Third Party Press

My newly-reassembled Gew.98m - Repairs completed - looks good.

Gerst

Senior Member
A fellow member was good enough to send me a stock he no longer needed. Unfortunately, the postal service ran over the box and broke the stock - see photo - into two pieces (plus three fragments). I felt like crying! I will take it to a local gunsmith who does “woodwork” to see if he can repair it.

I removed the upper and lower bands. Both have what looks like a three, sideways, or an “m.”
Please take a look at the photos and let me know what this means
 

Attachments

  • 7F05B537-5284-4B1B-96EB-18D817C56FF7.jpeg
    7F05B537-5284-4B1B-96EB-18D817C56FF7.jpeg
    218.2 KB · Views: 58
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    176.4 KB · Views: 56
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    162.2 KB · Views: 56
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    286.8 KB · Views: 4
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    259.6 KB · Views: 4
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    271.8 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    358.6 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    356.6 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    312.5 KB · Views: 5
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    455.2 KB · Views: 5
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    340 KB · Views: 5
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    294.1 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    306 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    322.2 KB · Views: 6
  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    364.9 KB · Views: 7
Last edited:
Here is another photo
 

Attachments

  • F189A328-EF22-471C-B5D1-8907EE4BD662.jpeg
    F189A328-EF22-471C-B5D1-8907EE4BD662.jpeg
    121 KB · Views: 15
Had the same thing happen to me, the USPS cracked it in the same spot... but it was insured and they paid the claim very quickly. Shipping a loose G98 length stock is risky business and you really need to take extra precautions.
 
There was
plenty of packing material but there were tire tracks on the box. The postal service used to hire veterans, now they hire morons.
 
Had the same thing happen to me, the USPS cracked it in the same spot... but it was insured and they paid the claim very quickly. Shipping a loose G98 length stock is risky business and you really need to take extra precautions.
Do you think it can be glued back together? It won’t be a shooter with that stock but that’s ok.
 
There was
plenty of packing material but there were tire tracks on the box. The postal service used to hire veterans, now they hire morons.
I entirely agree, - it use to be hiring for merit, integrity and military service, now it is used to clear welfare roles and immigrants... great idea... put the most irresponsible people possible in government ("democracy" does this naturally in the political sphere, so it stands to reason it would work its way throughout all the institutions of the state - which is why this country was never designed or intended to be a "democracy", in the 18th Century this was generally accepted to be a recipe for disaster as educated men knew if has never worked in history...).

Stock repairs are not my thing, but I suspect it can be glued together for display. Me though, I would try and buy a mostly matching-original rifle. Building one, searching out parts, probably costs as much as if you could get a decent rifle for. Typically "finding" a nice original, mostly or partly matching is more difficult than paying for it... harder to find but generally pretty cheap. Just keep watching the auction sites, the trader, try a trade if you have a rifle to trade (often trades are preferred to cash)

** I cleared my pm box so contact me if you find an auction, don't wait till the last minute though as I still am not use to this new format.
 
I entirely agree, - it use to be hiring for merit, integrity and military service, now it is used to clear welfare roles and immigrants... great idea... put the most irresponsible people possible in government ("democracy" does this naturally in the political sphere, so it stands to reason it would work its way throughout all the institutions of the state - which is why this country was never designed or intended to be a "democracy", in the 18th Century this was generally accepted to be a recipe for disaster as educated men knew if has never worked in history...).

Stock repairs are not my thing, but I suspect it can be glued together for display. Me though, I would try and buy a mostly matching-original rifle. Building one, searching out parts, probably costs as much as if you could get a decent rifle for. Typically "finding" a nice original, mostly or partly matching is more difficult than paying for it... harder to find but generally pretty cheap. Just keep watching the auction sites, the trader, try a trade if you have a rifle to trade (often trades are preferred to cash)

** I cleared my pm box so contact me if you find an auction, don't wait till the last minute though as I still am not use to this new format.
The rifle is the first I ever bought - a “sporterized” Gewehr 98 with a 1930s rear sight. It is in a modified Brazilian stock now, looks nice enough, but I wanted a proper 98m stock with take-down disks and finger grooves. The one that was broken would have been perfect. It’s really pathetic. The government could foul up a “wet dream” as we used to say in the army. Of course they can’t say it anymore - might offend somebody. I hope the new leaders of our military take care not to offend the Chinese!
 
Do you think it can be glued back together? It won’t be a shooter with that stock but that’s ok.
Strictly in terms of woodworking, a glue bond is stronger than the grain structure of natural wood, assuming the glue is fresh product and the surfaces of the break have been kept clean, and no material/chips have been lost. The difficulty in your case is that diagonal nature of the break (follows the grain, & is part of the reason it broke) relative to the shape of the stock, this makes it very difficult to clamp up while the glue sets (real wood glue, not the super kind). Though not impossible, unless the stock were to an all-matching rifle, I wouldn’t invest the time in it. It is a good illustration of why the switched to laminated beech stocks, which still broke sometimes, but less often. I’d use a barreled action as a form, yellow wood glue & lots of heavy rubber bands for clamping force.
 
