My first Mauser model 98

[Tommylee]

Hello,
I have just acquired my very first Mauser. I know very little about the rifle other than what I have read online in the past week.
I got the rifle from a guy that inherited it from his father a few years ago.
This guy didn't know any thing at all about the rifle and had never fired it.
I handcraft silver coin rings and I traded him seven rings for the rifle.
The rings had a retail value of $270. I had about $100 invested in the coins I made the rings from so how could I go wrong.
After learning what I could about the rifle in the past week I have several questions I hoped someone could help me with.
The rifle is extremely clean and from what I can tell it seems to have matching numbers.
The main thing is the stock looks different than any other one I have seen. It has carving on it of maple leaves, it has a rubber like shoulder rest on it, it does not have a place for a cleaning rod and there seems to be a lot more barrel showing on it due to the different stock.
The numbers and letters on the rifle are modle 98 1937 S/42.
I have a few photos that I will load and I'll try to take more tomorrow when I can get out in the day light.
Any help with identification will be appreciated.

 

[Scottk98]

A sporterized K98. I'd say its worth about what you traded him for it.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[ReiseReise]

Get a good, period stock on there, plus whatever other missing bits (bands, etc.), and I think you'd have a nice rifle for a decent price (and a heck of a lot cheaper than you'd get it for here in Canada, that's for sure!). At least what's there is apparently matching.

 

[tanker1]

Doesn't make any difference if the numbers match, it has had its collector ruined because of the sporterized stock. No matter if you get a difference stock, it is not going to be original or matching. Right now, it is just a shooter/hunting rifle. As stated earlier probably worth what you gave for it, nothing more.

 

[ReiseReise]

It doesn't have to be a "collector's item" - i.e. an untouched, all-matching gun - to still be interesting and worth preserving. And this way, you can still shoot it and not be paranoid about it. Considering that RCs go for $700+ in my area, $100 for a good start is not a bad deal at all.

 

[tanker1]

That is true but if he is thinking it is "special" because of a sporter stock, he is mistaken. Granted, he doesn't have much invested in it and that is a plus.

 

[sheepdog]

My 37 Sauer RC shooter, mixmaster, mutt, Ebay parts special still draws comments and questions from the black plastic crowd at my range. It's assortment of numbers never comes up. I have like $300 in it. Put that thing in the right stock, get the period correct parts you need and shoot the heck out of it. Enjoy your rifle.



It's bring back twin brother remains the safe queen.

 

[ReiseReise]

My 37 Sauer RC shooter, mixmaster, mutt, Ebay parts special still draws comments and questions from the black plastic crowd at my range. It's assortment of numbers never comes up. I have like $300 in it. Put that thing in the right stock, get the period correct parts you need and shoot the heck out of it. Enjoy your rifle.

Amen! Same with my RC. No one cares that the numbers don't match, they just see a nice gun with a lot of history that makes a big pop when fired.

 

[timothy]

I get the matching numbers thing and why the collectors want them that way I guess I am old school but way back mid 70 to later on we didn't give a damn about this we should have at todays prices we just picked them up from the table gun show plunked down our 75 dollars if you paid 100 or more your buddies thought you paid too much took them home sandbagged them for a test fire and shot the hell out of them I wonder how many I had were matching never even checked or knew I bet the dealers did as some of the 175 to over 200 ones usually just laid there should have bought more in those times had about 30 at one time have a whole seven left none totally match a few almost do except bolt on a couple I kept the sentimental ones old age and health I guess still shoot some occasionally I have rescued a few sporters and put them back in the military trim but the darn stocks and parts have went up so much the boys on here that write the good books on them are worth a lot of information most of what I never knew and have learned a lot put it back in proper stock and parts as suggested and have fun while you can! timothy