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Norwegian K98kF1 Questions and Value Estimate

Screach

Screach

Member
Hey all, I just recently found and picked up a Norwegian K98kF1 in 30-06. Numbers matching, originally a 1939 JP Sauer and Sohn. Bore is excellent and bluing is around 60-70% throughout. Stock was sanded down a bit during the Norwegian refurb. The rifle is a Coastal Artillery model with K.ART stamp on the flat. (I am currently out of town and will post pics when I get back later this week.)

I have a few questions for you guys who have more experience in the Mauser world than I do.

First off, what would be the estimated value of the rifle in it’s current condition?

Second, I intend to use the rifle as a shooter and for hunting, how much would the value change if I were to have the rifle professionally reblued?

Third, as the rifle will be used for hunting I am toying with the idea of turning it into an SSR clone. Would doing so (assuming it was completed by a competent gunsmith) destroy the value of the rifle?

Thanks guys in advance for your input. I am new to the collecting side of things and am attempting to weigh the costs and benefits of performing the aforementioned “atrocities” to my newly acquired Norwegian beauty.
 
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Can't say what the value is as I haven't seen very many for sale. Seeing as it is a part of the K98 history and they are consistently going up in value every year then yeah a permanent modification such as that will absolutely destroy the collectors value. I'd probably value them higher than a Yugo or RC capture if that gives you an idea.

WWII original K98s are the cream of the crop for collectors but even stuff like Yugo capture, Norwegian K98s, RCs, Balkan captures etc. have some value even if it not as high and if you modify it then you'll lower the value. You're essentially paying money to make a gun less valuable which makes no sense financially. I'd just keep it stock personally but its your gun.
 
Leave it how it is. This are nearly impossible to import out of the country nowadays due to current Euro/Nor import laws. Mauserluver spoke briefly on it as he imports a lot from Norway.

Imo they are a historical gun and anything like reblu or tapping would be a heartbreak.
 
I would agree with not messing. I'm questing one also. The one at Simpson's assuming it's the same one JP 39 and sanded...was listed @ 1700 +
 
Bonemorrow...er du Norsk? Jeg har masse familia i Norge. Mor var fra Sandnes/Stavanger. Oglaend familien.
 
Tooele52M1 said:
Was that the Simpson ltd. piece?
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Tooele52M1 said:
I would agree with not messing. I'm questing one also. The one at Simpson's assuming it's the same one JP 39 and sanded...was listed @ 1700 +
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Correct. I most likely over paid, but I had been looking for an F1 for a while and couldn’t pass it up. Lol.


BishopofBling said:
I'd probably value them higher than a Yugo or RC capture if that gives you an idea.

You’re essentially paying money to make a gun less valuable which makes no sense financially.
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Thanks for the input Bishop! That was my worry, it would add value for me but make it nearly impossible to recuperate my funds.


bonemorrow98 said:
Leave it how it is. This are nearly impossible to import out of the country nowadays due to current Euro/Nor import laws. Mauserluver spoke briefly on it as he imports a lot from Norway.

Imo they are a historical gun and anything like reblu or tapping would be a heartbreak.
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I have been thinking the same thing. It would be a shame to permanently mar such a beautiful piece of history.


My backup plan is to use one of the accumounts ZF-41 set ups to get a little bit of optical advantage without tapping the gun at all. Are the ZF-4’s from accumounts good? I have a PEM from them on my Mosin and it is incredible.
 
Screach said:
My backup plan is to use one of the accumounts ZF-41 set ups to get a little bit of optical advantage without tapping the gun at all. Are the ZF-4’s from accumounts good? I have a PEM from them on my Mosin and it is incredible.
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OR, use the accumounts no drill & tap mount that places a long eye relief ‘scout’ scope where the rear sight sits. I have one on my pinged dot 44 shooter, works fairly well. With a Weaver K4 or similar, it wont jump out at you as modern.
 
Seconding to put a LER scope on it. I've got a RC K98k with a red dot riding where the rear sight should be that I use for load development (and general plinking because a red dot on a K98k is fun on a bun).

Anything you do that permanently alters the rifle (rebluing, putting on a scope that requires cutting wood or metal, etc) is going to tank the value pretty hard.

A few weeks ago I was browsing completed auctions on GB for RC K98ks to help a buddy price out what they're going for these days. It was pretty funny to see a bunch of bog standard RC rifles going for prices that made my eyes water alongside a bunch of guns that had been cut up back when they were "cheap garbage" rifles selling for half or a third of the price.
 
