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German 8mm Mauser value?

42K views 24 replies 12 participants last post by  Dan360 
#1 · (Edited)
We have an old German Mauser model 98 with all matching serial numbers and it appears to have been made in the 1940's or so. It has the **** stamps on it and has been sporterized with a smaller stock. It seems to be in good working order. Any ideas on the value?

Thanks in advance.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Nice rifle but probaably worth more to you as a shooter. That is a good action and the cartridge, though hard to fine, is a good cartridge. Look's like the rifle still has the mauser safty and probably the two stage trigger. Safty could be change easily and I like the two stage trigger. Probably need the extractor fixed to go over the cartridge rim, little grinding and grind the follower in the back so the bolt slides over it when MTY. Have it drilled and tapped for a scope. You'd have a nice rifle! As is I'd be suprized if you got much over $200 for it if that.

If that were mine I'd do the modifications and then pull the barrel and have a 6.5 barrel put on chambered for 6.5x57. Make a pretty cheap custom and give you a reason to reload if you don't already.
 
#6 ·
If it was completely original it could be worth some money depending on what it is. As a altered 8mm that ammo is easy to find, $150 to $300 is about the price range it is in. Depending on quality of destroying its military collectors value. From a quick look at the pictures $175 to $225 is my best guess on value. Due to the real after market stock. If you got $75 at a pawn shop i would be surprised
 
#7 ·
A friend and I shot Model 98's growing up. Mine was sporterized & his original. We both reloaded with 123 gr. Noslers and were happy with the results on deer. Took deer out to an estimated 400 yds. No rangefinders back then.
I now have a sporterized three eagle stamped Model 98 rebarreled in 3006.
Happy with it too but don't shoot it much anymore.
As to value I agree not a high doller gun in it's condition but lots of posibilities.:twocents:
 
#8 ·
Nice rifle. The less it has been modified, the more it is worth to the sizeable military collectables crowd who are not interested in shooting it or converting it but rather collect N*zi paraphenalia. If it is late thirties thru WWII it is worth even more. Hunt around for an original stock and convert it back to true original and it is worth even more.

If the metal has been altered (sights removed, barrel length altered etc.) it is already screwed up, so you might as well enjoy a classic shooter. The early Mausers were THE action to judge all others by for custom rifles (esp. bound for Africa) with their inherent accuracy, positive feed and extraction.

Do you handload?

Options: Possibly re-bore to .338 - 06 or some variant where ammo is available (.35 Whelen would be sweet...).but isn't 8 mm still available (though a little tougher to find?) in factory ammo?.

I think the original military rifles should remain just that. They are fun to shoot and yes, hunt with as is. Some day when I grow up I'll own an M-1 Garand...

I know the military surplus 8 mm has nearly dried up as it has for my vintage 1917 .303 British SMLE (with unmatching serial #s, but is worth now three to four times what I paid for it just 15 years ago). C.W.
 
#11 ·
Options: Possibly re-bore to .338 - 06 or some variant where ammo is available (.35 Whelen would be sweet...).but isn't 8 mm still available (though a little tougher to find?) in factory ammo?.
My 338-06 started out as a pre WWII 7x57 Brazilian M98K, today I wouldn't cut up an old military rifle.

The 7.9X57 (8mm Mauser) round is ballisticly close to the '06 and it's a good hunting round. Ammo, brass and bullets are available and you can form brass from several commercial rounds.
 
#15 ·
You might want to check to see just what caliber & chambering it is since a huge # of these old 98's were sporterized into 30-06 or 8mm-06 & they did not always re-stamp the barrel. It could make a fine project if you want to have a customized rifle as that action can be tweked to handle rounds up to .300 Wby so with a re-bore & re-chamber along with opening the bolt face & a little magazine work a .340 Wby could be had.
There is nothing wrong with the 8x57 as far as deer & elk especially now as there are some better bullets available.

Do slug the barrel as there were 2 different diameters of 8mm Mausers.:twocents:
 
#16 ·
Being a 1942 8MM made durring the war It will shoot all current 8MM ammo unless it has been rechambered. 1st world war era rifles had the bullet diameter issue. By WWII they where all standard.
 
#17 ·
Being a 1942 8MM made during the war It will shoot all current 8MM ammo unless it has been rechambered. 1st world war era rifles had the bullet diameter issue. By WWII they where all standard.

Correct it must have been brain fade setting in.:doh:





That's my story & I'm sticking to it .....until a better one comes along.
 
#24 ·
The Germans wrote the book on modern sniper warfare early in WWI (1914). It was years before the British caught up. Of course they had those 8x57 Mausers and the early Zeiss scopes. They could do things at long range like no one else. C.W.
 
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