Smithing on my Kar 88

[CASEC]

So as some of you know one of my favorite rifles is my commercial C.G. Haenel Kar. 88 in 7mm Mauser. It is the same rifle that was shown as an example of the type in Scarletta's book on the Gew 88. I was lucky enough to find and buy it after the book was published. This weapon is just about my favorite and super interesting to me as I like to think it is an example of one of the commercial 7mms smuggled into Mexico and South America for use in one of the conflicts there in the early to mid 1900s. When I first received the weapon and broke it down I was surprised to see that the barrel under the barrel jacket was not original. It looked like someone had taken a 7mm Mauser barrel for one of those South American 98 Mausers rethreaded the shank and tried to contour it with a rusty wood rasp or something. The barrel didn't center in the shroud and it stressed the stock when it was put into the nose cap. It's impossible to find a Kar. 88 barrel in 7mm, and I wanted to fix it up like I found it but in serviceable shape. I was able to find a NOS Mauser 98 barrel on eBay. It was South American and appears to be of the exact type originally used. I got it for $20 because there were some small storage blemishes on the exterior of the barrel. The chamber and bore were perfect. So I loaded my project up and took it to Randall at 700barrels.com. This is where the fun started. Ive never had the chance to meet Randall before but it was a great experience. He was a reasonably friendly guy, and remained so despite being peppered with a litany of questions by me. It's unusual thing to have a gunsmith that lets you watch, ask questions, and even help a tiny bit. I am reminded of the common shop sign that says work $25/hr, if you watch $50/hr, if you ask questions $75/hr, if you already worked on it $250/hr. I understand some people may prefer to drop off their workpiece and leave it, or ship it in, but for me being able to stay and watch made it more than worth the drive. So Randall took the old barrel off and we made what to me was a really interesting discovery. Whoever replaced the barrel the first time shimmed it with a homemade washer to make it headspace. I just have to wonder who needed this weapon so badly that they used such basic Pakistaniesque gunsmithing to put it in service. I really do wish the carbine could tell me. So Randall took the barrel off, figured out the shank threads, Turned my Mauser 98 barrel shank down single point threaded a new set of shank threads, shortened the barrel, crowned the barrel, and turned down the muzzle to fit my Kar 88 nose cap. Then he installed the barrel, headspaced it, and tightened it all up. It went back together like a Swiss watch and I couldn't be happier. I can't wait to take it to the range and see how it shoots. While I was there I had him take the barrel out of another Gew 88 action, and cut & turn a barrel shroud ring to cover the receivers external barrel jacket threads. Randall did all this for what I thought was a very reasonable price. I am keeping the barrel that came with the carbine, just in case I ever sell it, which I don't intend to. I have a Mauser 98 8mm barrel on the way. I can't wait to get back over there to Randall with a good action to get put together and parkerized. Anyone that likes Gew 88s as much as I do be sure to contact me to trade ideas for restoring these great rifles. Thanks to Randall at 700Barrels.com as these rifles & carbines aren't the easiest to work on. They are not for the parts replacer but rather require a real machinest/smith.

[smle-man]

Great story, thanks! Love it when something like works out well. I had a Winchester 73 with a model 92 barrel screwed into the action and an extractor cut made since the original one was 180 degrees off where it should've been. The barrel had been on there a long time, why did someone do that? No telling what extremes folks had to go to when on the edge of civilization.

[highpower]

I tried to read your story but I kept losing my place. It would really help if you were to break it up a bit by using more paragraphs.

[Armistice]

So as some of you know one of my favorite rifles is my commercial C.G. Haenel Kar. 88 in 7mm Mauser. It is the same rifle that was shown as an example of the type in Scarletta's book on the Gew 88. I was lucky enough to find and buy it after the book was published.

This weapon is just about my favorite and super interesting to me as I like to think it is an example of one of the commercial 7mms smuggled into Mexico and South America for use in one of the conflicts there in the early to mid 1900s.

When I first received the weapon and broke it down I was surprised to see that the barrel under the barrel jacket was not original. It looked like someone had taken a 7mm Mauser barrel for one of those South American 98 Mausers rethreaded the shank and tried to contour it with a rusty wood rasp or something. The barrel didn't center in the shroud and it stressed the stock when it was put into the nose cap. It's impossible to find a Kar. 88 barrel in 7mm, and I wanted to fix it up like I found it but in serviceable shape.

I was able to find a NOS Mauser 98 barrel on eBay. It was South American and appears to be of the exact type originally used. I got it for $20 because there were some small storage blemishes on the exterior of the barrel. The chamber and bore were perfect.

So I loaded my project up and took it to Randall at 700barrels.com. This is where the fun started. Ive never had the chance to meet Randall before but it was a great experience. He was a reasonably friendly guy, and remained so despite being peppered with a litany of questions by me. It's unusual thing to have a gunsmith that lets you watch, ask questions, and even help a tiny bit. I am reminded of the common shop sign that says work $25/hr, if you watch $50/hr, if you ask questions $75/hr, if you already worked on it $250/hr. I understand some people may prefer to drop off their workpiece and leave it, or ship it in, but for me being able to stay and watch made it more than worth the drive.

So Randall took the old barrel off and we made what to me was a really interesting discovery. Whoever replaced the barrel the first time shimmed it with a homemade washer to make it headspace. I just have to wonder who needed this weapon so badly that they used such basic Pakistaniesque gunsmithing to put it in service. I really do wish the carbine could tell me. So Randall took the barrel off, figured out the shank threads, Turned my Mauser 98 barrel shank down single point threaded a new set of shank threads, shortened the barrel, crowned the barrel, and turned down the muzzle to fit my Kar 88 nose cap. Then he installed the barrel, headspaced it, and tightened it all up. It went back together like a Swiss watch and I couldn't be happier.

I can't wait to take it to the range and see how it shoots. While I was there I had him take the barrel out of another Gew 88 action, and cut & turn a barrel shroud ring to cover the receivers external barrel jacket threads. Randall did all this for what I thought was a very reasonable price. I am keeping the barrel that came with the carbine, just in case I ever sell it, which I don't intend to.

I have a Mauser 98 8mm barrel on the way. I can't wait to get back over there to Randall with a good action to get put together and parkerized. Anyone that likes Gew 88s as much as I do be sure to contact me to trade ideas for restoring these great rifles.

Thanks to Randall at 700Barrels.com as these rifles & carbines aren't the easiest to work on. They are not for the parts replacer but rather require a real machinest/smith.

Paragraphs added

[Twystd1]

Great story. Thanks for writing about your experience.

And like you. I have been to Randals shop to watch him do his magic.
I learned more in his shop about tooling on rifles in 2 hours than I have learned on my own in 6 months. The man really is good at his craft.
And the best part.........
And he didn't throw me out. ! !

Please let us know what else you do with your C&Rs. As you writing style is quite good.

-T