K.ART stood a 50% chance of remaining in 7,92(8mm) as they only re-barreled half of them. Navy all remained in original 8mm, but their Air Force and Army all were redone to 30.06. Value is on the rise, but I've seen them sell in the last two years for $750-$1,300. I'd leave it alone though. Keep the value.
 
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Tooele52M1 said:
Bonemorrow...er du Norsk? Jeg har masse familia i Norge. Mor var fra Sandnes/Stavanger. Oglaend familien.
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Nei, sadly only speak English. I do not have any family that is Norwegian. I purchased a stock from Mauserluver and inquired about the Nord guns.

My family in Europe hails from Burgendland and Baden-Baden.
 
Danke für die Antwort. Eine Anfrage wert.

School in Norway and German in High School. Any opportunity to practice....thanks for putting up with it ;)
 
Cyrano4747 said:
Seconding to put a LER scope on it. I've got a RC K98k with a red dot riding where the rear sight should be that I use for load development (and general plinking because a red dot on a K98k is fun on a bun).

Anything you do that permanently alters the rifle (rebluing, putting on a scope that requires cutting wood or metal, etc) is going to tank the value pretty hard.

A few weeks ago I was browsing completed auctions on GB for RC K98ks to help a buddy price out what they're going for these days. It was pretty funny to see a bunch of bog standard RC rifles going for prices that made my eyes water alongside a bunch of guns that had been cut up back when they were "cheap garbage" rifles selling for half or a third of the price.
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Excellent info! I’ll definitely go the no-smith route.

mowzerluvr said:
K.ART stood a 50% chance of remaining in 7,92(8mm) as they only re-barreled half of them. Navy all remained in original 8mm, but their Air Force and Amy all were redone to 30.06. Value is on the rise, but I've seen them sell in the last two years for $750-$1,300. I'd leave it alone though. Keep the value.
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That’s pretty cool info as well! I had no idea some of the K.ART rifles remained in 8mm. I’ll definitely keep it in its current condition and maybe find a spotter to mess around with.

Does anyone have any experience with the ZF-41 optics? Do they retain zero when removed from the base?
 
I'd definitely like a good look at it too. Having checked out Simpson's offerings pretty routinely I always wish they provided a better visual portrait of the items. I sat on the fence on that one and felt I just didn't know enough to comfortably go in at that price point, even though they don't show up that often. I'm glad it showed up here in good company.
 
Tooele52M1 said:
I'd definitely like a good look at it too. Having checked out Simpson's offerings pretty routinely I always wish they provided a better visual portrait of the items. I sat on the fence on that one and felt I just didn't know enough to comfortably go in at that price point, even though they don't show up that often. I'm glad it showed up here in good company.
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Hahaha. Thank you much! I figured there were a few people eagle-eying it like I was. Their pictures do seem to be pretty terrible quality. I had been looking for a Mauser in 30-06 for a while and stumbled onto the F1’s after watching Ian’s videos on them.

Having Norwegian roots I figured it was a perfect fit, then was sad to see them so sparse! I was a bit hesitant at first as you were but after speaking with them on the phone I was able to get several of my questions answered. Overpriced or not I figured it was my last chance at one for a while, and I figured worse case scenario it wouldn’t be hard to sell if the need came.

alund said:
I’m still interested in seeing pictures
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Once I’m out of this snow storm on the way back home I’ll post some pics up. Probably sometime later tomorrow afternoon.
 
Screach, I think you and I are in the same snowstorm (I'm in Oregon too). I picked up a Norwegian (HAER -- Army) a couple months ago, there's a thread with pics a little ways down.
 
K98K3006 said:
Screach, I think you and I are in the same snowstorm (I'm in Oregon too). I picked up a Norwegian (HAER -- Army) a couple months ago, there's a thread with pics a little ways down.
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Most likely. lol. Stuck trying to get back to Portland from Bend. Your rifle looks awesome! The bluing is incredible, nice find!
 
In your photos the bluing still looks pretty decent, it's thin but still doing its job. One of the things I really appreciate about my Norwegian is the obviously high degree of care that the armorers at Kongsberg (I assume that's where the work was done?) put into rebuilding these rifles.

Do you know if the stock matches the rebuild? Norwegian serial on the buttplate and possibly marked inside?
 
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