Mitchell’s Mausers

Jawoj_71 said:
I'm still debating one of those FN Ethiopian contracts for the crest.
I just think it's funny how people will get one barely shootable gun from RTI and then endlessly proselytize for them.
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Is that the ones with the Haile Selassie 'coins'? The Rasta Edition? :ROFLMAO:
 
Winston-Smith said:
I have to chuckle at all the vituperative posts on this thread about Mitchell’s Mausers. I recently had the opportunity to shoot one with a friend who just bought a legitimate K98K that was an MM restoration (and, yes, he knew exactly what he was doing, had read all of the vitriol on these forums, and bought one anyway because the rifle was in very good shape). First, let’s all agree that Don Mitchell was a huckster and the PT Barnum of milsurp promotion. And, his passing M48s off as K98’s was blatant fraud and indefensible. Having said that, these rifles are not “garbage” or “humped up turds“ (more on that later). I don’t see them as much different than my CMP Expert Garand or my James River Armory M1 carbine. All are basically restoration projects and the one I held and shot was actually quite well done. Moreover, the bore was clean, well rifled and it had not been counter-bored. It shot fantastic. My buddy knew he was not buying something that had serous collector value anymore than when I bought a Harrington & Richardson M16A1 clone from PSA. Considering it was a nice restoration, and it shoots great, I thought he did really well. So, when someone asks, “what about Mitchells’ Mausers,” you can point out that they are not true collector rifles and there was a lot false promotion around their original marketing. But they are very nice rifles and I don’t know why anyone should have to apologize for owning one. Incidentally, what’s with the “humped up turd” or “pumped up piece of crap” language. is this language of Gen Z? Grumpy old men? Involuntary celibates? I’ve just never heard that before.
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Are you aware of what a Mitchell's mauser is? I mean what they start with? No bs. It's a serious question.
 
Yes, they are essentially Russian captures although Mitchell also bought old surplus Yugo M48s. MM sold both K98s and M48s (and falsely conflated the latter with the former). He brought them over, polished up the metal, sanded down the stocks and generally “prettified” them and then, like the huckster and carnival barker he was, hyped the hell out of them. But, take away all of Mitchell’s bullshit, and focus only on the rifle itself, at least the one I held and shot was a decent restoration that, at the end of the day, strikes me as what James River Armory and CMP do with their refurbished WW II rifles. Nobody calls them “humped up turds” and “garbage.” Have you ever held or shot one? No BS, I put that question to all the haters here. As I made perfectly clear, I don’t condone how Mitchell marketed these things (particularly the M48s). But if you want an actual K98 that shoots well and has been restored in a manner of sorts, again, why apologize for that? Did I answer your question?
 
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Winston-Smith said:
Yes, they are essentially Russian captures although Mitchell also bought old surplus Yugo M48s. MM sold both K98s and M48s (and falsely conflated the latter with the former). He brought them over, polished up the metal, sanded down the stocks and generally “prettified” them and then, like the huckster and carnival barker he was, hyped the hell out of them. But, take away all of Mitchell’s bullshit, and focus only on the rifle itself, at least the one I held and shot was a decent restoration that, at the end of the day, strikes me as what James River Armory and CMP do with their refurbished WW II rifles. Nobody calls them “humped up turds” and “garbage.” Have you ever held or shot one? No BS, I put that question to all the haters here. As I made perfectly clear, I don’t condone how Mitchell marketed these things (particularly the M48s). But if you want an actual K98 that shoots well and has been restored in a manner of sorts, again, why apologize for that?
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When you scrub the numbers and re-number to make them "matching", it is humped garbage (and don't get me started on the pimp shined humped bolts). They may shoot great, and for a guy who wants a cheap 98k to shoot, they are fine. But often they are sold as "all matching, collectible" guns which they are not. People should know what they are buying. If they are happy buying a pimp shined humped bitser, good for them. Thats why when noobs come to this board and want to know, we tell them straight up.

You probably think kit cars are awesome too...nothing like a Ferrari fake body on a VW Bug chassis!
 
The Soviets routinely force matched parts on their Mosins and I wouldn’t call either of my Mosin Nagants “humped up” garbage. Nor do I know any of my fellow Mosin owners at my gun club who would say the same. in addition, many CMP 1903s which were Greek returns had electro-penned force matching on bolts and other parts. Again, no one calls them ”humped up garbage.” I think it’s great that you want to educate folks on whether these things are true collector rifles. As I noted in my first post, they are not anymore than my CMP Expert Garand (and I’m waiting for someone to dispute the analogy between the two). But what I still fail to understand is why you feel a need to call it garbage? Have you held one? Fired one? Actually spent a day at the range with one shooting steel at 300 yards and beyond? I have, I had a good time, and I don’t see a need to apologize to you or anyone else for firing so-called “humped up garbage.”

As for kit cars, no, not really into them. I’m fine with my real Jaguar convertible in British Racing Green thank you very much.
 
Winston-Smith said:
As for kit cars, no, not really into them. I’m fine with my real Jaguar convertible in British Racing Green thank you very much.
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really? I don't believe you. But thanks for stopping by and displaying your Fuddness. If I have to explain the difference between re-worked Mosin Nagants and Greek return 1903's, and Mitchells, its a lost cause. Revel in your ignorance...
 
Yes, really, and I don‘t really care whether you believe me or not. In any event, this concludes tonight’s sociological experiment and I’d like to offer my personal thanks to those who participated in it — my posts were the product of a bet. My friend, who is quite knowledgeable about firearms in general and K98’s in particular, decided to buy a Mitchell’s Mauser notwithstanding all of the childish vitriol about MMs on this forum. I had never heard of the things before and really didn’t care. We went shooting with it (and none of the haters here tonight have actually stated they’ve done the same) and I actually enjoyed firing it. He walked through with me all the manner and means it might have been altered by Mitchell but noted that, notwithstanding this or that alteration, it was basically a “correct” restoration of the rifle for the year it was built (leaving aside the pimp shining — he’ll likely get it blued). He also explained all the hate that these rifles get and I joked with him about getting on the forum and making the CMP Garand/JRA carbine analogy and how actually it’s a pretty good rifle. His response: “you will get nothing but a bunch of thoughtless knee jerk hate from people who’ve never fired this.” So, I posted with a relatively calm description of my experience with a little bit of completely obvious trolling to see who would be dumb enough to take the bait. Well, many of you didn’t disappoint. You couldn’t have a rational discussion but instead had to demonstrate how your own self-esteem and self-worth apparently is tied up with your knowledge of firearms and your obvious superiority as it relates to Nazi weapons. Good for you. I owe my friend a beer. Now, I will go back to living my life while many of you need to go get one.
 
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