ken98k Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I just got a Israeli 98k from Century that is kind of interesting. It started out as a GEW98 from Danzig in 1916, was converted to a 98k, then rebarreled to 7.62. Next it will be a 308 sporter. I'm not going to put a lot into this rifle as I paid to much for it already, just a sporter stock, scope mounts, and reblue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsefly Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 I bet once you get started on your new project,you'll forget the "not going to put much in it'' thingy,'cause you will have gotten over the price sting by then.I think I'm ready for a new old rifle,but dang sure don't need another project till I get some of the others out of the way. Jerry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cold shot Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 kenak 2 = glad to hear of your purchase. i didn't know if there were any mausers left. here at big 5 all they have are mosins. spend the money on the gun atleast for a while the gov don't get it. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 kenak 2 = glad to hear of your purchase. i didn't know if there were any mausers left. here at big 5 all they have are mosins. spend the money on the gun atleast for a while the gov don't get it. Dave There is still a bunch of mausers out there if you know where to look. Get a copy of Shotgun News That's about the best place to start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted March 2, 2007 Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Kenak you may have a collector's piece if it has any Isreali marks on it. Do you know who converted it to 308?? Have any of the original marks been over stamped?? As the previous poster mentioned, there are plenty of Mausers out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted March 2, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2007 Kenak you may have a collector's piece if it has any Isreali marks on it. Do you know who converted it to 308?? Have any of the original marks been over stamped?? As the previous poster mentioned, there are plenty of Mausers out there. It was converted to 308 by the Israelis and has a BIG 7.62 stamped on the receiver ring. I'm sure this was needed to prevent mistakes on the battle field due to the variety of weapons and calibers in use in the late 40's. The "GEW 98" on the left rail is still in good shape but the "crown / Danzig / 1916" has been mostly ground off and is barely visible. P.S. I was the last poster, I forgot to sign in, sorry. Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sonic1 Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 i just can"t get over how many lives these old gew98 have..i got one last year from sog mixed in with some k kales..it was stamp 1954 barrel looked new.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted March 3, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 i just can"t get over how many lives these old gew98 have..i got one last year from sog mixed in with some k kales..it was stamp 1954 barrel looked new.. I got one a year or two ago that had been "turked". I traded it to a member of this board for a k-kale so I'm glad to get this one. Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted March 3, 2007 Report Share Posted March 3, 2007 Kenny it is your gun to do as you wish. I have a feeling though 20 years from now you will regret altering it from it's Isreali military configuration. You have a piece of history as is and kind of unique from other Mausers, but it's true value really is what it is worth to you, either original or a nifty sporter. Something kind of cool though about having a Gew 98 converted by Isreal to K98 configuration into 7.62 NATO. I bought an Isreali K98 apx 25 years ago, sure wish they had been offered in 762 then, mine is 8MM. Mine was what was called a Banner Mauser. The Banner Mausers named for the importer bought them in from Isreal. Many were like brand new, built from parts either found in factorys or manufactured for or by Isreal from captured machinery after WW2. Have to keep in mind the importers always had a little story line and picture to paint to go with them to add to the collectability to try and get an edge on a competitor. So possibly the story line might have been exagurated. If I remember right, the Shotgun News ad that led me to them said something like assembled by Jewish craftsman using captured German enginered parts and machinery. As terrible as the truth might be, most parts were probably made by slave labor during the war. At least what I looked at and the dealer had apx 100 on display, all the Swastikas and Nazi marks were over stamped with a tight checker board stamp. The dealer was Jewish and possibly it was done at his insistance but most likely by the Israelis. He had a few at the time assembled with a WW2 German made synthetic stock he was asking an extra hundred for. From what I hear they easily fetch well over a grand today and as usual it really kicks my 20/20 hindsight into overdrive. I'll try and get a picture of mine up later. I've got my dog spoiled and he is demanding to go on a