Russian Capture Question

B

Banjo1928

Active member
I was browsing around on YouTube last night and saw a video put out by a well known firearms importer. They had a quantity of K98s for sale and were doing a kind of a pre-sale run through. Now this was back in August so all long gone but for fun I watched the video, you know, in the hopes I might learn something. I am a card carrying rookie to the K98 but somehow I’d always thought that a Russian capture was kind of at the bottom of the list in collectable desirability ( I mean no offense just my understanding).

I know they are collected but with being in rebuilt, not matching, electro penciled, condition not to mention many with the markings being peened out and all I believe with counter bored barrels. I just thought of them in the category of “I always wanted a K98 and could not afford a nice one but I got this great Russian capture with a good barrel, it’s a great shooter.”

So I was amazed at the prices. I think the least expensive one was $599, most were $699. They then made a jump to $999.99 and finally I saw one that was about $1,200 give or take.

I guess my question is, if it’s a desirable K98 maybe in terms of date of manufacture and place of manufacture does the fact that it’s a shellacked Russian capture not bring the cost down and if it does are Russian captures really running this high? Somehow I was thinking $400 to $500 but maybe I’m living under a rock. To be fair, many were pre 1939 and several had hard wood stocks but still in the end they were pretty rough to look at.
 
They vary in quality and price, and are definitely still collectable to an extent. I have a bnz 43 SSZZA4 depot built rifle that is a Russian capture, not sure of the value on that but I know the original owned paid around $900 for the barreled action a while ago. But that's more of a specialty situation because of the markings. I could never have afforded this variation if it wasn't a Russian capture.

I did sell a nice dot 1944 Russian capture last year for $600 but it was exactly as imported, I left the shellac on it, it still hade the EP'd markings matching, and the bore is near perfect.
 

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I'm sure the importer you are speaking of was fat-bastard at Classic Firearms. Those pre sale videos are full of hyperbole and hyped BS. There is nothing to learn from his videos, not even price point on RCs. If you are a newb and want to learn stick around here. I suggest you purchase your first K98 from a forum member. You can get an honest bolt only mm for $1000 or less and common code/date matching in the $1500-$1800 range.

Banjo1928 said:
I was browsing around on YouTube last night and saw a video put out by a well known firearms importer. They had a quantity of K98s for sale and were doing a kind of a pre-sale run through. Now this was back in August so all long gone but for fun I watched the video, you know, in the hopes I might learn something. I am a card carrying rookie to the K98 but somehow I’d always thought that a Russian capture was kind of at the bottom of the list in collectable desirability ( I mean no offense just my understanding).

I know they are collected but with being in rebuilt, not matching, electro penciled, condition not to mention many with the markings being peened out and all I believe with counter bored barrels. I just thought of them in the category of “I always wanted a K98 and could not afford a nice one but I got this great Russian capture with a good barrel, it’s a great shooter.”

So I was amazed at the prices. I think the least expensive one was $599, most were $699. They then made a jump to $999.99 and finally I saw one that was about $1,200 give or take.

I guess my question is, if it’s a desirable K98 maybe in terms of date of manufacture and place of manufacture does the fact that it’s a shellacked Russian capture not bring the cost down and if it does are Russian captures really running this high? Somehow I was thinking $400 to $500 but maybe I’m living under a rock. To be fair, many were pre 1939 and several had hard wood stocks but still in the end they were pretty rough to look at.
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Yeah, I would say he was on crack but if they sold them for those prices.... good grief. And 1,200 for a 42 bnz?
 
For me, the rc rifles are still loaded with history esp if it still has all the markings intact. I had an rc duv rifle
That shot and looked great, had all the markings intact it was a great gun. I now own an rc sszza4 that has all markings as well and I love that rifle. Regardless of the money I really like the rc guns just as well as long as it's not been defaced or beaten up.
 
I remember a conversation on this forum @ 10 years ago. RC's were selling for $150-$175 or so. Then they broke the $200 threshold and some stopped buying them saying they would never be worth that money. I said they would go over $350 and was essentially called crazy..lol.
 
NathanLM said:
I'm sure the importer you are speaking of was fat-bastard at Classic Firearms..
Click to expand...

Funny thing is I knew exactly who he was talking about, just might have been a little more PC. All the rest of your observations are of course spot on.

As for the bottom of the barrel per se, I believe total mis-mash put together here recently is the bottom. Just had one show up and most of the parts weren't even German. Then I'd say some of the Eastern European imports that have every symbol/stamp obliterated OR they've worn within an inch of their lives. RCs, especially with a good bore are not bad at all to start your collection, shoot and enjoy or just examine.
 
Mitchell's is the bottom of the barrel. I can't believe what some of them sell for on Gunbroker.
 
Some still sell for over a $1000 or more. People still believe the line of BS that go with them. Not too mention they still sell with a nice box and a bunch of goodies. Thats how they left Germany remember. :biggrin1:
 
Thanks all. It makes a lot more since now. I had not really done any research just had my own opinion and then I saw those prices on some of what I thought were some fairly beat guns and I thought maybe I'd missed something.
 
That amazed me too, I posted a byf41 all matching except floor plate with excellent bore and got no replies for 1100.00, and that junk sells for more than a legit, not to mention 41 rifle which are fairly hard to find in very good condition. I can't figure this sh*t out!
 
RC guns are certainly a good way to start off, often make very good shooters, and are a great way to get certain very late receiver codes. The fact is that RC guns as a whole are a real, tangible part of the K98 story, in precisely the same way that the Korean M1 Garands are part of the Garand story. I don't see anything wrong with an honest RC gun at all. They can still be had affordable and in good shape, and are definitely above fakes, mash-ups, and Mitchell's. As with all K98's its buyer beware, and I think the best chance of getting an honest K98 ANYWHERE is through the trader here on this forum. Fakes get sniffed out pretty fast here, but the majority of guns sold on the trader are legit.


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Gunnut said:
That amazed me too, I posted a byf41 all matching except floor plate with excellent bore and got no replies for 1100.00, and that junk sells for more than a legit, not to mention 41 rifle which are fairly hard to find in very good condition. I can't figure this sh*t out!
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You needed more hype, hyperbole and a smattering of bullsh*t. Seriously though I feel you. That's a nice, honest gun.
 
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