gun guys enter

[speeddemon]

I just got my 1942 production BYF mauser 98k...field stripped her down and cleaned her,sadly its a russian capture and I am guessing they took the nice blue they came with off and painted it...any tips on what I can do to blue it?

[Johnny Avacado]

I just got my 1942 production BYF mauser 98k...field stripped her down and cleaned her,sadly its a russian capture and I am guessing they took the nice blue they came with off and painted it...any tips on what I can do to blue it?


Whom do you mean by "they?" The Russians hot blued everything and it can in fact look like paint. If it is in typical Russian capture configuration with the elector-penciled parts besides receiver, stamped numbered stock covered in shellac, it should have the deep Russian blue.

I have a ’43 BYF Russian capture. The only thing I did was remove the shellac (without sanding to retain markings) so it looked as close to German specs as possible, plus I added a cleaning rod.

[speeddemon]

Whom do you mean by "they?" The Russians hot blued everything and it can in fact look like paint. If it is in typical Russian capture configuration with the elector-penciled parts besides receiver, stamped numbered stock covered in shellac, it should have the deep Russian blue.

I have a ’43 BYF Russian capture. The only thing I did was remove the shellac (without sanding to retain markings) so it looked as close to German specs as possible, plus I added a cleaning rod.
I used gun cleaner on it and the finish looks really bad with alot of surface rust....is this the original finish?

[Scurvy]

I used gun cleaner on it and the finish looks really bad with alot of surface rust....is this the original finish?

post pix and we'll tell you..

[speeddemon]

zinggg :)
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/srt4owner22 2/forumthings/98k001.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/srt4owner22 2/forumthings/98k002.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/srt4owner22 2/forumthings/98k004.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b331/srt4owner22 2/forumthings/98k005.jpg

[Scurvy]

hit it with some light steel wool. Make sure it's not that the soap impregnated kind

[Johnny Avacado]

Yup, that’s a typical Russian capture k98k.

It’s been blued by the Russians, but you have to remember that some of these rifles were not in the best condition when they were re-blued. Sometimes even blood stains were blued over.

I’d second the light steel wool, just be careful and start on a place like the underside of the receiver or barrel. That rifle will always be a Russian capture and not worth a whole lot of money (which is why I bought mine!). No matter how nice you get it to look, an experienced collector can tell the difference. Shooting will not be affected by that and I would not worry about it too much unless there is significant pitting on the receiver and barrel.

It’s still a wonderful rifle with a lot of history. It could have been a battlefield pickup, turned in by a POW, or captured just off the factory line. Are the war bird markings pinged out?

[Scurvy]

BTW

K31 > k98

**** on opening FTL

[speeddemon]

Yup, that’s a typical Russian capture k98k.

It’s been blued by the Russians, but you have to remember that some of these rifles were not in the best condition when they were re-blued. Sometimes even blood stains were blued over.

I’d second the light steel wool, just be careful and start on a place like the underside of the receiver or barrel. That rifle will always be a Russian capture and not worth a whole lot of money (which is why I bought mine!). No matter how nice you get it to look, an experienced collector can tell the difference. Shooting will not be affected by that and I would not worry about it too much unless there is significant pitting on the receiver and barrel.

It’s still a wonderful rifle with a lot of history. It could have been a battlefield pickup, turned in by a POW, or captured just off the factory line. Are the war bird markings pinged out?
waffenampts are intact...I just hit it with some steel wool and it took it down to the bare steel :drink:

[speeddemon]

BTW

K31 > k98

**** on opening FTL
lmao,take apart the bolt on a k31 :banghead: :rant: :bomb: :nono:

[Johnny Avacado]

BTW

K31 > k98

**** on opening FTL

I agree, nothing beats the accuracy of my K31s, however, it’s a helluva lot cheaper to shoot 8mm. The K98s beat the K31s only in history. Did you ever get that different stock for yours? Not to hijack, of course. There are just very few old rifle threads on this board.

[Johnny Avacado]

waffenampts are intact...I just hit it with some steel wool and it took it down to the bare steel :drink:

Well, if it is bothering you that much, you can always strip it and reblue it yourself. I reblued a Turk 1903 without knowing what the hell I was doing and it came out great. Just pick up a cold blueing kit from your local gunstore.

[Scurvy]

I have yet to get a different stock for mine. I pulled off the handguard the other day and man the bluing on the barrel is PERFECT. I also pulled off the butt plate and found the former owner tag, in great shape!

I took it to shoot thing weekend and it was a total blast. I'm a pistol shooter so the thing is a million times more accurate than I am. Goes where you point it, I just have a hard time pointing it. Very manageable recoil, lighter than my model 94 in .32 winchester special.

I need to start buying accessories. First is going to be some kind of sights or scope. i don't like the factory sights. Next will be the bi-pod, then the stock. Best 200 bucks I ever spent.

[Johnny Avacado]

I have yet to get a different stock for mine. I pulled off the handguard the other day and man the bluing on the barrel is PERFECT. I also pulled off the butt plate and found the former owner tag, in great shape!

I took it to shoot thing weekend and it was a total blast. I'm a pistol shooter so the thing is a million times more accurate than I am. Goes where you point it, I just have a hard time pointing it. Very manageable recoil, lighter than my model 94 in .32 winchester special.

I need to start buying accessories. First is going to be some kind of sights or scope. i don't like the factory sights. Next will be the bi-pod, then the stock. Best 200 bucks I ever spent.

