My First Mauser?

[Capybara]

The extent of my C&R rifles so far is a CMP M1 Service Special and a nice '42 Izhevsk 91/30. I know Mausers are the Porsche of C&R rifles, beautifully made, accurate and rugged. I am loathe to own yet another caliber of rifle but it looks as if I want a Mauser, I will have to own another caliber. There are so many Mausers variants out there, what would be a good first Mauser if I want to spend under $400.00? Also, between a Mauser and a K-31, which would you buy first and why?

I definitely have C&R disease and just received my COE and hopefully my FFL03 will be showing up any day. Just need to know which direction to go in. I love historic weapons but I want shooters more than collectors. My 91/30 has a frosted barrel and a few chips and dings here there but it is reasonably accurate and a blast to shoot. My M1 looks showroom new and it is also super fun to shoot. So what's next?

[NOTABIKER]

i like my mosins a lot,i picked up a nice big 5 serb M 48 mauser. i also like the mauser. better than my mosins NO. i like them both.

[backstrap]

With $400 get a German action rifle. A Russian capture K98 with as many stamps on it as possible is what I'd get if my Mauser budget was $400. The 24-47's and 48's don't have the history German guns do. I like yugo's but with $400 you could get a K98 yugo rework instead of the 24/47-48's. Happy hunting! I've been luckiest with my mausers thru private party, start asking around now people have these old guns and never mention them until you ask.

[CDFingers]

yeah: the 24/47's are pretty nice, and affordable. Eventually you'll need to get a k98, so watch. Also, the Turks are affordable, and, if you get a nice bore, are excellent shooters.

As a rule, there's no such thing as "only one Mauser" in a safe. It just isn't done...

CDFingers

[Marcus von W.]

Any Mauser M98 action rifle is a good choice, and even the earlier models are excellent collectables and shooters that can be found at good prices.

For a popular, historic, affordable, high quality Mauser with a large following and whose recognition factor is just slightly below that of the Luger, Colt Single Action Army Peacemaker, or Colt 1911 .45 auto, it' hard to beat the venerable 98k. Russian, Yugo, and Czech captures are some of the best and most available deals on these right now.

As Notabiker pointed out, the other Yugo Mausers are also available and quite affordable right now. The M48's are well built and attractive rifles, and pristine examples are available.. but as pointed out they are post-Ww2 production and don't have the combat history of some of the other Mausers - unless you get one of the more well used ones that took part in the genocidal break-up of the former Yugoslavia. The earlier models like the 24/27's and such actually do have quite an impressive combat history that equals that of the Yugo capture 98k's - actually it is the same as the 98k's because these rifles fought each other in the hands of the various nations, forces, and factions in Yugoslavia in WW2.

VZ24's are another popular, affordable, and fairly available option - I think one of the larger dealers like AIM or Centerfire (I forget which) has some nice looking Russian capture VZ24's right now. Czech or Romanian (or Yugo for that matter), they all served in WW2.

The South American contract Mausers, both M98's and the earlier M91/93/95 models, are some of the highest quality and most attractive Mauser rifles you will find - a true testament to the pre-WW1 German gunmakers art and craft.

And the Swedish M96 and M38 Mauser....oh, the Swede! Very well made, very attractive, deadly laser precision accurate. You sure can't go wrong with one of these, and when the incurable Mauser acquisition disease hits and takes hold, you will be needing one of these anyway. And if you can find one of the WW2 Finn [SA] marked Swede Mausers, you have a real piece of history in your hands.

Then there are some of the lesser known and less common, but still top-notch and quite historic versions - like the Polish Mausers (most of these you will encounter - like the WZ29 I have on the Trader here for $400) are Spanish Civil War issue that have a combat history and were taken from dead or surrendered Communists.

I don't know what the current cost of a Persian Mauser is or what Samco still has to offer in them, but these are beautiful rifles, made by Brno in Czechoslovakia. The other long Czech rifles like the 98/22 are also out there for good prices.

Turkish Mausers are a mixed bag - some are outstanding quality Turk, German, or Czech made rifles, or at least built up by the Turks on German and Czech actions. Others are
a little rougher or more well used, but interesting for their individual, unique characters and diversity of models and features.

As far as Mauser vs. Swiss K31, the Schmidt-Rubin rifles are an "interesting" and unique design, and are held in high esteem for their accuracy. It's a personal choice thing - I myself feel no particular attraction to them and would much rather have a good Mauser. To me Swiss rifles are kind of like French or Italian rifles - weird, somewhat unpleasant designs (this should open a can of worms!) in oddball calibers. Schmidt-Rubins are larger and clunkier than that other contemporary straight-pull, the Austrian Steyr-Mannlicher M95, but maybe a little more user friendly than the M95's evil bolt design. Think of a Rolex the same general size and shape as a brick - undoubtedly high quality, but not something I would want to own or wear. But again, that's just me.

