Vintage M 98 Sporter

[Norton]

A new Mauser for Norton

I think I may be one of the few, if not the only board member that likes milsurp deer rifles. I had to post in the Bubba section, but I do not think of this rifle as a hack Job. When I was growing up these rifles were very common in woods of Virginia, Maryland and PA.

This is a 1941 dated bcd Gustloff-Werke, Weimar M 98 with no import marks and all matching numbers. It still has a whole slew of un-peened Nazi proof marks The front and rear sights are LYMAN model 48. The bore is perfect and the bluing is very deep. I need a US 03 or Krag type sling for it (retro)
Then a coat of 'Feed N Wax'
I think this rifle was done in the late 1950s or very early 60s I have a bunch of virgin Remington brass, so need to work up a deer load for the 8mm.
I was thinking of IMR 4895 and Sierra 8mm 200 gr HPBT.

[Otis61]

I like it. Its not original milsurp, but it doesn't have to be. I think its neet to have and keep alive some of the rifles that our dad's, and grandad's used in days gone by. And thats a real nice one.

[drine]

That's a good niche collectable, sporterized arms from yester-year. A friend of mine has a 30/40 Krag with a scope in a case. (I may have posted a pic a couple of years ago.) It was done a long time ago and tastefully so.

[Jagman]

Nice one Norton, I like the well done sporters a lot, especially one's done years ago.
I have the same rear sight on a old Winchester lever action also, a great iron sight.

[jbruney]

Very very nice.

[bladeworks123]

I personally do not consider sporterization of that era weapon as being "bubba'd" Those weapons were as sought after in their day as any commercial rifle, which were not as readily available or inexpensive as todays are. Many gunsmiths of the era made their reputations on their ability to sporterize a miltary rifle into a useful hunting rifle. Like your photo shows, there were many aftermarket parts produced specifically for that purpose. And US ammo manufacturers soon learned that there were enough to start producing commercial ammo for them. There are thousands of sporterized military rifles still out there, and some are still hunting. To me, they are a rich part of the history of our American sport of hunting. That is an exceptionally great piece in my opinion.

[Buddymack]

Is that the same action as a K98?
I love these old sporters too, I have two that are Swiss rifles both are M1911's about a hundred years old one is rechambered professionally to 308 Win the other was just cut down and free floated.
the interesting thing is I would never do this to an original M1911, these are now worth a third what they would have been, but that alone is worth the historical admiration of this country and historical imports, these are not bubbad by any means, but at the same time you just wouldn't do that with an original piece today.

[SteelCore]

I was just reading about a company who did these conversions professionally, one of the german Jagd- un Sportwaffen Gmbh outfits...I read about it in this weapons and their makers firearms encyclopedia I pucked up at Half Price Books.

This looks like one of those professional sporterized versions.

Oh, and nice cameo of a great bourbon....Bulleit!

[Planning]

norton, i too like the older military deer rifles. i have several and sold one a few months ago that i had gotten from my uncle, it was a 1903A3, i regreted it as i was taking the money from the guy. i tried to buy it back, but it is now his favorite shooter to hunt with. he said no........

i still have the one my dad got in 1960. 1903A3, new in the wrap. he paid $10 for it. he ordered a sporting stock for it for $15 and back then they only did a ruff cutting on the outside. it was ruff inlet fitted, so a lot of time and work was done to get them to fit. i sat on a stool for hours watching my dad work with a file and wood rasp, knife, sand paper for weeks. no power tools involved. he then stained it and applied a finish on it.
it has only been fired 3 rounds to site it in. it was his back up deer rifle incase something happend to his main rifle. i also have the box with the other 17 rounds from 1960. this rifle will never be sold and will go to my son when i am gone.

[SteelCore]

Sweet piece, Capt. Ron! You sure you want to give that to next of kin, when it is only fitting it be laid across your chest on the funeral pyre?

Oh, wait...I'm thinking viking funerals:icon_biggrin:

[nonleathal]

looks like it should be somewhere other than the bubba thread.