They are fantastic rifles. Just make sure you don’t change anything that can’t be put back to milspec. The prices for these rifles are absolutely skyrocketing. You’ll find that the GP11 surplus you bought is better than any commercial load and almost better then home loads. I have one other straight pull bolt, and that is a 95 Steyr, sadly, it doesn’t come close to the K31 and is even more expensive to shoot. That straight pull is awesome and would’ve showed itself if Switzerland was invaded, that’s for sure. Right now, the K31 is the best bang for the buck. They beat out any Mosin, Mauser, or Enfield I own. It’s weird owning a rifle that is far more accurate then I could ever be.

Did you see the prices of the K31 snipers at the Chantilly show the other week?

[Scurvy]

yeah THREE GRAND!!!

I was like WTF?

I spent all day looking for the one i bought. there was one other one there for a reasonable price. I'm honestly thinking about getting it when I go back so I have one to preserve and one to go crazy on.

I don't plan on doing anything to it that would hurt it. They make no smithing/drilling scope mounts and bi-pod mounts.

I showed it to my dad this weekend, let him look down the bore and such and he was wondering if it's even been shot before or just kicked a lot by the Swiss soldier. I assured him it's probably been shot like crazy, but the swiss know how to take care of their shit.

[Johnny Avacado]

yeah THREE GRAND!!!

I was like WTF?

I spent all day looking for the one i bought. there was one other one there for a reasonable price. I'm honestly thinking about getting it when I go back so I have one to preserve and one to go crazy on.

I don't plan on doing anything to it that would hurt it. They make no smithing/drilling scope mounts and bi-pod mounts.

I showed it to my dad this weekend, let him look down the bore and such and he was wondering if it's even been shot before or just kicked a lot by the Swiss soldier. I assured him it's probably been shot like crazy, but the swiss know how to take care of their shit.

If I only had the money though…

I am sort of against any damage to a rifle with that much history, but I do know that I don’t own the rifle. I have been tempted to get a non-drill and tap scope for one of mine. In fact, I went hunting for the first time ever this year and the gun I chose was my beech K31. I didn’t get anything, of course, but I felt that it was THE gun to take.

It’s amazing that the conditions that the Swiss carried their rifles in could end up in such good shape. Even funnier is the fact that the stocks are just about beat in, how could the metal stay in such great condition? I just wish they were cheaper to shoot. My beech has only seen 40 rounds, and the walnut I own has seen nothing.

[speeddemon]

K31 is a very nice rifle,but I never got a chance to shoot one :(
as for the mauser,redoing the stock and the blue
as you said johnny its a russian capture,so its not like I am stripping down a 1944 SS issue heavily documented $10,000 rifle :drink:

[Johnny Avacado]

K31 is a very nice rifle,but I never got a chance to shoot one :(
as for the mauser,redoing the stock and the blue
as you said johnny its a russian capture,so its not like I am stripping down a 1944 SS issue heavily documented $10,000 rifle :drink:

Exactly, I hate modifying WW2 rifles, but you can at least return it to German specs that way. I realize that $250 for a rifle isn't cheap, but you can always find more. You can have a cool project rifle that can be returned to milspec without any worries that you are ruining that all-stamped matching SS rifle. In fact, I don't ever plan on selling mine, so I went ahead and stripped the Russian shellac. Does it hurt value? Perhaps, but if you are going to keep it, who cares?

[Scurvy]

It’s amazing that the conditions that the Swiss carried their rifles in could end up in such good shape. Even funnier is the fact that the stocks are just about beat in, how could the metal stay in such great condition? I just wish they were cheaper to shoot. My beech has only seen 40 rounds, and the walnut I own has seen nothing.

I shot 30 today alone...why be afraid of the of the ammo prices. I found the 60rd wax packs for 30 bucks in chantilly. $.50/rd isn't TOO bad.

Oh btw, I was justing looking at the first thread I had about the K31 when you mentioned that dark sun had a ton. When I went to the show I asked them why they didn't have any. He told me they sold out of them ON FRIDAY!!! That's insane.

[Johnny Avacado]

I shot 30 today alone...why be afraid of the of the ammo prices. I found the 60rd wax packs for 30 bucks in chantilly. $.50/rd isn't TOO bad.

Oh btw, I was justing looking at the first thread I had about the K31 when you mentioned that dark sun had a ton. When I went to the show I asked them why they didn't have any. He told me they sold out of them ON FRIDAY!!! That's insane.

I am afraid! Being just a lowly college student, I much rather shoot my 7.62x54 and 8mm, because of the price difference. Plus I don't even have a range, just a friend's field. Plinking at 100 yards is stand up, not very formal. More of a shoot because I own the rifle thing. The hunting I did this year was more of an adrenaline rush of holding a 60+ year old rifle up against my chest, knowing it had seen a lot besides Virginia deer. I have no interest in hunting, but it was fun sitting in the woods with some old rifles that had more stories to tell then I ever could.

[speeddemon]

you guys recommend any special kind of blue?

[Scurvy]

you guys recommend any special kind of blue?

No, I totally hi-jacked your thread haha. go away...

j/k, I think Mr. avocado recommended one

[bluels1goat]

I shot 30 today alone...why be afraid of the of the ammo prices. I found the 60rd wax packs for 30 bucks in chantilly. $.50/rd isn't TOO bad.

Oh btw, I was justing looking at the first thread I had about the K31 when you mentioned that dark sun had a ton. When I went to the show I asked them why they didn't have any. He told me they sold out of them ON FRIDAY!!! That's insane.

lol im glad i bought two cases of gp11 over the summer when it was still at around 40 cents a round....

[Scurvy]

yeah the gp11 i bought was actually cheaper than that pravi russian stuff