Russian capture 98k features

[Vlad92]

I know that the 98k's that were RC's were altered a little, for instance cleaning rod taken off and front sight gaurd and screws added next to the trigger. I also "heard" that they blued the buttplates? Was this one true? I ask this because my RC still has a thick silver buttplate, and the butt's serial # matches the stocks serial #. So im guessing someone just put RC features onto a non RC stock on mine? ..just a little confused here.
-thanks for any help.

[SightNSqueeze]

Originally Posted by Vlad92

I know that the 98k's that were RC's were altered a little, for instance cleaning rod taken off and front sight gaurd and screws added next to the trigger. I also "heard" that they blued the buttplates? Was this one true? I ask this because my RC still has a thick silver buttplate, and the butt's serial # matches the stocks serial #. So im guessing someone just put RC features onto a non RC stock on mine? ..just a little confused here.
-thanks for any help.

I never knew Russian captured Mauser Kar98ks to have blued but plates as a matter of routine. I knew that many of the front site hoods were removed by German soldiers themselves according to photos of K98k armed Germans on the Eastern Front. Undoubtedly, the Soviets removed the rest. The cleaning rods and retaining (capture) screws on the trigger guards were removed in order to comply with an “unspecified technicality” would make the Soviet Union compliant with a small arms treaty that was meant to curb the proliferation of small arms by the super powers to the Third World; that according to an article put out by Classic Arms on their web site. Sneaky Russians. As far as the thick (stamped) silver butt plate; it was introduced in early 1943 to help speed up production. It is safe to say that Kar98s manufactured prior to, during, and after 1943 were/are among the millions of Mausers in Soviet, and now Russian arsenals today.

[killsnapz]

I have a 1943 DOU manufactured Mauser 98K that was a R/C. It came with the correct cleaning rod the front sight hood is still in place and it has the thick silver buttbplate that has not been blued. The capture screw is also in place. The only numder that does not match on the whole rifle is the front band. the rest of the rifle is all number matching. Oh yeah and she shoots great to. I love it even if it is not an original all number matching rifle it still looks and shoots great.

Michael

[SightNSqueeze]

Originally Posted by killsnapz

I have a 1943 DOU manufactured Mauser 98K that was a R/C. It came with the correct cleaning rod the front sight hood is still in place and it has the thick silver buttbplate that has not been blued. The capture screw is also in place. The only numder that does not match on the whole rifle is the front band. the rest of the rifle is all number matching. Oh yeah and she shoots great to. I love it even if it is not an original all number matching rifle it still looks and shoots great.

Michael

That just goes to show that nothing is "constant" when we're talking about military surplus rifles, especially Mausers. I have a Kar98k made in Austria by Steyr Werke about early 1944. No rust, clean and reasonably sharp bore and less than half the blue finish. It looks great and shoots great. I had to get a reproduction front sight hood and repro 12.5" cleaning rod. I still don't know if it was a Soviet captured rifle or came here by some other means. It does have an import stamp so that rules out a war trophy.

[killsnapz]

This is so true. Do not assume because it is a R/C it is junk. The only think I can complain about is for some reason they did not blue the bolt? Still it does look pretty cool all nice and polished though.

Michael

[gandog56]

Originally Posted by SightNSqueeze

That just goes to show that nothing is "constant" when we're talking about military surplus rifles, especially Mausers. I have a Kar98k made in Austria by Steyr Werke about early 1944. No rust, clean and reasonably sharp bore and less than half the blue finish. It looks great and shoots great. I had to get a reproduction front sight hood and repro 12.5" cleaning rod. I still don't know if it was a Soviet captured rifle or came here by some other means. It does have an import stamp so that rules out a war trophy.

Deja vu. My K98 is also a Steyr, was missing the sight hood and cleaning rod. There never were capture screws on it (No holes for them). Except mine is a 1940.

[SightNSqueeze]

Originally Posted by gandog56

Deja vu. My K98 is also a Steyr, was missing the sight hood and cleaning rod. There never were capture screws on it (No holes for them). Except mine is a 1940.

I noticed that some factories used retaining (capture) screws at various points in history and others never used them. According to an article written by the owner of Century Arms, the main screws seem to stay put with or without the retaining screws in place, though he added he would sell reproduction retaining screws at a low price, just as he would correct reproduction cleaning rods and front sight hoods. Apparently, there is no danger of the main trigger guard screws shooting loose. I have a theory that these "capture" screws were actually meant to prevent the trigger guard screws from being tightened too much which would likely affect accuracy. Just a guess.

[twtalbot]

Originally Posted by SightNSqueeze

... I have a theory that these "capture" screws were actually meant to prevent the trigger guard screws from being tightened too much which would likely affect accuracy. Just a guess.

I have a 1940 Sauer that with the capture screws in place, shoots 5"-8" groups at 25 yards. Turns out that if the action screws are turned so that the capture screws can be installed, torque on the action screws is uneven. Ditch the capture screws and torque the action screws properly, the groups shrink to about 1 1/4", which with my eyesight and "V" notch sights is pretty good.

RC rifles are not junk. The Russians didn't keep them as souvenirs. They took the time to strip them and refinish them and I think they would have ditched any that were unserviceable before storing them.

[killsnapz]

Originally Posted by twtalbot

I have a 1940 Sauer that with the capture screws in place, shoots 5"-8" groups at 25 yards. Turns out that if the action screws are turned so that the capture screws can be installed, torque on the action screws is uneven. Ditch the capture screws and torque the action screws properly, the groups shrink to about 1 1/4", which with my eyesight and "V" notch sights is pretty good.

RC rifles are not junk. The Russians didn't keep them as souvenirs. They took the time to strip them and refinish them and I think they would have ditched any that were unserviceable before storing them.

You would have a hard time convincing the collectors of that. I am comstanly running across threads in forums trashing these great rifles.
They believe that if it is not an original G.I. bring back with all of the field damage that it is worthless. I love my R/C 98 and it is definetly one of my favorites. They can talk trash about them all they want to me they are worth the money and I enjoy shooting them.

[Sarge]

K98k collectors are just like every other group of collectors. There are the "purests" and the "quasi purests" and then there is everyone else.
I collect Steyr (660/bnz), Borgiswald (S/243/243/ar) and Erma (S/27/27/ax) K98ks. I have probably 60+. I need only the S/27K and S/243K to have all the year/marking variants of the Borgiswald & Erma rifles. Almost all of them are imports and most of those are RCs. All are in Exc condition. These rifles - IF they could be found in all matching original cond would cost $2000+ each. I have around $250 each in them. I could never afford $2000+ for a single rifle and wouldn't pay it if I could!!!
I've also got about 25 Steyrs, about half of which are imports, many RCs.
Sarge