[KMURPHY]

Ron,

The M1903s that were my Grandfather once owned are my most treasured items period. Unfortunately, my grandpa died before I could meet him. Those "down the line" in your family, even the ones that you will never meet, will one day appreciate you thinking of them.

[KMURPHY]

Norton,

Nice rifle. I really dig it.

I recently picked up a sportered/duffel cut Mauser recently. A ce42...

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab74/kevingmurph/CE%2042/CE42a.jpg

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/ab74/kevingmurph/CE%2042/CE42d.jpg

[Norton]

That looks good,

So the GI cut the forearm down as to get both it and barrel to fit in the hated duffle bag?

I worked with a WW 2 vet who said the Navy stole his on the trip home from Oran North Africa

[7.62guy]

interesting bourbon, i have only heard of it. first time to ever see it. i hope our paths cross soon. if so make sure you got some of that with ya.

[WildBillCody]

Next to that is that the "Little Tavern" coffee cup that sold the little hamburgers??? Man I miss them, they were great..
Nice rifle as well.

I had a P14 years ago that had a cut down stock, I got a Richards Microfit stock and put it on, it looked really nice and shot well. At the time I didn't hunt so I sold it at a gunshow, about two years later I saw it at the same show.. I'd like to see it again..

[Norton]

7.62 It's pretty good bourbon, I drink Schlitz and Papst beer but every now and then I like have a shot of Bourbon in either a coffee cup or Army canteen cup with a few ice cubes. ( I like that metal taste).
Back to these type of rifles, I was at the gun store last year and they had a 1903 sporter. It had a highly carved stock with a deer leaping and crossed Jager rifles on the other side.
It was not my cup of tea but I was facinated.. I thought some ex GI from Western Pa did not carve this
It looked like the type of carving you would see on a cuckoo clock from the Black Forest . Later I had a friend show me his dads 1903 he brought back from post war Germany, He said his dad paid a german gunsmith in 1946 four cartons of Lucky Strikes and a 5 lbs of coffee to build a 1903 sporter.
One of the features was a highly carved stock with a deer leaping.
The other side crossed similar Jager rifles
It too looked like the side a a Black Forest clock. Some of these rifles made after the war are like art work. Somebody carved that out with a chisle and rasp. Just like Plannings dad did

[Norton]

[QUOTE=WildBillCody;205457]Next to that is that the "Little Tavern" coffee cup that sold the little hamburgers??? Man I miss them, they were great..
QUOTE]

Little Tavern hamburgers Buy em by the bag' :icon_biggrin:

[M14sRock]

That is a beautiful sporterized Mauser. I like the old ones, and have several that were done by Flaigs.

[jdowney]

Nice rifle Norton! :thumbup:

If I ever get a stock made for dad's I'll be sure to post a pic for you.
I like the Lyman sight, but then I like peeps.

[okie shooter]

I would love to see a good 98 come thru the shop here sportarized, I have a 1903 that has been turned down, had the sites removed, and fitted with a new commerical stock. The price was right thus I have a spare deer rifle. As many folks hate these things, they were a product of the times, as there were litteraly tens of millions surplus rifles in the fifties and sixties(look at the fact that FN made only one run of military Mausers after the war if I remember correctly, for Iran) thus either melt them or turn them into sporters if your nation didnt need them as reserve rifles(well the eastern bloc kept them as reserves for sure).

[KMURPHY]

I thought FN sold some new build Mausers to Israel post-war, as did the Czechs.

[7.62guy]

hey norton, thanks for the word on the buurbon. i'll have to try and find some. in the mean time i'll dig out my sporter mauser. it is a german 98 that a local noted gunsmith worked up in the late 50's early 60's. i'll get some pics posted when i find it.

[chili]

That is a nice rifle! I also like the stuff in the background. Adds a nice touch.

[SteelCore]

To any bourbon drinkers who like Knob Creek: You'll like Bulleit better, or as a change up when you get tired of it. Bulleit does an extra filtering to remove Ketones from the alcohol after being in the casks, and that means no headache if you are 'overserved' every once in a while.

OH:
That IZZY mauser is a beaut! Where do I get one?