Mitchell's Mausers

[savageT]

Does anyone have feedback on Mitchell's Mausers  <www.MitchellSales.com> in Fountain Valley, CA?  They are currently advertising a gorgious K98-M48 Series 8mm Rifle for $249.  Is this a large-ring action?  Has anyone got a good feeling about their products?
Thanks for your comments.

Jim

[1911crazy]

I'm not sure if there are different grades of Mitchell mausers.  I have a brand new M48 and its awesome.  Its a large ring reciever.  If thats a brand new mauser thats a great price since they have been hitting close to $399.  I have seen them at gun shows still NIB for around $250.  My M48 is still unshot i'm afraid to take it out yet it just looks so pretty.  But i will shoot it soon in the spring.
                                                               BigBill
I found mine in a pawn shop still in the orginal box with all the accessories I guess someone hocked it??  I got the pawn shop guy haggled down to $225 for it.

[Bigdog57]

In my opinion, Mitchell's is engaging in false advertising - the M48/M48A is a different rifle than the K98 - the action parts will not interchange.
They have a nice looking rifle indeed, but they can be found for far less.  I bought my M48A unissued for $130 - sadly though, I didn't get any accessories or extras, just the gun.
The M48 has no war provenence, other than a few used in the recent Balkans conflict.  The Yugo and Russian Capture K98's are much better for an actual wartime relic.  My buddy picked up a pretty decent K98 Russian Capture from SOG, IIRC.

[1911crazy]

While I have a few different 8mm mausers(german 98's,  yugo 98's and yugo M48's)  my favorite one is a Yugo Mod 98  preduzecci 44 8mm mauser its a German 98 with the orginal german markings ground off and remarked with the yugo crest so its a German mauser for a yugo price. These can be found at gun shows, pawn shops and shooting range stores on a regular basis.

extra info;
And Bigdog57 is right the yugo m48 has the shortest lenght bolt.  I believe there are three different bolt lengths in 98 & 48 mausers while the 48 is the shortest the 98's have the middle size and the longest.  I'm mentioning this because if anyone is thinking of sporterizing one its good to consider the bolt length to your choice of caliber(bullet length) so it will work and function properly.  There are different trigger housings so the magazine will fit the longer bullets too.  We just have to watch the trigger housing securing screw distance so the new one fits.

The M48 has a machined trigger housing and floorplate while the M48a is sheetmetal stamped.

[kevin.303]

i did a little research and it seems to me that they have a bad reputation. Marstar, a mahor canadian dealer is the largest importer Yugoslavian mausers in north american. read what they have to say about mitchell's ad. it doesn't say that thats who's it is, but if you read mitchell's wesite it's kinda obvious.

http://www.marstar.ca/Yugo-BS.htm

[savageT]

kein303,
Thanks for those quotes.  I feel (as I own an m38 Swedish Mauser which also never saw any wartime combat except as homeland defense/practice) that these m48 mausers are represented correctly as being post WWII production, 1948....nothing more/nothing less.  A bit of "creative spin" on history perhaps.

Jim

[kevin.303]

it's funny, over on canadian gunnutz we are having the exact same discussion. some one wanted to order from them and it would make no sense with the various laws and the fact that marstar was selling the exact same item. in fact ,and i can't confirm this, but it's rumored that mitchells supplier of M48's is marstar. marstar has both the M48A and Standard M48, but they also have the M48BO, which has no markings other than serial numbers. they have a little history about them on there site. also i've heard that mitchell's buys up junkers and parts guns, refinishes and renumbers them and sells them as unissued. supposedly some one ordered one of these "new" M98's and a stock stamp fell out of the box. also they will show up with stocks made of wood the germans and yugoslavians never used. very suspicious. even if it is just a rumor i don't think i would want to deal with them

[1911crazy]

Its no different with the M48's as we hit the bottom of the barrel they will try to pass anything over on us.  I have heard that some weren't happy with what they got.  I was lucky to see mine in person.  As far as the German stamps we knew that because numrich sells them(stamps) which is kind of a clue there are fakes out there.  But they also sell the american stamps too.  So i guess we have to be on top of our game as to whats fake and whats not?  The M48 does make sense that it was made in 1948,  but what about the CZ24/47?  Does that mean it made in '24 and was redone in 1947?  It makes sense to me just like the 91/30 mosin.  Everything is relative.  I'm going after new saiga's I'm kind of all surpluped out for now.                                           BigBill

[Mikey]

BibBill - the CZ24-47 was/is a Model 24 that was made in 1947, and the same goes for the CZ24-52 - that's a Model 24 made in 1952.  

