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Thread: 1918 Danzig Kar98

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub
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    1918 Danzig Kar98

    I finally found a WW1 rifle I like. An old Mauser. I'm new to 8mm so looked for the fattest .32-40 boolet to buy and went with Meister's 170g FP at .323" By the time I got enough of it in the neck for a crimp, it looked like about .250 jump to the lands, so wasn't expecting much. After an afternoon scrubbing the bore I got a little shine, and a fair amount of pitting. Started with 5 & 6.5g of HP38. That went well, so tried 6.5 & 7g the next try and shot it against my Savage Enfield. No leading was found, so a couple Ed Red patches and done.
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  2. #2
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    Great old rifles, have one I purchased probably 50 years ago. Hard to find in nice condition because the Germans used them hard as they were handier than the Gew 98. After WW I many were given as war reparations to countries like Poland, and got used some more. Nice mini-collection you've got there in the bottom photo, and all seem to shoot well.

    DG

  3. #3
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    The action was made in 1918 and may have been, at one time, a Gewehr 98. However, the KAR 98 wasn't adopted until June, 1935. Thus your rifle was rebuilt into it's current configuration (very nice BTW) until after that. Nice to see the old warhorse still shooting well.
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  4. #4
    Boolit Master 444ttd's Avatar
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    nice shooting!!!!!!! i just luv them "old" guns!!!

    try
    https://bullshop.weebly.com/-32-cali...t-bullets.html

    i have a sporterized 98 mauser (1944) in 8x57 and i'm thinking of 8mm karabiner.

    Ad Reipublicae his Civitatum Foederatarum Americae, ego sum fortis et libero. Ego autem non exieris ad impios communistarum socialismi. Ora imagines in vestri demented mentem, quod vos mos have misericordia, quia non.

    To the Republic of these United States of America, I am strong and free. I will never surrender to godless communist socialism. Pray to images in your demented mind, that you will have mercy, because i will not.

    MOLON LABE

  5. #5
    Boolit Bub
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Gibson View Post
    The action was made in 1918 and may have been, at one time, a Gewehr 98. However, the KAR 98 wasn't adopted until June, 1935. Thus your rifle was rebuilt into it's current configuration (very nice BTW) until after that. Nice to see the old warhorse still shooting well.
    I'm fairly new to these old Mausers and still trying to figure out the specifics on it. I'm not pulling it apart till winter as it's shooting season lol! What I think I know so far is it probably went thru a depot re-build as it has a blued bolt and the mag follower was cut to stop the bolt when empty. They sure liked to stamp #'s everywhere on these. The only one I found that didn't match was the one on the bottom of the rear sight. It looks pretty original to me.

  6. #6
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    Don't let the Teutonic nomenclature confuse you. What you have is a Kar. 98a. adopted in 1908. The main German rifle of WW II was adopted in 1924 but put into mass production in 1935 with minor changes, known as the K98k, often name shortened to 98k. Your rifle is likely stamped Kar 98 on the left side of the receiver. The long hook like device near the muzzle is always the giveaway as to what it is, and that is a stacking hook for stacking rifles in a pyramid when not being actually carried. Many WW I photos show them in use by pioneers, artillerymen, shock troops, etc.

    DG

  7. #7
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    A friend has one and I've offered to by it for 30 years- unsuccessfully.
    They were very popular for sporterizing being a Small Ring 98 action. I bought one as an unfinished sporter with a 26" .243 barrel and it was nice once I finished it.
    The 98K WW2 rifles compared to the Gew98 and Kar98a are like the Springfield 03A3 compared to the 1903. Just as good but cheaper and quicker to make. IMHO.

    Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check