Should I Have Walked Away Or Not?

[rdm1962]

I passed on a K98 at a gun show today. The seller wanted $175 but I got him down to $125. He wasn't selling anythig just B.S.ing with some of the other "experts". It still had the military stock and all furniture that were stamped. Someone had D&T it, weaver mounts were installed. I couldn't see production code or date because they were under the mounts. Welded on a new bolt handel that looked realy good. A low profile safey was installed but didn't function corectly. The barrel was strong and had a good muzzle.

 

The reason I passed on it was, it looked like someone had tried to remove and or install the barrel with a pipe wrench. There were teeth marks in each direction on the barrel at the front of the reciever. My consern was that a bubba bent or warped the reciever tring to do something with the barrel. We don't see K98's at this price very often regaurdless of sporterizing or not. Did I walk away from a deal or a new paperweight? What do you more experanced minds think?

Ralph

[donmarkey]

If the bolt cycled fine I would have picked it up. I don't like to admit it but I remove all my surplus barrels with a pipe wrench. It just so much faster and I throw the barrels away usually anyway. If I have a good barrel to remove I use the barrel vise. The pipe wrench is just a lot easier and you don't have to remove the rear sight. I'd be more concerned with the drill and tap job myself.

Don

[z1r]

If the bolt cycled fine I would have picked it up. I don't like to admit it but I remove all my surplus barrels with a pipe wrench. It just so much faster and I throw the barrels away usually anyway. If I have a good barrel to remove I use the barrel vise. The pipe wrench is just a lot easier and you don't have to remove the rear sight. I'd be more concerned with the drill and tap job myself.

Don

 

I just use a half length bushing to remove barrels with the military sights still attached.

 

When it comes to shopping for a donor action I prefer unmolested receivers. I could care less what else has been done but first choice is always an unaltered action (includes bolt).

 

Sometimes, if price is right, I will consider actions that have some alterations, namely those that I can fix if I later determine them to be messed up.

 

I am always most cautious about receivers that have been D&T'd. Most D&T jobs are poorly done. I will sometimes chance it if I feel that the rifle has parts in excess of the action that are worth more than the asking price.

 

While a pipe wrench might be fine for barrel removal, it certainly is not for barrel installation. I would question what other "short-cuts" might have been taken.

 

Had the action been original I would gladly have ponied up $125. However, without actually seeing it it is hard to say if I would have spent that in the condition you describe.

[Jimro]

I once scratched an index mark on an M38 K.Kale Turk barrel and receiver, then proceeded to remove the barrel with a pipe wrench, d/t using my dads mill to align the holes, and torqued the barrel back on until the index marks matched again using the same pipe wrench. If I would have had a little more foresight I would have soaked the receiver ring in oil for a week or two before attempting to d/t, that dang barrel wouldn't budge any other way. I was smart enough to pay a real smith to bend the bolt, but dumb enough to do the d/t myself.

 

I wouldn't recommend the practice, but the headspace was fine afterward and I shot the dickens out of that rifle.

 

Think about it this way, you saved yourself 125 bucks and you aren't going to worry about a potentially screwed up action.

 

Jimro