The difference between the CZs and the VZs is that the VZs were made in Chechoslovakia (? sp) before the changeover in government and the same plants that made the VZs then made the same rifle but just marked them as CZs.  I have a VZ 24, a CZ24-52 made at the Preduze plant and an M48A made at the same plant.  The CZ 24-52 still has a sharp bore but I haven't gotten all the cozmo out of it yet - I'm having too much fun with the M48A.  But, in the imterim I have to shoot the Postal Match with one of my 303s - oh how tempus fugits.....  Mikey.

[Flash]

If they're the same company that made the P-08 Luger in Stainless Steel, I'll give them a A+ rating. I own one of the Lugers and they are an exact copy of the original and the workmanship is great. The value has nearly doubled too for the P-08 since it's introduction in 1992. Nothing wrong with Mitchell in my book.

[Bill T]

I've asked this same question about Michell's and always get, "you can find the same gun cheaper", but no one tells you where. "Try different gun shops." Well, thats a pain, and my time is worth something also. Not to mention gas at over $2 a gallon. If I can get a new rifle, per Mitchell's advertising, I think they are a good buy. They also claim the matching numbers are because they are in fact new rifles, not bastardized, arsenal refinished relics. If they were, they would be found out about in short order. I intend to buy one of these rifles, and have no qualms about doing it. They are very nice guns.  Bill T.

[Mikey]

Bill T:  I picked up a guns show M48A that was unissued.  In essense, it was a new rifle - the stock was dinged up a bunch and there were a few scratches on it but mechanically the rifle is new.  And Buddy, there ain't nothin' wrong with a new Mauser in 8mm.  Mine is great - it has better heft and feel than my older VZ/CZ 24s and she shoots like a dream.  I have a bit more 'trick' work to do on the stock but right now she is shooting to within 2" at 100 yds with open sights and after 'trickin' the stock, I will leave it in mil-surp configuration but scope it.  Then she gonna shoot good.  Yep!  That will be the gun to grab whenever I head out for the farm.  

So, if you can get the same package, but with a nicer looking stock and all the acutrements, go for it.  You won't be sorry.  HTH and just my 2 cents worth.  Mikey.

[1911crazy]

If your looking for a Yugo 98k preduzecci 44 mauser I have seen a lot of then lately showing up at the local gun range "gun shop".  I would be sure to checkout the pawn shops too.  At one time I was taking a day or two a month just to browse my local shops which aren't close to me either.  My favorite gun shop for great finds is about an hour away this guy just dumps his C&R's.  And there is a better shop 15 minutes farther for swede ammo/308 surplus ammo too but his C&R prices are just out of wack.  And yes there goes $15 for gas so I'm down to one day a month now if i'm lucky.                                               BigBill

I have a German 98k it now is a Yugo Model 98 Preduzecci 44 8mm mauser it was converted after the war, that i had for many years it was my very first military surplus purchase for $79.  This is the one i asked Mikey and S.Sumner about when i first posted here.  I had no clue at the time all i knew was I had an 8mm mauser.

There are some affordable Yugo mausers at Samco right now too.  I did get a German 98k from Century Arms last year for christmas while the german markings were hammered they missed one eagle on the gun  they were the $119 guns.  Since my very first mauser purchase the prices have gone up but having my C&R FFL has rolled back some of the prices back to the 70's again for me.  It was worth the $30 fee if your going to get a few surplups.   The bottomline is there is still some great buys out there yet but in the near future they maybe gone too along with the surplus 8mm ammo too.

