1939 Mauser K98k info needed

[Muncher 1953]

Someone mentioned the wood screws and how easily the holes can be fouled which is certainly true. A bit of advice I learned is if you hold them with your fingers only and turn them backwards with VERY light downward pressure, you'll actually feel them drop and you will reengage the original threads in the wood. This keeps from stripping out the holes.

this same technique works for metal threads as well, & if the threads have been munged up a bit, I close my eyes while doing it. I can’t explain the science of it, but shutting off visual input seems to amplify the tactile input quite a bit. (also helps if wife is not yammering in ear about something she wants to buy for me to put up……)

 

[Cyrano4747]

this same technique works for metal threads as well, & if the threads have been munged up a bit, I close my eyes while doing it. I can’t explain the science of it, but shutting off visual input seems to amplify the tactile input quite a bit. (also helps if wife is not yammering in ear about something she wants to buy for me to put up……)

I've used it in the past with metal threads, especially on really finely threaded stuff that you don't want to cross-thread (think I probably originally picked it up working on computers). Somehow it never occurred to me with wood, though.

Which, in retrospect, really makes me shake my head at the door frame repair I had to do a few years ago.

 

[Muncher 1953]

I've used it in the past with metal threads, especially on really finely threaded stuff that you don't want to cross-thread (think I probably originally picked it up working on computers). Somehow it never occurred to me with wood, though.

Which, in retrospect, really makes me shake my head at the door frame repair I had to do a few years ago.

steel fasteners in alloy castings, or even worse aluminum bodied screw in a zinc casting, with fine threads & a spring to compress. (BMW motorcycles from the 1970s)

 

[Humbarger]

Be le

Not offering it, was going to loan it for display. It is a family heirloom & not going to sell it.

Be leary about "loaning" it to a museum. I know from EXPERIENCE items can become
Very difficult to get back!

 

[grimlin13]

Just got around to reading this thread. There is no way in hell I would ever entrust a museum with it, especially with it being a family heirloom. You want people to see it, enjoy it? You just did that by posting it here and these guys appreciate it more than some Joe Random at the local museum. Keep it at home and keep it safe. Don`t do nothing more to it as far as the cleaning you have already done. Keep it in a controlled environment if possible. If you need to display it (hang it on a wall), be sure to wipe it down monthly and after every time it is handled. Try to wear cotton gloves if possible when handling it. The oils in your hands/fingers can etch the blue in a very short time, be permanent and cause further damage to the metal.

I would not shoot it period. Being a matching example of a hard to find rifle it would be too risky. Something could be damaged or broken.
I collect mainly S84/98 III bayonets. I do not put them out on display. If I want to share them, I post here. If someone comes to the house that wants to see them, I do all of the handling or if I trust them not to drop it or ram it back into the scabbard, I provide cotton gloves and hover close by.
An analogy of you shooting your rifle is like me taking one of my rarer S84/98 III bayonets out back and stabbing my archery target with it. The bayonet should be ok but... shxt happens!

 

[mauser202]

Somehow I missed this rifle. Late welcome to the forum. Erma is my favorite manufacturer of k98’s and this is a really nice untouched example. Having a family connection to its history makes it all the more special. Some great advice ( minus 1) given so I got nothing to add.

My father was a 6th armored vet also. He brought home a few things I still have, but the K98 sniper he brought home was stolen by my sisters X , total POS. You really have something to cherish and pass down with that rifle.

 

[WilliM1940]

Hmmm…guess I do know how to clean a gun after all. Looks pretty damn clean to me. Invitation still remains open for you to meet me in person if you want to talk shite.

With respect, there does seem to be problems with the bore. Difficult to tell with pictures, but layered combinations of combustion fouling, and jacket fouling seem to be present. These rifles were used with corrosive ammunition, so if what I see is correct, there may be damage below these layers. It is not unusual for military rifles to have layered fouling as described. On the other hand, my DCM supplied Garand had cosmoline so old, it had solidified and looked very much like that. Very difficult to finally clean, and when finished, was a nice bore for what it was (1944 production).