Mitchell Mauser's

[Kodiak32]

I was wondering if anyone owns or has had any experience with Mitchell Mausers.

A local retailer has two all matching K98 Mausers from Mitchell Mausers.

The first one's reciever is marked 1943 dou (Waffenwerke Brunn), along with Mod 98 and the nazi era firing proof. The numbers on the reciever, floor plate and bolt all match. The only stamping on the stock was the reciever number.

The second mauser is all matching also and the reciever is marked 243 1939 , a Mauser Werke rifle, and Mod 98. It also has the firing proof markings. The reciever # is the only stamping on the stock.

Both have mint looking stocks, that are kind of blond in color. Both look possibly refinished and are in excellent condition. They are asking $499.00 each. I can probably catch them on sale for $50.00 to $100.00 off.

Would the price be too high at $399.00? Is there collectors value with either of rifles? Is the 1939 a better collector than 1943.

I've read varying opions about Mitchells on the internet for what some thought was misleading adverstising.

Thanks for any input.

[mym1a]

I purchased a mitchell's mauser a yugo my only complaint is the rear sights and my bad eyes.If the paper work is accurate these rifles were never issued, sat in strorage for 50+ years.Inspected and tested every 5 years to assure readiness????I purchaesd mine several years ago and only paid $230.oo tax etc and all.I don't know where you guys are getting all these good deals. But living here in the peoples republic of NEW YORK thats a good price for a quality rifle????

[Kodiak32]

The Yugo Mausers look nice, I know they are good shooters. I might wait and see if I can come across one fairly reasonable.

[Big Dog]

"Mitchell's Mausers" rifles are, at best, totally refinished, losing any true collector value. Thus they are seriously over-priced.
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. . . Hey, fellas, I'm being nice here . . .

(For those who know how I feel about MM.)

[Kodiak32]

Thanks Big Dog,

I've had other sources telling me the exact same things you listed.

I'll keep watch for a nice M48 Yugo, or another K98 and let the two I listed pass by.

[lefty o]

i agree with bigdog. mitchells is highly unreputable. they misrepresent their goods. so unless you know what you are looking at, dont buy.

[billy]

i wish that mitchells was the real thing.
i would buy right now.
too bad..........

[Mooseman684]

I have an M48 Mitchells Mauser and it is Beautiful...
It is as New as you will find...All matching serial Numbers, Beautiful wood, It was NOT refinished, Not Reblued, it was cleaned of Cosmoline and inspected...
Cost 299.00 for the rifle, and I bought the Bayonet and cleaning kit to go with it... While not a K98 German Mauser, it is a great gun just the same !
http://mauser.org/reviews/Press%20Re...%20OF%2021.pdf
Rich

[.22guy]

Originally Posted by lefty o

i agree with bigdog. mitchells is highly unreputable. they misrepresent their goods. so unless you know what you are looking at, dont buy.

Agreed. I won't deal with a company that basically lies about what they are selling. Even if they aren't doing it anymore.

[ninwnc]

Classicarms.us has K98s from about $230-$350. They are honest and reputable.

As a matter of act, I'm sittin' on the couch, looking out the window, watching for UPS to deliver my M24/47 I ordered from them yesterday.

Nick

[mym1a]

If you can believe the paper work that comes with it many of these yugo's were never issued!

my yugo comes with documentation and clearly states,(an original mauser version of the 98k built during the 1940's on german tooling set up in nazi-occupied Yugoslavia)I don't believe they stated or laid claim to it being an original german issue rifle nor does it have any nazi markings.I do wish that it came with the metal washer/gromit located on the stock which is a useful tool in disassembling the bolt.when I purchased this rifle I was looking for something practical and cheap.

[Kodiak32]

Thanks for the input everyone, I can see both sides.

I think will pass on either of the K98's and compare prices for the Yugo M48. I had my Mauser Markings book by Terrance Lapin in the car and looked up the markings of each rifle when I left the store, and they both looked like properly marked K98's, from what I could tell.

I think the big issue is that the person behind the counter at the store couldn't tell me what the claim was concerning when the rifles were overhauled and by whom. So I have no idea what Mitchells was claiming about these two rifles.

I will say both looked like excellent shooters and if you weren't very concerned about collectability they would probably be ok, maybe a little pricey thats why I need to compare. But in that case the Yugo sounds like a better deal and very nice ones can be found for much less than either of those K98's thru Mitchells or other sources like J&G sales ,and Classicarms.us as Ninwnc suggested.

I don't doubt that Mitchell has some very nice to unissued Yugo's, they can still be found. It sounds like Mooseman and Mym1a like their Yugo's and after seeing those two K98's I can see why.

I'll just stick to my own guns and compare prices for now. I have two K98's now, maybe a yugo mauser makes even more sense, something a little different.

[Hawkeye sniper]

I bought an unissued M48 at a gun show for $150. I doubt if the ones Mitchell's sell are better. It was imported by Cherrys. Not sure if what they have lately.

[Sarge]

mitchels does everything except outright lie concerning the WW 2 K98k rifles they sell!
The stocks are new made, that's why the only marking is the receiver nr.
The other "matching" numbers are because they have been renumbered. Some parts have been scrubbed and not renumbered because that was to much work. They say 6 or 8 matching numbers, there were 14 on a correkt 98k into 43 and as few as 2 on very late war rifles.
Buy yourself a good RC from a reputable source and use the $200+/- you save to buy ammo.
Sarge

[Big Dog]

We must also remember there are differences in the various "Yugo mausers".
The "K98" is basically a copy of the German K98k.
The M48/M48A is an intermediate action - a totally different animal, and much newer, NOT a WWII rifle. Many M48s imported to America began as parts, put into new stocks produced in the 90's, before the Balkan War flared up. Some were later used in the fighting there - and can be considered 'war relics'.
So, the 'unissued' M48s are essentially 'New' rifles - production wise. I paid $130 for mine - a great deal on a new-condition Mauser. But I don't consider it as having any 'collector value'.
I don't doubt that the MM Mausers are nice guns. I do question how 'collectible' they are.
We'll still be debating this issue when we are all sitting in our rocking chairs in the G&G Old Shooter's Rest Home.

[mym1a]

yeah I never bought the rifle with the intent of it being a collectors item, good shooter tho and would buy another for the right price.mine is the the m48 also. I don't know where you can buy a good used rifle for what I paid for that yugo mauser??

[squirrelbaster]

how can one tell the diffence between a yugo or a german? is there some marks i should look for? any help would be great

[Big Dog]

The Yugo M24/47 and M48/48A rifles have a different upper handguard - longer than the wee one the Kar98k has. They also lack the bolt tool disk in the stock.
The M48/48A action is a bit shorter, so the bolt of the Kar98k does not fit. I think the same is true of the M24/47, but don't have one to confirm that.

[oldhorse50]

I've bought 2 german mausers so far, an love them, the 2 i have r like new, i know people have a problem with mitchell's mausers, but so far i can't figure out why.

[lefty o]

if a k98 mauser from mitchells looks like new, its been refinished.