K98 Mauser BYF 42

[Tonymin]

At the gun show today there was a real nice matching K98 BYF 42 Mauser. Guy was asking $1200 but I had the feeling $1000 would have taken it. But, I just ordered a Garand and couldn't.
I don't know enough about Mausers yet but I think that was worth more than $1K?
Original stock. Honest wear. Didn't check out bore.

[AK all day]

Sounds a bit high to me... The Mauser market has slowed as well due to the surplus ammo drying up, collector only market now.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I'd also be wary of fake bringbacks or other hoaxes in the Mauser marketplace. You can't get hurt on a sub $500 RC mixmaster, but i have read of shenanigans with the higher end K98's.

There was a "Rifles of World War 2" or some such gun magazine that featured all of the major WW2 small arms. The author was a guy who I've seen a lot of articles by, so he must know his stuff.

Anyway, the article shows a Mitchell's Mauser that was supposedly a SS marked rifle with a small totenkopf on the receiver and a big one stamped on the stock. The rifle looked brand new, and the author described it as a rare and collectible K98. It seemed TOTALLY faked to me with the crisp cartouches, chromed bolt, and brand new stock with cartouches that looked factory fresh.

[Tonymin]

Yes I want a $450 RC after the Garand. $1k is a lotta money, but I thought it was worth it. Just not for me. There are too many other guns I want.
It had a lot of honest wear.
It is like when I was shopping for a Luger. Everyone said you could buy decent ones under $1k. I saw most at well over.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

It is like when I was shopping for a Luger. Everyone said you could buy decent ones under $1k. I saw most at well over.

A lot of people who probably haven't bought a firearm in 15 years like to post what they think guns are worth based on the prices they paid in 1990.

[joefrank64k]

There is so much fakery in the higher-end WWII firearms market now that, unless you personally know the provenance or are an expert, it's WAY too easy to get burned.

There's an old sticky over at GunBoards about all the turds that are out there: http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...88-Turd-Alerts

[TMB 1]

It is like when I was shopping for a Luger. Everyone said you could buy decent ones under $1k. I saw most at well over.

You should be able to find a shooter for under $1k. The numbers wont match or it will have been refinished or both. I got mine for $500, It has been refinished & all #don't match but its a really good shooter after I did some minor fitting to the side plate that didn't match.

[emcon5]

Anyway, the article shows a Mitchell's Mauser that was supposedly a SS marked rifle with a small totenkopf on the receiver and a big one stamped on the stock. The rifle looked brand new, and the author described it as a rare and collectible K98. It seemed TOTALLY faked to me with the crisp cartouches, chromed bolt, and brand new stock with cartouches that looked factory fresh.

If it was a Mitchell, it was a fake, period.

[pitfighter]

Bobby,

Check the rest of the magazine - I would likely guess there was a huge paid ad for Mitchell's Mauser's - this is usually the only time there are positive reviews of his rifles in print.

[Bobby Ricigliano]

Bobby,

Check the rest of the magazine - I would likely guess there was a huge paid ad for Mitchell's Mauser's - this is usually the only time there are positive reviews of his rifles in print.

Of that I am certain. There is just no way somebody who has been in the gun industry forever could believe that a repro'd Mitchell's rifle is anything other than a repro.

I won't lie... If I came up on a clean mitchell Mauser on the cheap, I'd buy it and shoot it. But I'd never place any historical emphasis on it or try to dupe someone else into thinking it was legit.

[emcon5]

I won't lie... If I came up on a clean mitchell Mauser on the cheap, I'd buy it and shoot it. But I'd never place any historical emphasis on it or try to dupe someone else into thinking it was legit.

Same here. I was actually keeping my eyes open for one for a while, to turn into a Sniper repro. No problem drilling holes in something that Mitchell's has already ruined.

[TRAP55]

Bobby,

Check the rest of the magazine - I would likely guess there was a huge paid ad for Mitchell's Mauser's - this is usually the only time there are positive reviews of his rifles in print.

I think it would be a safe bet, Marcus von W. didn't write the review.

Tonymin, if that was the same BYF 42 I saw at the Vallejo Show, it wasn't a $1200 gun, by any means.

[pitfighter]

Same here. I was actually keeping my eyes open for one for a while, to turn into a Sniper repro. No problem drilling holes in something that Mitchell's has already ruined.

Valid point, emcon!


Did anyone else see the lovely late war K98 at Santa Barbara - all matching and pretty text book perfect (here it is on his site) -

http://antiquesarmsandarmor.com/index.php/militaria/weaponsordnance/german-militarycommercial/1346-mod98-kriegsmodell-rifle-bnz45

I'm afraid I may have to buy this - which is why I post here, perhaps someone saves me, lol.

[TRAP55]

Saves you? You're on your own!
That is one clean, unmolested Kriegsmodell, I'd bet that was "liberated" before it was issued.

[pitfighter]

Saves you? You're on your own!
That is one clean, unmolested Kriegsmodell, I'd bet that was "liberated" before it was issued.

Safe bet.