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Need Advice: I want to bring back a sporterized 98!

Herk1994

Senior Member
Hello Everyone,

This is my first post to the forums! Today I found a sporterized K98 at a local gun shop. I don’t have any pictures as of yet but will make them available tomorrow when I go back. Here’s the deal, the rifle is an all numbers matching rifle, minus the original stock and hardware (it’s now fitted with a sporter stock...). The sights are still on the barrel, but the detainment flange for the upper hand guard has been ground off the rear sight. The bolt handle has been turned down, and would need to be replaced completely as would the rear sight. The rifle still retains all of her original factory marks, and even the swaztikas around the firearm are still present, and not peened out. The rifle looks to have been reblued, which isn’t a deal breaker for me. Here’s the big kicker, the rifle has been tapped on the top of the receiver for an optic...... what do you think I should do? The shop is asking $290 for it, and I intend to restore the rifle to it’s original military condition, as I almost cried to see the old girl sporterized. Should I leave the tapped receiver alone and attempt to mount a correct optic and build a replica sniper? Please send your thoughts, I’m all ears.

Thank you for your time,

Herk1994
 
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Hello Everyone,

This is my first post to the forums! Today I found a sporterized K98 at a local gun shop. I don’t have any pictures as of yet but will make them available tomorrow when I go back. Here’s the deal, the rifle is an all numbers matching rifle, minus the original stock and hardware (it’s now fitted with a sporter stock...). The sights are still on the barrel, but the detainment flange for the upper hand guard has been ground off the rear sight. The bolt handle has been turned down, and would need to be replaced completely as would the rear sight. The rifle still retains all of her original factory marks, and even the swaztikas around the firearm are still present, and not peened out. The rifle looks to have been reblued, which isn’t a deal breaker for me. Here’s the big kicker, the rifle has been tapped for an optic...... what do you think I should do? The shop is asking $290 for it, and I intend to restore the rifle to it’s original military condition, as I almost cried to see the old girl sporterized. Should I leave the tapped receiver alone and attempt to mount a ZF-1 and build a replica sniper? Send your thoughts, I’m all ears.

Thank you for your time,

Herk1994


As much as I appreciate people who bring these rifles back to life, unless this is a VERY rare code, I would look for a better candidate. You say it is matching, but the stock and bands are gone, If the bolt handle has been altered (a K98k originally had a turned down bolt) then th bolt is gone, you need a near rear sight sleeve, the only matching parts will be the receiver, barrel, trigger guard assembly, and what parts you can salvage from the original bolt and rear sight assembly. You are going to end up with a very mismatched rifle. Add to that the reblue, and a drilled and tapped receiver. You are looking at $400. in parts, and that does not include paying a smith to fill the holes in receiver or mount a repro scope, and you can't "fix" a reblue. You could buy a nice bolt only mismatch and be money ahead.
 
I have to agree with the above advice.. and I've gone down this rabbit hole several times already so I'm not speaking from a lack of experience. I too was drawn to the challenge and desire to 'restore' these rifles to their former status. Unless you already have a wealth of spare parts you not only will not come out ahead financially, but you'll still have a rifle that's much less desirable to collectors because of the re-blue and scope holes. Honestly just not worth it.
 
But $290 is not a bad price and could make for a good entry into K98 world. As beginners tend to overdo a thing or two in their efforts to "make her pretty again", a sporter would be training grounds to learn the tools of the trade. I would go for it.
 
The sun is getting low in the sky for finding a good stock, if you buy it I'd start there. Ranger1 here in our group HAD some really nice ones. may be one or two left. Otherwise it's a total minefield of refurbs out there. And by minefield I don't mean merely anti-personnel , I mean one anti-tank w/3 anti-p clusters.. lol
 
You'll pay as much for a stock set as you will for the rifle, that's before you even start replacing bolt and sight parts. Tough call.
 
Here’s the thing, I have no intention of re-selling the rifle. I’ve got a K98 already, but I’d like to acquire another. This would simply be a project for me, while at the same time I get the pleasure of bringing a poor rifle back to life. Thanks for the advice everyone, this forum is awesome!
 
I'd never take on a run of the mill project rifle that is that far gone. If it's just a parts swapping exercise I have unsportered a few, but drilled & tapped and reblued is a deal breaker for me. It would have to be something very rare to tackle in the condition you describe, not to mention a lot cheaper base price.
 
What if I were to purchase a repro ZF-39? The mounts would at least cover up those dang holes in the receiver.... I know I’m being stubborn here lol
 
About the cheapest to refit it close to what it started life as, would be to pick up a stockset from ebay or somewhere along with a rear sight base, but be prepared- you'll have to remove and replace the front sight assembly at the same time, and they're soldered on.
As to the holes, accumounts split ring turrets will cover them.
290 for the rifle.
200 for the mounts.
250-300 for the stock, handguard, both bands, retaining spring, and sight base.
Gunsmith labor to switch the sights out, plus drill and tap the correct holes for the mounts- estimate 200(semi educated guess)
That's a pretty decent chunk of cash to lay out for a mismatched monster that you'll lose money on if you ever sell it.

Personally, I'd wait until something better showed up, but it's your money.
 
Guys, I know that this is what forums are for, but as a newcomer here thank you again for all the feedback. I guess this purchase really comes down to intrinsic worth for me. I wouldn’t sell the rifle ever, if I put all this theoretical work into it, as I think I’d just enjoy having it far too much. I feel terrible seeing historical pieces such as this example that have been well, I’ll just say ruined. I’m young to milsurps (and in life) and have a relatively new and growing collection and I suppose I’m a little more prone to the “shock” of seeing these sporterized rifles than those of you who have seen so many. I guess I’ll take a little time to further think on it, and maybe eventually I’ll make the purchase on said rifle should it be available.
 
I agree with the others. This is going to cost far too much and it's too modified to be of any collector value. The only thing I can think is if you want just a shooter then mount a modern scope and put a Yugo reworked capture stock on it and a band or two for not much money and that's it. Oh crap you have to do something with the modified rear sight - maybe have a donor piece welded back on. It gets less
Attractive as I think of it.

Otherwise your far better off spending 8-900 or so on a bolt mismatch that's in near condition of how the vet brought it back from Europe and have a 2nd original example of a different code. What do you already have?
 

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