 98 made in Obendorf, Germany), with a 7x57 Ackley Improved heavy-barrel. I'm not too big into the military original ones, although I wouldn't pass up a shot at one of the American Mausers in original nice condition or a German K98, and I love my original Swede 96. I like the sporters, for their artwork and history. I love the originals for their history as well. They are all fun, and that's what makes collecting really worthwhile.

Better post some pictures when you get it!

 

[RPRNY]

NO! DON'T DO IT. Take up crack. Start shooting heroin into your eyeballs. Get married.

All of these are better choices than the downward spiral of madness, addiction and financial ruin that await you when you start collecting Mausers.












just kidding. sort of...

 

[Joe I]

Ha ha...for the last 20 years I've resisted adding another Mauser to my collection of one...and since then, 1909 Argentines like the one I sporterized have gone from $149 for a hand-picked example (mine was all numbers-matching) to $$$$$$!

Just today, I started thinking again about how nice it would be to have a second, unmolested '09 Argentine....