Really, since you already have an M1 and a Mosin, I would go for a 98k, as these are 3 of the main battle rifles of WW2. All are well made, historic rifles that are in the same class as far as power and accuracy, and affordable ammo - either military surplus or non-corrosive modern commercial - is available for them.

After you get your Mauser, an Enfield and an Arisaka (itself a modified Mauser design) would give you a pretty good representative collection of the most widely used combat rifles of WW2.

[paul0660]

spend more.

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=598134

I can deliver.

[DennisCA]

I own a Yugo 24/47 and like it..a lot!
It was fairly cheap (around $200 USD) but the gun itself isn't.
Plus the previous owner (a local cal-gunner) took really-really good care of it and the ammo is (currently) inexpensive. Check the "WTS" forums, I've seen several 24/47's up for sale recently.

FYI:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=637020

This isn't bad either:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=637321

[Marcus von W.]

Wow, it's a veritable "Octoberfest" of choice Mauser rifles out there to be had for good prices!


That Austrian/German/Czech/Iraqi/Israeli rifle of Paul's certainly is an interesting and historic piece.

I see there is also one of the "Brazilian Revolutionary" 7mm VZ24's on the Trader for $175 that looks like a good deal.


Then there are those 2 $200 Yugo M24/47's linked to above...schweet!

And that Turk M1903 that Eat Dirt has for $250 WITH THE BAYONET! Don't let the 1937 rebuild date and Turk markings on the receiver fool you - this is a German made, Turk contract, rifle that saw service in WW1...think "Lawrence of Arabia", "Gallipoli", etc. and you will get the picture. Good M1903 Turks are very uncommon and very unique.

[emcon5]

$400 should get you a Russian Capture K98k if you are patient. I am not a fan of straight bolt rifles, but that is a personal preference.

If it was me, I would bump my budget slightly, get a K98 barreled action from RGuns, and a stock from Mario.

The South American contract Mausers, both M98's and the earlier M91/93/95 models, are some of the highest quality and most attractive Mauser rifles you will find - a true testament to the pre-WW1 German gunmakers art and craft.

Just want to point out, that be really careful buying anything from Latin America sight unseen. Some of them are really nice, but a lot of them led hard lives, in wet/humid environments, and can be badly pitted, generally under the wood line where it is not obvious.

[Mustang]

For accuracy, condition and likelihood of all matching numbers...get a Swedish Mauser.

[paul0660]

Yugo mausers will give you 99% of the Mauser experience and shoot still inexpensive surplus ammo (if you can use it at your range). The ammo I have for sale with my weirdo is non magnetic, and worth finding.

There are 24/47's (straight bolt) in unissued condition still available for $200, and M48's too. Any 7mm Mauser, although probably more accurate in good shape, requires more expensive ammo.

If I were going to go Mauser again (I have the ones I want to keep and got over the bug a while ago) it would be this:

https://www.samcoglobal.com/1-98-29-Persian.html

I have seen one converted to .30-06/8mm (receiver recut for 06 case, cases stretched for 8mm bullet) that shot the only true 100 yard cloverleaf I have ever seen. And, they are beautiful.

[SKSer45]

Well Capy IMO I would go for the Yugo's first. Since this being your first Mauser (congrats my son) it's best to practice and get a feel for it first and the Yugo's are the best for this.

Strait bolt, bent doesn't matter because you can always change it. Plus you wouldn't to worry about breaking your hand guard on your 400 RC 98k first time you take it apart right? Nope that's why you can practice on a yugo all day and plenty of spare parts in case you muff something up.Plus you can shoot it like crazy. I think I already put 300 rounds in my m48 and that was just 2 range trips.

So try a yugo first see how you like it, if you love it then you can go for the bigger and better like RC 98ks, VZ24s, The Swedes, Persians, etc... Just some food for thought.

[Capybara]

Thanks all for the advice. You have given me a lot to think about.

[paul0660]

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=633482

The question asked about bluing is important, once you read the Samco ad. Could be a good deal either way.

[SKSer45]

here ya go Capy this is what 100 dollars plus dros and Tax can get you.

BNIB box, 100% milled m48 Yugo Mauser.





Just gorgeous. Look hard enough you can find a great Mauser shooter and even get the Mosin Freaks mad at you :P