Small Ring 98?

[z1r]

Thanks for clarifying the relief cut, that makes sense. And thanks for nudging me in the direction I am leaning with this project. I knew that a purist would frown heavily on this importer stamp, but some of the responses here that alerted me to the fact that it was a '94 carbine versus the much more common later version gave me reason to pause.

 

It doesn' shoot that well, but I strongly suspect the bedding. The bore looks good, and I think I'll epoxy bed it and try again before I consider a rebarrel. I had been thinking about replacing the rear sight, do you happen to know if the Williams models for the '96 would work? (page 321 of Brownells catalog #59) I'm hoping for some kind of drop in fit so that I don't have to remove that whole sleeve.

 

Heck, If you want to restore that carbine then do it. Who cares if it is pristine or not. I love those little mauser carbines, especially the swedes. One of my favorites is the little 1891 Argie carbine. Cute is about the best word I have to describe them. I'd love a swede carbine but the take off stocks alone sell for a small fortune. I don't build guns for resale value. I build em to suit my needs and tastes. That way I have free license to do as I please.

 

You can make a recplacement sleeve and install any sight on top of it or even a rear sleeve with island for a drift adjustable rear sight. that way you won't have to have a gap in the wood. take a look at he NECG rear sighs for an example of what I mean. Not that hard to do and it would really dress that little bugger up.

 

You have good taste in guns. Use the force Monte!

[bilurey]

The Czechs made two carbines which ultimately became the G33/40. Both are extremely difficult to find and should never be sporterised if found. Back in the day, 33/40s were $35 for mismatch with rough bore, up to about $200 for almost unissued. Douglas bought a huge batch, pulled barrels and stocks then offered the actions for rebarreling with their barrels.

 

I went through one of the big importers multiacre layouts in the early 60s while in the navy. Never saw so many rifles and anti tank semiautos, morters, tanks, ect. in my life. They had about 7million rounds of ammo on site in their huge warehouses. They had about 200 33/40s out in racks for sale with the almost unissued under glass.

 

Later I became less enamoured of the 33/40, I felt they lacked the strength of the heavier standard 98 action, less apt to bend or vibrate during firing. The troops who used them disliked them as the short barrel moved the blast cone much closer to the shooters head. Free electralosis of facial hair with every shot, they were right about that too! Troops also felt that the recoil was much greater, however much of perceived recoil is actually muzzle blast. I bought one of the earlier carbines (12/16) and two of the later model (16/33). Bought as barreled actions, was just not happy with them. "Z" can probably describe trying to inlet the left sidewall.

 

The Swedes made a small ring commercial M98 in small numbers as they decided that the M98 action was preferable over the M94 when higher pressure cartridges became more popular. Ultimately they found it cheaper to use imported FN 98 actions while designing an improved 98 design which they finally went to about 1953 or thereabouts.

 

Both the Germans and the Poles adopted a small ring M98 created about 1903 by Mauser and tried out in 1918 by the German army's assult troops. The poles followed suit, but both armies stayed primairly with the standard M98 due to the economic pressure for uniformity due to cost savings.

 

In the late 60s and up to almost the 90s "lite weight" ruled. Light weight stocks, actions, barrels, and scopes. Stock and scope breakage increased, three shot groups opened up and now we're back to standard sizes again, still not the 8 - 81/2lb sporters on the pre WWII Springfields, Mausers, and P17s, but close. I think the intermediate actions may offer better results. The Kar98k, the m1924 FN intermediate for Mexico, the M1903 Turk seem to be available as actions from time to time. I wouldn't suggest anything earlier than the M98 for anything it wasn't already barreled in at the factory. That Tom Burgess action of Z's is really something. Print a copy, put it on your wall, let that be your bar height. Bill

[Vladymere]

I recently sold a G33/40 on GunBroker for $2500. That is not something you want to sporterize when so many standard and intermediate 98s are available.

 

Vlad