walk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsdou Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 What AZ said. I've got a Israeli in 7.62, DOT receiver. The stock has a wood plug repair behind the crossbolt and 3 brass pins towards the grip and tang area. Quite a beater, but she's one of my favorites. Nels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Here's mine. The sling is Isreali made. It's accuracy is excellent, the most accurate of any military Mauser I have or had. It shoots better than any iron sighted rifle I've ever had with the only possible exception of my 03 Springfield. My 16 year old sharpshooting nephew with a 20+ year old box of factory Remington round nose slugs shot an amazing cluster with it at a hundred yards. I took it deer hunting right after I got it but never got a shot off that trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flaco Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 AzRednek- The "Preduzece 44" stamping on your ring indicates it's a Yugo refurb of a 98. Nice rifle. flaco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flaco Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Also... I believe the "Banner" Mauser title is most appropriately used for the Standard Modell Mauser, built in 1936. Or thereabouts. It is true that other Mausers are called "Banner," due to the presence of the Mauser banner on the bridge. I know a few of the Chilean short rifles used by their mounted police had banners. Hopefully, BobVZ or Vlad or z1r will be along to correct me in any mistakes. flaco Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AzRednek Posted March 7, 2007 Report Share Posted March 7, 2007 Also... I believe the "Banner" Mauser title is most appropriately used for the Standard Modell Mauser, built in 1936. Or thereabouts. flaco You could be correct. I'm passing along what I recall from the Shotgun News ad in the late 70's. Best I remember it was called a Banner Mauser in the ad. My so-called Banner Mauser and a pile of Spanish Mausers I bought with it came via a bankruptcy auction from a mail order distributer that went belly up after GCA-68. Friend of mine said the same as you, he told me it was Bannerman or something similair on the hang tags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted March 26, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 I finally got around to cleaning this thing on Saturday and what a mess it was. Sand was packed into every spot possible. I completely stripped it down and discovered some interesting things. The bolt was definitely not the original. It has a lot of tool marks that were never cleaned up, and the gas relief holes are round instead of the typical oval shape. Also the ejector slot seems to go much deeper into the boltface than standard. The ejector spring was a two piece riveted affair that I replaced. I've rarely seen barrels as bad. I even made up one of the Bubba electric bore cleaners and between that and scrubbing with a bore brush was finally able to see some rifling. The stock was cracked so I replaced that with an unissued stock I had on hand. I'll try to shoot it next weekend but I'll be surprised if it groups under 12" Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nelsdou Posted March 26, 2007 Report Share Posted March 26, 2007 Sounds like you may have a late-war bolt. I have a Czech post-war k98 with such a bolt, round vent holes, rough machining, and lacking the guide rib as well. Works ok, just not as slick as a VZ-24. Nels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken98k Posted April 18, 2007 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2007 I got a set of go / no-go gages today and my 308 Israeli / kar98k / Gew 98, swallowed the no-go gage. I'm glad I didn't try to fire it before checking headspace. For now I'm going to put it into storage because I've got too many projects going already. Kenny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest_kenak2_* Posted May 30, 2007 Report Share Posted May 30, 2007 Was looking at this rifle again last night and realized there is no guide rib on the bolt! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z1r Posted May 30, 2007 Report Share Posted May 30, 2007 I met a guy once at the range with the ugliest looking sporter mauser I've ever seen. I assume it was an isreali. It was a .308, he told me he took the barrel off, set the shoulder back and faced off the barrel to set the headspace at minimum just like I do. Then he hogged out the barrel channel, drilled & tapped the receiver and installed a new handle. From two benches over I could see the voids from the weld. That thing would shoot 1" groups at 200 yards with the old Weaver 3x9 he had on it. That was using wolf ammo, the only kind he said the rifle really liked. My Chilean 1912-61 also swalled the gage. I set it back and that darn thing shoots tiny groups with the issue sights. Just some inspiration to invest the 1/2 hour needed to remove the barrel, set it back, reinstall, and realign the sights. Give or take two days, lol. Sounds like yours got a late war bolt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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