Empire Arms K98k Barreled Actions for Sale
- Thread starter krukster86
- Start date
luftpirate
Well-known member
That import stamp looks like it was done a minimum 90s, they look like they've been here more than 40+ years already.
krukster86
Well-known member
Well here we are, a "complete" mixmaster slapped together (I do have a cleaning rod that I forgot to install prior to taking the photo!):
- $250 barreled receiver from Empire Arms
- Essentially a free WaA77 K98k bolt (did a trade with Chris), which headspaces just fine
- Spare Weimar stamped K98k stock set I had from a trade with Waw44 a while back (sanded and some bug damage)
- Leftover mixed K98k bolt stop/ejector, RC floorplate, and unmarked K98k triggerguard from my spare parts bin, accumulated over the years
NOTE: I did feel a bit guilty about it, but I am ordering a WaA623 matching Triggerguard and Floorplate from someone else, so that tacked on another $75
It's not a collector piece by any means (and I have no illusions of the sort), but considering today's online market for any K98k, I think I did pretty decent.
- $250 barreled receiver from Empire Arms
- Essentially a free WaA77 K98k bolt (did a trade with Chris), which headspaces just fine
- Spare Weimar stamped K98k stock set I had from a trade with Waw44 a while back (sanded and some bug damage)
- Leftover mixed K98k bolt stop/ejector, RC floorplate, and unmarked K98k triggerguard from my spare parts bin, accumulated over the years
NOTE: I did feel a bit guilty about it, but I am ordering a WaA623 matching Triggerguard and Floorplate from someone else, so that tacked on another $75
It's not a collector piece by any means (and I have no illusions of the sort), but considering today's online market for any K98k, I think I did pretty decent.
Hard to say where they may have come from if Dennis doesn't say. There were other imports (mostly CAI) that came in around the same time as the so called Romanian K98k's that were in roughly the same condition, but lacked the defaced markings. They were said to be Albanian, but I don't know if that is supported by any evidence. Hopefully the bores are OK on these as was not always the case on many of those imports back in the day.
I picked one up and that is why I joined this forum. I got one that says 1934 and has a Mauser banner. I know nothing about these and I'm starting my research now. I only got a quick look at it while I filled out my transfer paperwork, and I'm still waiting on the background check. The barreled Action came with a bolt, trigger, and sights (big bonus).
krukster86
Well-known member
Standardmodell perhaps? The fact that it came with a bolt is pretty awesome bonus!
I'll attach some photos once I get it in my hands and cleaned up. NJ NICS is running behind but I should get it Saturday.
Putting a rifle together from parts is fun if you can get everything for a decent price. Not so easy to do these days. Several years ago I got a non-import marked dou 44 ee block barreled action with sight hood, mismatched bolt, TG and FP and follower for $170 on Gunbroker. I had a duffle-cut dot NDFCR stock that was repaired with the upper end from a different rifle and some misc. bands to at least make it similar to its original configuration. Would probably cost a heck of a lot more these days to do it.
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thisistheway
Well-known member
I went in for two since I had just about everything lying around to build out a barreled action into a rifle and these things are not getting any cheaper. I may add pictures later but what I got was a bnz. 43 (Radom) and ar 44 (Mauser-Borgiswalde). The Radom has significant but honest bluing wear, a worn but shiny counterbored bore, and was missing the ejector box assembly. The Borgiswalde, conversely, has about 80-90% bluing but looks possibly refinished, was not missing any parts, but has a dark, also counterbored bore. Both have matching numbers on attached parts and have faint Century import marks on the right side of the barrel near the front. According to the Karem/Steves book the Radoms apparently left the factory with thinner bluing than most, so pretty happy with what is there. Waffenamts are faint in some spots but all readable on close inspection.
Curiously, the Radom's front sight base is not cut for a sight hood. Could this be a result of Steyr's uneven part sourcing, or am I likely looking at a non-original front sight base? I guess with the import mark and counterboring originality isn't a primary concern but it's always nice to have a sense of what is and what isn't.
Also, I spoke with Dennis on the phone about my order and he only had 25 of these actions. I know because when he told me the nicely-priced M38s had sold out I asked if I could double my order to four actions and he said only if my request to double up ended up preceding them all being claimed (they had been by that point.
