need info on mausers

[gunnerdd2]

want to get some input on the german mausers K 98 in 8mm. Are the ones they sell at the gun shows for under a hundred dollars any good.? Are they shootable ? Thinking about getting one and kinda what to know what I'm getting into.. thanks in advance..

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[DrLewall]

its been abt 30 yrs or so when I owned a 8mm mauser and if I remember correctly, you need to make sure of the bore diameter..some of the "older ones" were .318 and the newer mauser ammo was .325..trying to push a .325 thru an older .318 would created disasterous pressures with possible fatal results..again, thats if I remember correctly..anyone else with better info?

[edr9x23super]

If you can, go to Mitchell's and buy one of theirs. I got mine for about $350 total (I made my anti-gun father buy it for Christmas in exchange for me not making him an NRA member that year) and I got a brand-new Mauser that was essentially a collector-grade gun. I bought some ammo for it and it shot OK, but the trigger was, well, it was a trigger. I went out and bought a copy of Shotgun news and found a vendor who had a better trigger assembly which I bought under $100 which dramatically improved my accuracy (I went from 5" groups at 100 yards to 2"). I also found a cheap scope mount that went in place of the rear sight assembly, and it has worked out just fine. All in all, I would advise you to spend the money and get an essentially new Mauser while they last. I know I have had both and I promise you this deal will save you a lot of grief and experimentation.

Just my .02

[CEW58]

want to get some input on the german mausers K 98 in 8mm. Are the ones they sell at the gun shows for under a hundred dollars any good.? Are they shootable ? Thinking about getting one and kinda what to know what I'm getting into.. thanks in advance..

A lot depends on when it was manufactured. My Dad had one that was made in 1943 and is a great rifle. Later on, due to the shortage of strategic metals and skilled labor some of the K98s weren't the greatest.

Factory ammo for the 8X57 is usually watered down. To get anything like full performance you'll have to hand load. Again, if it's one other later ones made close to the end of the war I'd proceed with caution.

I took my first two deer using Dad's old K98 shooting handloads using 160 gr Speer semi-spitzer bullets. Worked like a champ!

[CEW58]

its been abt 30 yrs or so when I owned a 8mm mauser and if I remember correctly, you need to make sure of the bore diameter..some of the "older ones" were .318 and the newer mauser ammo was .325..trying to push a .325 thru an older .318 would created disasterous pressures with possible fatal results..again, thats if I remember correctly..anyone else with better info?

Only the really old Mausers were .318. After 1903 the diameter was changed to .323. Here's a good article.

[CopperKnight]

For accuracy, it's hit and miss. I bought one when they went on sale for a good price. I looked at 5 before I found one that didn't have rust in the barrel or serious pitting someplace else. Take your time looking for one, check them over well before buying and you have a better chance of getting a good one. Mine turned out to be a good shooter, by the way.

[buckeye .45]

I have one made in 1938, I think it was a little over 200 bucks when bought. Its an accurate rifle with quite a kick.

The only ones that I have ever seen under 100 were either Turkish or Czech, don't know anything about them.

[gunnerdd2]

thanks for the info. how about a mosin nangant, seems like a nice rifle..

[atctimmy]

If you can find one I'd recommend a Yuqo m48 mauser. They were produced after the war in Yugoslavia on the original german tooling set up there during the war. They made about a million of them, and when the AK-47 appeared they became instantly obselete. They were never issued, and have sat "new in cosmoline" for 60 years. They shoot like a new rifle should, and since they were made after WWII you won't pay the collectable premium associated with the German k98. In summation they look and function like a new k98 Mauser, but you can get one "new" for around 150 bucks. This was what Mitchell Mausers was selling for years for around $350 until collectors complained that they were not K98s they thought they were buying.

[ccw9mm]

Consider picking up a copy of the book Mauser Bolt Rifles, by Ludwig Olsen. It's about $60 or so, but it is a fantastic book on Mausers. It literally has everything you'd want to know, including the variants made, which countries licensed them, the features of each.

[DizTbone]

Also, check Surplusrifle.com for info. Be sure to check their forum, too.

Be safe,
Michael