Mikey;  That CZ-24 means 1924 "model" right?  I haven't looked lately but i think i squirrled away a 24/47 and 24/52 lastyear I just put them away when they came here.  Aim Surplus had a sale on them when things were slow thats the time to buy when he has a sale, i've got my best buys from AIM at that time.  They sold me a YUGO "darkbore" sks for $79 that turned out to be a brand new gun and "never shot yet" thus darkbore!!
Your right Mikey too I wish i had bought my second brand new M48 at the gun show when i seen it too for $250 NIB w/all the accessories too.  This was when the mitchell mausers first hit $399.

Now if your just getting into military surplus guns now is the time to break the piggy bank and buy what you want while there still available and priced right too.  I don't think the prices will be this way much longer.  These are awesome buys for some of these war treasures.  I think most of the surplus guns have taken a backseat to the american surplus military guns and i don't know why?  There all a hoot to shoot too.

[Badnews Bob]

I have one of Mitchells rifles and its sweet! I don't know about the price but this rifle is perfect with all the accesorys and it shoots great its an MOA rifle for sure. I dose have a shorter action but if your shooting 8mm who cares It can be rebarreled to .376 stery, .358 or .375 Hawk and anything smaller than 7x57 I paid just over 300 with shipping but I have a 50+ year old Mauser that looks and shoots like a new one. Works for me.

[Garthag]

I got one of their "collector grade" rifles after falling prey to their color advertizing.  I really like it.  I think the stock is teak; it is a heavy and oily wood.  It comes with some interesting (and cheap to mass-produce) information about it, which confirms some of what Mitchell's competitors said about it in the above link, but I've also heard that the post-war Mausers are of better quality than the ones made during the war (no material shortages, no rushed production).  Mine looked exactly the way it looked in the ad, and the action still need a little breaking in, despite the preiodic test-firings (they are documented and stamped in a little book).
  It is true that it is not a war rifle, but if you are like me you are not getting it because of what it did but rather what it is capable of doing.  I would have paid the same price for it if it was made this year as long as it was the same quality.

[Bill T]

This is an old thread, but I though I would bring it back because I've read so many negative comments about Mitchell's over the last couple of years. Most of these comments are without any merit, usually posted by people who have never owned, or shot, or in some cases, even seen a Mitchell's gun. To each his own, but here is what you get from Mitchell's. I have found nothing what so ever "deceptive" about their advertising. Most people, including myself, purchase these guns simply because they want a nice clean rifle. Mitchell's provides this. I've posted similar comments on another forum and a member there went as far as to accuse me of working for Mitchell's! I guess he couldn't figure out I'm from Glendale, Arizona, and Mitchell's is located in Fountain Valley, California. Anyway, I just thought I would post some pics for those who are interested. I also ran a check on Mitchell's Mausers on the Better Business Bureau Website. Turns out they have a green AA rating. They have only had 3 responses in the last 3 years. Considering the amount of guns they sell every year, that record speaks for itself, and should put the naysayers in their place once and for all.  Bill T.

http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?CompanyID=13150072

[m1aman]

you know some people just like to criticize. i saw my first mm at a gun show last weekend. it was used and had been traded in by someone. it was a good looking, clean rifle. i may get one of their tankers they have on their website. of course i could get an old milsurp and make my own but it would be time consuming and most likely cost me much more.

[Mikey]

SavageT - Yo Jim!  I've seen a number and played with a couple and for $250 you can get a dang good, solid rifle.  It's a Mauser, whether a reworked wartime milsurp or a M48/A it's a Mauser and Mitchells puts out some good ones.

I've played with one of their K98s and one of their Tanker (short barrelled) models.  Can't tell the difference shooting theirs or my M48A ('cept I've played with mine a lot more and like it better) but those shorty Tankers will wail on ya. 

I think a lot of guys turn their 8mms over for something else because they aren't necessarily fun to play with.  Look at it this way - the 8s aren't at all like a sweet shootin' 6.5. 

But for $250, it's a good price.  HTH.  Mikey.