Sporterized K98K Restoration & Rehabilitation Project

[nehalemguy]

A few weeks ago, I acquired a German WW2 Mauser byf 43 K98k that had been sporterized. I'm guessing that it was converted sometime in the '60s or '70s based on the look of the sport stock.

Normally I don't give these sport conversions a second look because they are usually drilled and tapped, bolt handles modified, and often have other issues where gunsmith Bubba had his way with the rifle. This one however drew a second look from me because the action was untouched from original and still had matching numbers parts, bolt, trigger guard, floorplate and everything else behind the barrel.

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[nehalemguy]

So the bad news........

The barrel and rear sight base had been modified. The contoured steps that would normally be seen on the barrel had been milled down to give a "sporter" look to the barrel. Worse still, the retainer lip on the forward part of the rear site base had been ground off, making installation of a correct upper handguard not possible.

Still, the barrel was bright and shiny on the inside, so not a total loss. The original steps in the barrel would have been covered by the handguards so from outward appearances, everything would look normal.

The rear sight base though.....that would have to come off and get replaced.

 

[Moeca]

Nice find there should make for a fun project!

 

[nehalemguy]

The replacement of the rear sight base looked somewhat daunting at first glance. I learned early on that both the front and rear sight bases were soldered to the barrel and that I would have to remove both. It was unfortunate that the rear base had to be replaced because like many other parts, it was numbers matched to the rifle, but the lip was necessary to hold the upper handguard in place.

My biggest concern was keeping the front and rear sights in correct alignment when the new parts were installed. Fortunately, those crafty Germans had thought of this and had placed set screws that aligned with small indents on the barrel to hold the sights in correct place while the parts were re-soldered.

 

[Tarawa86]

I'm not a fan of gun laws, but it should be a crime, nay, enshrined in the constitution, that to 'sporterize' classic weapons is un-american and a punishable offense. It would be like me modifying my 1943 1911 to accept a light and red dot.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Something to consider here...

Is that at one time military bolt actions were very common and very inexpensive.
Also....during that same time...there were often thought of as just another German Mauser or just another Jap Arisaka that someone brought back from the War....
And....many NRA articles of the time promoted and gave "How To's " on just how to turn that old army rifle into a sporter.
This was very popular to do in the 1950's - 1970's.
Stoeger ( Of Shooter's Bible fame ) even offered sporterizing services for Krag's and WWI bring backs during the pre-WWII years.

Doing so nowadays to an unaltered rifle...is wrong...but times have changed.
Andy

 

[nehalemguy]

Stocks for these rifles turned into a larger headache than I had imagined. The original stocks, like nearly everything else on the rifle, would have been stamped with the last four digits of the serial number of the rifle, including the handguard, upper and lower barrel bands, barrel band spring, etc., etc. It's no wonder they lost the war. Too much time numbering everything.

In addition to the serial numbers, a correct stock for a byf 43 would have a Wa135 Waffenamt stamp on the stock which was the mark for Mauser, Oberndorf. The stock could be either laminate or walnut and would have the later style cupped butt plate.

Since this rifle was never going to be original again, I decided early on not to get too worried about correctness of the stocks. A correct Wa135 stock was prohibitively expensive. I did however want the stocks to be WW2 German and since the Germans were the ones who made the laminate stocks, that was an easy way to make sure I was getting a WW2 German stock.

Right? Well....yes and no.

I ordered a stock set from Waffenmeister's who advertised "Original WWII German production K98 Mauser laminate stock with cupped butt plate. Includes handguard that is matching in color." Even this set was $400 plus shipping, which was more than I paid for the rifle. It arrived about a week later.

When I opened the box, the first thing revealed was a brand new looking cupped butt plate. Too new. Like just came off the press new. I remembered seeing on their website that Waffenmeister's sold reproduction butt plates and figured out quickly that this was one of them. So, strike one.

The rest of the stock looked really good. No discernable cracks or big gouges. A few small dents but nothing that would be unexpected for a 80 year old stock. The handguard matched really well and the bayonet lug and take-down discs present and in good shape. Overall, I was pleased with the stock......at first.

 

[nehalemguy]

When I mounted the barreled action into the stock, it fit like a glove. The guard screws went in smoothly and everything lined up as it should. Then I set the upper handguard into place.....and it didn't fit.

It was almost a half inch too long to line up with the lower stock. I measured the handguard at 7.5 inches right where it should be. Then I measured the overall length of the stock and came up with 39.5 inches where it should be at 40 inches.