All in all pretty cool. Like another poster I seem to be a magnet for Radom stuff lately so I'm happy with that one and will build it into a shooter since my "GI Matching" non-import marked rifle now seems to have drifted into collector's value territory. I was also able to source a correct e/77 bolt body for it so it'll be fun seeing if I can pick up correct Radom parts for it over time. As for the ar 44, I'll figure out what to do with it after I get all the cosmo off and thoroughly clean the bore to see if it's salvageable. It's too bad the cheap Yugo stock sets have dried up and re-militarizing anything in marginal condition like this isn't nearly as affordable as it was just a few years ago.
Curiously, the Radom's front sight base is not cut for a sight hood. Could this be a result of Steyr's uneven part sourcing, or am I likely looking at a non-original front sight base? I guess with the import mark and counterboring originality isn't a primary concern but it's always nice to have a sense of what is and what isn't.
Also, I spoke with Dennis on the phone about my order and he only had 25 of these actions. I know because when he told me the nicely-priced M38s had sold out I asked if I could double my order to four actions and he said only if my request to double up ended up preceding them all being claimed (they had been by that point.
All in all pretty cool. Like another poster I seem to be a magnet for Radom stuff lately so I'm happy with that one and will build it into a shooter since my "GI Matching" non-import marked rifle now seems to have drifted into collector's value territory. I was also able to source a correct e/77 bolt body for it so it'll be fun seeing if I can pick up correct Radom parts for it over time. As for the ar 44, I'll figure out what to do with it after I get all the cosmo off and thoroughly clean the bore to see if it's salvageable. It's too bad the cheap Yugo stock sets have dried up and re-militarizing anything in marginal condition like this isn't nearly as affordable as it was just a few years ago.
krukster86
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing thisistheway. I was hoping someone else here took the bait on these. If you get around to photos, I’m sure folks here wouldn’t mind taking a look.
These do seem to fit the profile of the 1990's CAI imports that came from the Balkans(?). Possible many got cannibalized for the stocks and bands as so many of those rifles were bolt mismatched only. The stocks were mostly not altered or defaced by whatever country used them post war making them good for restoration projects. At the time many said those imports were worth more as parts than the roughly $90 for the whole rifle back then!
luftpirate
Well-known member
That's what I was thinking most rifles are still worth more as parts
thisistheway
Well-known member
The cannibalization part would make sense given the counterboring, especially since back then nice fully or mostly matching (non counterbored) actions were still available in abundance. Kind of like with SMLEs and the parade rifles right now, you could get a dirt cheap sporter and a dirt cheap parts gun to make into one decent rifle at like half of market value.
How does the bore look on yours? I'm still cleaning up my barreled action that I got from Empire, and I noticed the bore on my rifle is dark and pitted. I'll be posting some pictures of mine in a day or two when I have everything back together. This is my first surplus firearm, and I have a lot to learn.
krukster86
Well-known member
Mine is kinda dark with slight pitting. It wont be a match rifle by any means but at 100 yds or less it should be good enough for plinking.
Here are some photos of my barreled action (sorry for the poor quality). The only numbers that match are the action, barrel, and trigger. The bolt is a complete mix of numbers. Here is my question - can I shoot this rifle or should I have a gunsmith check it out first (bore condition shown in photos)? Note, I will check the headspace myself once I have it all back together. I appreciate the help!
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krukster86
Well-known member
To be completely honest, I have NEVER had a gunsmith look at any of my milsurps (30+) before shooting them. That includes some “relics” that I brought back to life. I usually just throw in a 8mm Mauser field gauge and check to see if it passes and then I am good to go.
Muncher 1953
Senior Member
Field gage check, overall inspection, but I’ve also done this: (& yes, I know it’s overkill)
place rifle in sturdy shooting rest, like a Caldwell lead sled, secured w/velcro ties, place bag of shot on top of action, fire rifle into a log backstop using 1/8” nylon line while standing behind a tree. I can do this in my back yard, & it’s my insurance against my wife coming home to see 1/2 my face blown off !
The design of the Mauser model 1898 is genius, the brothers worked hard to design a rifle that was safe for the shooter to fire, many firearms of the era were not so well designed or constructed. But they’re still 80-120 years old, so you decide your own comfort level.
thisistheway
Well-known member
More photos forthcoming (just finished another project and had already parked this in a stock) but curious as to why the front sight base on a bnz. 43 appears not cut for a sight hood. I know there were some differences with bnz sight hoods but as far as I can tell it should have the cuts. Any insight? Is this a non-original front sight base?
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