Stock for S/147 1937 dated mauser

[copperlake]

What are my best look-outs or any other information on the best way to get a stock set for this action?



This barreled action was given to me years ago in trade for selling an old friends arms collection. It's in good to almost VG condition, all matching, with a bore that is better than any military arm in my collection except one. The bolt face is still blue and the sear/cocking piece mating surfaces are perfect. I believe it had fewer rounds through it than the outward appearance suggests. It is, I think, worthwhile to try and make it proper to pass on to the kids.

All of you who visit various sites will see this enquiry again.

[444ttd]

richard's micro stock?
http://rifle-stocks.com/actions_available.htm

[Der Gebirgsjager]

If I'm reading you correctly you're wanting to restore it to as-issued? Probably any of the several well known parts houses might have one--Numrich, SARCO, Jack First, Bob's Gun Shop. They were made in the millions by many manufacturers/arsenals, and most are interchangable. But, if you want a specific make of stock that may prove much more difficult. For example, Sauer made the '98 Mauser and if you wanted a Sauer made stock instead of a Mauser made stock it greatly narrows the field. It's like those seeking a "correct" M1 rifle. The army took no care at all to assure that original parts remained together, and when it was repair or rebuild time they just grabbed what was needed out of the stockpile and assembled it into the gun without regard for maker. To me, that makes a mixmaster rifle no less authentic than one with all of the parts with which it originally left the arsenal, as that is how it was done, and is the norm. So if just a model correct, but not a maker correct stock will satisfy your requirement it shouldn't be too difficult. Perhaps someone on this forum has one out in the garage from a rifle they sporterized years ago. I wish you luck in your search.

DG

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I thought I recognized that code and looked it up: German ordnance code assigned to J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Gewehrfabrik, Suhl, Germany.

DG

[copperlake]

I thought I recognized that code and looked it up: German ordnance code assigned to J.P. Sauer & Sohn, Gewehrfabrik, Suhl, Germany.

DG

Yes you are correct, I should have stated who made it and I do want to restore it to original as possible. I've been looking on fleabay and GB for years. I've seen them complete with two different styles of but plates, both being identified as original and they both had the bolt scallop. Whenever I've seen a complete rifle in good condition they seem to bring a rather high price. SARCO has one that looks close to the same but is not complete and with them, it's hit or miss in my experience. Numrich has a '98 reproduction only. The other two you mentioned were zeros.

Thank you for the reply.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I do understand your problem, being a haphazard collector myself. There is collector interest in these rifles, increasingly so as we become farther and farther removed from WW II. Unfortunately, Sauer is one of the more expensive and scarce specimens. From a collector viewpoint, you are fortunate to have the rifle. A stock specific to that make will be difficult to find, as you've found out.

Already in the fading past now was a huge influx of Russian captured and reworked K98k rifles, most of which had Nazi markings scrubbed but many of which retained German markings such as proofs and codes. Yours has so much blue remaining that I wonder ......?

The two in my personal collection are both Mauser mfg. vintage 1939. Both have the flat butt plates, the cupped butt plates coming later in the war. Both also have the bolt dismounting ring in the stock.

DG

[copperlake]

[QUOTE= Yours has so much blue remaining that I wonder ......?[/QUOTE]

DG, thanks again. Yes this has not been fiddled with in any way, lots of markings and none removed or altered, all matching. On GB, this would be posted as 'very good' or better and indeed the bore is excellent but the grading system I know from 50 years ago has slid rather precipitously backwards. Some of the claims I read on GB are hilarious. It seems 'excellent' often means that all the parts are there. Like you, I am not that knowledgeable re all mauser minutia.

[Texas by God]

I'll ask both of you- was there a K98 "standard" pattern- or did Mauser, BRNO, Sauer, etc. use different buttplates, bands and hardware on the stocks? I've seen laminated or walnut stocks on different K98 rifles.

Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

[Der Gebirgsjager]

The German '98 of WW I used mostly walnut stocks, however I've got one, full length as-issued, that was sent to Turkey as war aid, and it has what is probably a beech stock. Between wars, around 1935 when the decision was made to shorten the rifle to what eventually became the K98k they modified the existing walnut stocks, and then began producing new walnut stocks when the pattern was finalized. Later, not too long into the war, they began producing the laminated stocks which were a bit heavier but more durable, and I don't believe that thereafter they made any more walnut stocks. As for other countries, example the Czechs, they made close copies of the K98k. I have one with a laminated stock--the model with the large winter trigger guard-- and I suspect it was supplied by the Germans. It has the cup butt plate, cut in the butt stock for a sling, but no bolt dismounting ring in the butt stock, having instead a hole for that purpose in the side of the butt plate. I have never tried it, but it looks like a straight across swap with a German K98k to me. Then there were the Yugo rifles made on captured German equipment, and I'm sure that the early ones are probably also interchangeable. However, some of the furniture may be a little different. Things like sling swivels and their location and the configuration of the front band for bayonet attachment. I think many Mauser-type stocks could be made to work. There were also some close Polish-made copies that would likely work.

Yes, over the many years the Gunbroker condition standards have certainly slipped. Sadly, if you buy a rifle advertised as Excellent and it turns out to be Very Good, Good, or Fair there seems little recourse. Also, the NRA's condition standards have become very complicated with different grades for modern firearms, antique firearms, etc. I have purchased many firearms over the years from Gunbroker and Gunauction, and about the only advice I can offer is to used the "Ask seller a question" feature if unsure. Ask for more photos and a better description of the condition of the piece. Lately I've noted that many sellers do not mention bore condition, so I'll always ask. Beware of cleverly worded descriptions like, "This gun bears a fine overall patina...." which might mean "It's pretty rusty...."

DG

[444ttd]

Yes, over the many years the Gunbroker condition standards have certainly slipped. Sadly, if you buy a rifle advertised as Excellent and it turns out to be Very Good, Good, or Fair there seems little recourse. Also, the NRA's condition standards have become very complicated with different grades for modern firearms, antique firearms, etc. I have purchased many firearms over the years from Gunbroker and Gunauction, and about the only advice I can offer is to used the "Ask seller a question" feature if unsure. Ask for more photos and a better description of the condition of the piece. Lately I've noted that many sellers do not mention bore condition, so I'll always ask. Beware of cleverly worded descriptions like, "This gun bears a fine overall patina...." which might mean "It's pretty rusty...."

DG

if you are looking a military sporter and you find "This gun bears a fine overall patina...." which might mean "It's pretty rusty....", its time to go with evapo rust.

https://evapo-rust.com/

i went from this....


to that.



i had brownell's oxpho blue and a hair dryer. the parts and pieces came out great, but the action/barrel is like poop. i attribute that to me, i should have used the propane torch. in case you are wondering, the inside of bore was really crudded up, but after evapo rust it was as clean as a baby bottom. note*** evapo rust causes the bluing to come off. don't do evapo rust IN the barrel, because you splash it onto the rifle's blued finish!!!!!

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I like Krags, and have more than one, so all I can say is "nice save, 444ttd". Glad your bore cleaned up, but not much can be done about pitting.

DG

[444ttd]

thanks!!!

i have another sporter krag that will be going to family when i kick the bucket. it was my great pappy, pappy, dad, late uncle and now me. the one i just shown will either be a 22 hornet or a 9.3/30-40 krag(9.3 krag). i have two more actions sans bolt but i got two of the sporterized stocks. one of them will be a 405 jes or 25 krag. but it will be awhile till i get money gathered up.

[David LaPell]

A gun that early used a walnut stock, later on in the war they switched to a laminated stock. You're also going to want to make sure you get the earlier barrel bands for it, they changed those as well as the war progressed and then again for the last ditch Kriegsmodell guns of the late war, late 1944 into 1945.

[copperlake]

A gun that early used a walnut stock, later on in the war they switched to a laminated stock. You're also going to want to make sure you get the earlier barrel bands for it, they changed those as well as the war progressed and then again for the last ditch Kriegsmodell guns of the late war, late 1944 into 1945.

Unfortunately I'm completely lame on this sort of detail. If you could elucidate about 'early barrel bands' I would most appreciate that. I really do want to get this arm to as best I can in terms of original.

Thank you David, for taking the time to respond. Much appreciated.