M98 that was captured at Stalingrad

[rickt300]

I have a M98 that the Russians captured at Stalingrad, winter trigger gaurd, late manufacture metal that looks like it was definitly in a battle but not damaged in any way. The bore is very good but to me the sights on these mausers have to be why the Germans lost the war along with their nitwit leader. The German crest was removed via belt sander sometime after the rifles change of hands. What I would like to do is drill and tap the reciever for a Williams WGRS peep sight. Any reason not to?

[TribReady]

There's a ton of old milsurp mausers to drill and tap.  I wouldn't touch this one.
Although it's not super valuable or anything, it still has a pretty unique history.  Don't change it into something its not.

All just my opinion.  I'm not against sporterizing or altering how you like, but I just wouldn't in this case.

[mcwoodduck]

What about just changing the rear sight to a peep type.  the make them for the Mauser and the AK.  That way it would still look military but fill your need to be able to shoot it.  It will also save you a lot of headaches in replacing the front blade sight to be able to keep the rear sight some what in the center of the adjustment lines.
Sorry i do not have a name or website for the sights but I think they were by Wiliams when i was looking at them for my AK.  ended up getting an AR to shoot matches with instead.

[Mikey]

rickt300:  Actually, I would put that one away as an interesting piece of memorabilia and pick up a VZ24 or VZ/CZ24/52 and drill and tap that one.  You would also have to cut and re-weld the bolt handle as you would have with the M98 but that's about it. 

The M98 is an interesting history piece, especially those that were actually captured weapons but I doubt it is the best quality 98 Mauser you can find.  The VZ or CZ rifles are much better quality and I think you can probably lock onto one for less that $200.  If you get the CZ24/52 it was rebuilt in 1952 with a new barrel and maybe some other stuff.  Mine is very accurate, even with open sights. 

If you want another option, consider the M48/48A series to use as a hunting rifle rather than the M98.  It's a mil-spec 98 Mauser with a slightly shorter action.  Mine seems to handle more easily than my VZ.

The sights are miserable but can be easily improved on any Mauser.  If you replace your front sight blade with one for a Swedish Mauser Target Rifle you can get yourself a nice square front blade.  They come in a couple of different heights and you can get a set of different blade heights or just one and they cost less than $20 for the set.  I think I got mine from SARCO or SAMCO.  Just drift it out and insert the new one - seems most all Mauser front sight blade notches are the same size.  The rear sight can also be easily improved simply by squaring the rear notch.  I used a thin Swiss file and easily re-cut the notch square and in conjunction with a square front sight blade you can get a much, much better sight picture.  HTH.  Mikey. 

[mannyrock]

Well Geez,

   Why waste your time and money getting that mauser drilled and tapped, and turning down the bolt handle, and installing a new low profile safety, and looking for scope mounts, when there are already tens of thousands of them out there in this condition that are readily available at cheap prices? 

   My advice:  Go to a large gun show, in a large city, and take your pick!  These rifles are definitely Old School these days, and the two generations of folks that really liked them (WWII and Korean War) are retiring their collections every day. 

   You are re-inventing the wheel! 

Best, Mannyrock

[rickt300]

Gunshow? Did you say gunshow? On my way as soon as my co conspirator gets here. I think I'll leave it alone.

[Troyboy]

Well Geez,

   Why waste your time and money getting that mauser drilled and tapped, and turning down the bolt handle, and installing a new low profile safety, and looking for scope mounts, when there are already tens of thousands of them out there in this condition that are readily available at cheap prices? 

   My advice:  Go to a large gun show, in a large city, and take your pick!  These rifles are definitely Old School these days, and the two generations of folks that really liked them (WWII and Korean War) are retiring their collections every day. 

   You are re-inventing the wheel! 

Best, Mannyrock

Cheap is a relative term. havn't seen to many sporterized mausers that were cheap

[rickt300]

"Old School?"  I have several rifles built on Mauser actions that are a bit more than sporterized.  You would be hard put to find a better action for a hunting rifle than a properly done M98.  Rifles are still being manufactured using Mauser actions.  I am more a Viet Nam era type than Korea or WWII.  At the gun show today I saw many rifles that had been built on Mauser actions by individuals that were priced every bit as high or higher than comparable Remingtons and Rugers.

[S.S.]

I would not trust that it was actually a capture from any particular battle.
Some unscrupulous(sp) importers have been adding markings
for years now to add cost to otherwise plain janes.
SS, Gestapo, Stalingrad... They have killed the collectors market
for the true originals..

[His lordship.]

I saw a sportorized Springfield 1903 bolt action rifle a few years ago at my local gunshop.  The stock had been chopped back, etc.  Had a good bore and aftermarket sites.  It was selling at a fraction of the price it would have gone for if it had been left in original military.  I would not chop up your original Mauser unless you want to throw hundreds of dollars out the window when you try to sell it later.   

[1911crazy]

One of my best 98's is a captured german 98k mauser.  It was captured by the yugo's and had the markings changed.  It still says Model 98 on its side rail.  Its one of my smoothest 98 bolts too.  My point is you can buy this orginal captured german 98k at a yugo price.  This one was my very first military surplus buy at a local gun shop.  With out knowing too much about them i picked this one and a finnish m39 around the sametime.  I was off to a good start.

I have seen some affordable sporters at gun shows too and some very high priced ones too you have to stay looking for the deals.  I once seen an 303 britt enfield that was nicely done for only $75.  I wish to this day i never passed it up it still haunts me.

[prairiedog555]

I also want to use the WGRS peep sight.  Do you know the model #, I wasn't sure Williams made one for 98.

Also, I wondered if the Front sight would be compatible with the Peep sight? Need to be changed?

And I was going to use some kind of adhesive, like accraglass or JBWeld, to put on sight, so I would not ruin originality.

What do you think?

[torpedoman]

B square makes a scope mount for the mauser that doesn't alter the gun.

[jmayton]

I was wondering if it is the sight picture that bothers you, or does it seem that the sights are not calibrated right?  If it's the latter then you might have a sabotaged Mauser.  Jewish prisoners would cut the sights wrong or mark the ranges wrong.  I've heard many of these rifles made it through quality control and were issued to German troops.  I'd like to get my hands on one just to have it and the spirit of resistance it represents.  However, the only way to know if you have one is to shoot it.

[rickt300]

The rifle actually shoots just fine and it is well balanced.  However I have several other rifles on Mauser actions already sporterized so instead of making it a safe queen I think I will put it up for sale, maybe on Auction Arms or Gunbroker.

[jgalar]

You can put a MOJO sight on it. You remove the original rear sight and replace with the MOJO - no permanent modification needed.

http://www.mojosights.com/

The Russians captured gobs of Mausers. The one I have looks like the German soldier didn't put up much of a fight as the bore is excellent.