Strictly in terms of woodworking, a glue bond is stronger than the grain structure of natural wood, assuming the glue is fresh product and the surfaces of the break have been kept clean, and no material/chips have been lost. The difficulty in your case is that diagonal nature of the break (follows the grain, & is part of the reason it broke) relative to the shape of the stock, this makes it very difficult to clamp up while the glue sets (real wood glue, not the super kind). Though not impossible, unless the stock were to an all-matching rifle, I wouldn’t invest the time in it. It is a good illustration of why the switched to laminated beech stocks, which still broke sometimes, but less often. I’d use a barreled action as a form, yellow wood glue & lots of heavy rubber bands for clamping force.
Should I give it a try or turn it over to the gunsmith with woodworking skills?

if I do it, do I start with the big pieces or the small ones?

The stock has matching metal and was in good shape until the government got hold of it. It is for a restoration of a non-matching rifle which has sentimental value for my family. I am a retired widower and I can afford to pay a skilled craftsman.

The place it broke is the weakest part of the stock, the open part where the receiver goes. Only the sides around the rectangular hole connect the front and rear, then there are two round holes, one on either side, for the recoil lug. Of course the postal service guy lined that up just before he drove over the box! He might have stomped on it too, the treadmarks are either from a wheel or a pair of sneakers!
 
Last edited:
Should I give it a try or turn it over to the gunsmith with woodworking skills?

if I do it, do I start with the big pieces or the small ones?

The stock has matching metal and was in good shape until the government got hold of it. It is for a restoration of a non-matching rifle which has sentimental value for my family. I am a retired widower and I can afford to pay a skilled craftsman.

The place it broke is the weakest part of the stock, the open part where the receiver goes. Only the sides around the rectangular hole connect the front and rear, then there are two round holes, one on either side, for the recoil lug. Of course the postal service guy lined that up just before he drove over the box! He might have stomped on it too, the treadmarks are either from a wheel or a pair of sneakers!
If you’re in doubt, go w/trusted gunsmith. There are more than two pieces ? (couldn’t see that in your pic) The chances of satisfactory result decrease dramatically with # of pieces of broken wood, no matter who does the work.

UPS breaks my stuff too, and fedex ground is the worst of all in my experience.
 
If you’re in doubt, go w/trusted gunsmith. There are more than two pieces ? (couldn’t see that in your pic) The chances of satisfactory result decrease dramatically with # of pieces of broken wood, no matter who does the work.

UPS breaks my stuff too, and fedex ground is the worst of all in my experience.
I once listened to a UPS driver freely admit to using those “handy, long, cardboard boxes” as a step-stool inside his delivery truck to get to a package higher up inside!
(Also watched a gun shop employee do much the same thing in the shop . . . .but used a carton of clay pigeons as a stool. “Caution: fragile as eggs” meant nothing to him.)
 
A friend sent his broken Gewehr to Stock Doc. He sent me before and after photos and I just could not see where the break had been. Price was reasonable too.
I don't have a dog in this fight. but there you have it. I'd sure give the guy a try for the price.
 
I once listened to a UPS driver freely admit to using those “handy, long, cardboard boxes” as a step-stool inside his delivery truck to get to a package higher up inside!
(Also watched a gun shop employee do much the same thing in the shop . . . .but used a carton of clay pigeons as a stool. “Caution: fragile as eggs” meant nothing to him.)
Guy probably couldn’t read English
 
A friend sent his broken Gewehr to Stock Doc. He sent me before and after photos and I just could not see where the break had been. Price was reasonable too.
I don't have a dog in this fight. but there you have it. I'd sure give the guy a try for the price.
The drawback is the shipping issue. Once repaired, the goons will give it another try!
 
You could insure it and could probably make money on the deal if the goons break it again.
It'd be interesting to know the odds of it getting through this time, even 25 to 1 would be pretty good odds.
How good is your luck Gerst?
 
You could insure it and could probably make money on the deal if the goons break it again.
It'd be interesting to know the odds of it getting through this time, even 25 to 1 would be pretty good odds.
How good is your luck Gerst?
Well, I went on active duty in September, 1967, stayed in, active and reserves, for twenty years and never got shipped to a combat zone, i am 76 and never paid credit card interest. I married the most beautiful, kindest and most wonderful woman in the world, my late wife, Linda. My blood pressure is normal, i am fit and trim and my two kids, five grandkids and three great-grandkids all love me. I’m pretty lucky. Frankly I’m a pretty handy guy and I’ve fixed a lot of stuff. The stock doc‘ charges $135. That will buy a lot of Spaten !
 
Drink too much Spaten and you're sure to screw up that stock repair.🤣
yeah, but I won’t give a damn!

in June, 2006 I sat at a table outside the Spaten Haus in Munich laying back a few and watching Mercedes after BMW pulling into the underground parking garage. I was just up the street from the Feldherrnhalle. What a day.
 
i put a claim in with the postal service - on line - on June 21. I finally called them last week. The guy told me that they needed more information but didn’t tell me about it. I sent them a letter by priority mail - another seven bucks. Now I wait another month I guess.
 

Military Rifle Journal
Back
Top