Is it worth restoring or should I forget about it?

[Smokehouse69]

I couple months ago I got a bunch of junk Mauser parts. It included a complete barreled action, actually it's a complete rifle minus the stock. At one time someone must have put a scope on it, because the reciever is drilled and tapped. I thought that the barrel was shot until I gave it a good cleaning, it has a great bore, nice and shiny all the way, with no frosting or pitting.
The reciever is marked with a 42 on top, and what looks like a couple of script "C's" and a single waffenampt with what looks like a tiny 359 under it on the side of the receiver.
What would you guys do with it? Should I put a surplus stock on it and try and bring it back to "military" configuration. Or should I just slap a cheap sporter stock and on it and shoot it as it is?

I found a couple more waffenampt marks on the sides of the receiver along with a serial number of 1786 and of course the Mod 98 marking on the side. I really wish I could figure out what the script markings are on the top of the reciever, I thought it was a L and a C, but the screw holes for the scope mount are right through one of the markings.
I think it might be an L and an E. Anyone have any idea what they might be?

[M1 Tanker]

You send it to me Smokehouse and I'll happliy restore it for my collection :P

K98 parts aren't cheap, a military stock will cost $150. Having said that, I would still restore it.

[Smokehouse69]

That's what I wanted to hear! :lolgreen: Now on to the great stock hunt!

[NavajoNPaleFace]

Having been drilled and tapped for a scope it will never regain it's historical worth but I'd restore it to a sporterized shooter for sure!

[Perro]

fill the holes with weld - grind polish smooth - reblue the entire gun

get yourself a repro scope mount and scope - the low turrets sure kick ass

get yourself a new stock, and whatever else was bubbad

make yourself a fake repro sniper out of it - you will probably get money back out of it that way, but not without the bubba mods removed

with a russian capture K98 going for 2 - 300, its hard to justify 150 on a stock and what not. Depending on the amount of bubbafying it makes more sense to use a donor RC, BUT, then youre destroying a RC that nothing is wrong with

bubbaing one to make another doesnt make much sense


in my opinion your only hope of getting money back out of it is to turn it into a repro sniper. According to the old bubba rules, this not only redeems you, but gives you extra points cause you are starting your bubba mods with an already bubbad gun, and youre bringing it closer to original that it was before.

there is not much interest in a bubbad K98 due to unmolested RCs going for 200

youll spend $200.00 plus on it to bring it back into shape without a scope and mount, but it will still have those drilled and tapped holes in it and you can get an unmolested RC for that price

might be a good shooter as is, but its historical value is gone due to the drill and tap job. That is not a simple fix unfortunately, and even welding it and rebluing it wont completely hide it.

my vote is to turn it into a repro sniper
try www.coledistributing.com (http://www.coledistributing.com) for short turrent mounts

i see ZF4 sleeves for sale on ebay or gunbroker all the time

and you can do the long rail - i forget who had those - interordnance maybe?

[Rampager]

That or check with a vendor like Classic and ask what they'd want for the worst barreled sewer pipe RC they have...or one with pinged eagles with a poor barrel, but with a decent refinishable stock. Might get it for well under $200. Use it for a donor, that way you really aren't destroying a good RC....just bringing a nicer K98 back to life.

[gunkgy]

I say restore it. If not, send it to me :hubba: :lolgreen:

[XO3319]

Restore it to a sniper like Perro says

I have a repro sniper buttplate you can start with to

[M1 Tanker]

Mine is much less imcomplete then yours it sounds like. My bolt has been cut/welded/machined for a scope. Its been rebarreled also. I only have the receiver, fcg, floorplate,triggerguard left. The bolt needs to be cut, bent, rewelded. I have a barrel, but no stock or barrel bands.

The script you are speaking of sounds like C. E. ...which is a JP Sauer und Sohn Gewehrfabrik rifle. Below the CE is a number, which is the year it was produced. C.E. is going to be 1941-43 if its written in a script.

[pigpen]

I have a #4 enfield that had been sporterized but I got it back to original condition(except for the tapped holes on top of the reciever). I ocasionally put a scope on it so I can use it deer hunting. I say make it as original as you can.

[okie shooter]

Smokehouse69, has your orginal barrel been recontoured to something like a tapered sporter, if so that would make my decision wether to restore or use as is, unless you have a barrel, but then it becomes a mixed markings rifle and are you going to keep working on a rifle that will never be total orginal. Thats how I would look at it some what. Eventually you will reach a point of being farther into the gun than what you can find one for.

[Smokehouse69]

Thanks's for the comments guys, and Okie_shoot, the barrel is original, it still has the rear sight and front sight, no contouring and the serial number (1786) matches the reciever. Everything I have matches except for the bolt, it has a different serial number (8530) than the rest of the gun, but all the bolt parts match each other.

[NavajoNPaleFace]

I have a #4 enfield that had been sporterized but I got it back to original condition(except for the tapped holes on top of the reciever). I ocasionally put a scope on it so I can use it deer hunting. I say make it as original as you can.


Any "restored" rifle might be a good shooter but it's not original as far as collector worth goes.

I am a real beleiver in keeping historic pieces original but I don't fault those who bubbasize them.....well...maybe just a little! :cheers:

[Smokehouse69]

A buddy of mine is going to tig weld up the holes for me.. it looks like it's gonna come together... Keep your eyes out for a stock for me! :lolgreen: