Range Test, 1918 DWM Mauser/1936 RW

Hi all

Shot the Gew98 this past weekend. At 100 yards, got all my shots inside the paper with iron sights. The target is the one about the size of a dinner plate, don't recall what its referred to. About 50% inside the black. I'm a relatively new target shooter. I don't know if one would call it a nail driver or not.

The rifle is a LOT more accurate than my Dad's K98K RC. Possibly the 6" of extra barrel helps somewhat.

Had a LOT of fail to fires, so I'm thinking that perhaps the firing pin spring may be weak. It did okay on the Romanian laquer ammo, but did not on the Yugo surplus.

If I participate in the CMP Vintage Rifle Competitions, this will be the rifle I use.

All in all, very pleased with my purchase of this nice rifle.

Philip Neidlinger

Yugo surplus 8mm is notorious for having hard primers. The spring may be a little weak, but its probably more the ammo than the rifle. Stiffer replacement springs are available, though.

I agree, as likely the ammunition as the fp spring, - what kind of Gew.98 was it that you took to the range? What kind of rear sight? The original rear sights were designed for 400m, the Germans had an attachment to adjust this setting during the war, a clip on for the front sight, of course other methods can be used too, but unless it was upgraded, the short range shooting of the Gew98 has to be compensated for.

It has a k98 style sight, 1936 Nazi rework, 1918 DMW Berlin. The K98K RC I also have does about 90 percent on the same batch of yugo, so I guess it's partially due to the spring in the 1918.

No biggie.

Just thought I'd add my 2c. I just picked up two boxes of 1956 yugo surplus and the first box had 2, yes 2 good rounds. The second fared much better...three rounds fired and a fourth did after opening and closing the bolt 5 times. My 98 shoots the expensive remington stuff just fine. Good thing the yugo stuff was only $7 a box.

I swap in a 22# Wolff spring into my Gew98 and Gew98M, and they eat up 50's Yugo without an issue. Sometimes a K98 will need a double tap.

PM