I scratched my head for a while trying to figure where the 1/2" error was when I remembered reading a blog about captured K98s being modified by the Yugoslavians. Apparently, the Yugoslavians often would shorten K98 stocks by 1/2" to accommodate a shorter M-48 barrel when the original K98 barrel was no longer serviceable. They would accomplish this by removing the bayonet lug, shortening the stock, relocate the barrel bands rearward to maintain the correct length relationship with the bayonet lug, and then finally reinstall the bayonet lug. Doing this would of course mess with the fitment of the upper handguard to the stock. The Yugoslavians would simply then re-cut the upper handguard to fit.

So, the stock I received was a Yugo modified German stock with an unmodified German upper hand guard. Strike two.

 

[nehalemguy]

I almost sent the stock back. Strike three was when one on the take-down discs in the rear of the stock decided to fall out when they are supposed to be permanently attached. I even boxed it back up for shipment back to Waffenmeister's, but after sleeping on it over night I decided that since the rest of the rifle was mismatched or modified, why not the stock as well.

The bolt take-down discs were an easy fix, and all of the parts were there to work with. Plus, having them out allowed me to deepen the pocket slightly and square them to the stock. It's possible that this may be a late war stock where attention to detail was starting to wane or possibly another communist Yugo repair. Don't know for sure.

To secure the discs, the tube that connects through the stock is swagged at both ends to hold the discs in place.

 

[nehalemguy]

The final parts I needed were the barrel bands, barrel band spring, sight hood, and a 12.5" cleaning rod.

Here again, these parts were all usually numbered to the rifle, but I learned that late in the war, this was being done with less frequency on smaller parts. Also, armorer replacement parts were typically not numbered so I decided to pursue those options.

An original sight hood and cleaning rod will set you back $100 each when you can find them. Reproductions are about $20 each. No brainer there. The barrel bands and spring are easier to find and more reasonable in price for originals. I opted for unnumbered parts.

 

[DirectDrive]

Nice write up !
When I look at that beefy butt plate, it was most certainly designed to also be a weapon for hand-to-hand fighting.

 

[nehalemguy]

Still waiting on a few parts. The bayonet lug is missing the retainer pin, and the stock is missing the nut that the cleaning rod threads into to secure the rod inside the stock. The cleaning rod I have currently installed is a modern Outers rod placeholder until the real one arrives.

Still, its' almost complete!! Introducing re-born Shooter Grade WW2 Mauser K98k!!!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Nice work done to the rifle to bring it back to how it once was.
Andy

 

[monks]

I've got the a byf 44 I've been doing the exact same thing with. It's got a severely eroded barrel though so it's not longer a shooter, which reminds me I need to find some late war barrel bands and a sight hood......

 

[VinnieBoomBah]

That is spectacular work, and I know this is right up there with saying Howard The Duck may be George Lucas' greatest film . . .


I love the sporterised stock that was on there

 

[nehalemguy]

I've got the a byf 44 I've been doing the exact same thing with. It's got a severely eroded barrel though so it's no longer a shooter, which reminds me I need to find some late war barrel bands and a sight hood......

I got sticker shock when I saw what original sight hoods are going for. You can get both original barrel bands and the spring for less than what the sight hood can cost.

Then again, original numbers matching examples of these rifles can command upwards of $2k+ in some cases. Even the Portuguese contract K98s that are currently being imported are starting at $800-$900 for mismatched examples and $1600-$1700 for numbers matching ones.

I need to get back to work on that time machine and go back to the 60s when these things were $20 each and stacked in a barrel.

-E-

 

[DunRanull]

I have a Steyr Mauser dated 1938 that some fool sporterised years ago. I bought it because it's a nice hunting rifle and Im a Mauser kinda guy. The smith that did the deed knew what he was doing right down to jeweling the bolt and turning the steps out of the barrel... I wouldnt sporterise any military arm, but it was done in the '50's or early '60's and is thoroughly "European" in style. Won't try to restore it because it's been too customised. Some late GI brought it back from Germany and it mostly sat in his closet all these years, for his widow to sell.. Have obtained a few weapons that way over the years as this is an "ex-military retirement town" near Ft Carson Co...

 

[WAW44]

Nice writeup. Yea, they Yugo stocks are a PITA.

My two sporter rescues, both were about $700 when all said and done.

Erma is all matching except the stock, (stock is a 38 Erma thou, Waa77) upper band and bandspring, also Erma, WaA280. Stock was a diffle cut and butt was carved into a hunting stock. 38, BLM, Bolt, receiver, trigger guard matching. Buttplate and both bands are Waa214, so also BLM, but 39-40 timeframe. Stock is a repro Minelis stock.

39 Erma



38 BLM.