Gewehr 98 custom build.

[ramick]

I recently picked up a 1916 Gewehr 98, and was thinking about using it as a base for a custom build. So I was wondering what you guys could tell me about it. I know all the basics, but what I really need to know is will parts for a K98 fit my Gewehr. Will an aftermarket stock for a K98 fit, or will a new barrel fit in the reciver. Thats the sort of thing I need to know. Any thing you could let me know would be great, thanks.

 

[bstewrat3]

Spend the money on the book "The Mauser Bolt Actions: M91 Through M98, A Shop Manual" by Jerry Kuhnhausen. I have had several custom Mauser action rifles built and this book was very valuable. Do you have a direction yet on what you want to build? Not to discourage you but unless you are doing a majority of the work yourself or just want something special and don't mind spending the money there are much better places to start economically. Having the bolt handle bent and the receiver drilled and tapped are steps not needed with most commercial actions.

 

[sloughfoot]

Spend the money on the book "The Mauser Bolt Actions: M91 Through M98, A Shop Manual" by Jerry Kuhnhausen. I have had several custom Mauser action rifles built and this book was very valuable. Do you have a direction yet on what you want to build? Not to discourage you but unless you are doing a majority of the work yourself or just want something special and don't mind spending the money there are much better places to start economically. Having the bolt handle bent and the receiver drilled and tapped are steps not needed with most commercial actions.

Great advice. Rep on the way....I own the book too. Lots of info in it that you can trust.

 

[steif]

mauser

and also think about if it is all original, it might be worth a lot more to a collector. you might be able to sell it for a nice chunk of change and buy a good commercial action, or complete gun. as far as parts interchange, if it is a gew98, marked on the side rail, all k98 parts will fit. If I remember right the only things they changed between a gew98 and k98 was the rear sight and barrel length. Does it have the old high hump rear sight? if not, and it has the flat rear sight it could be a updated 98, a K98b. Those are fairly rare birds if I remember right. might be worth checking out. I saw an auction several years ago for a 98b that sold for $3k. and yes, get the mauser shop manual, well worth the money for that book. I've done a couple of projects on turkish mausers that turned out very well.

 

[boozoo]

Yeah I'll trade you a K.KALE Turk Mauser to monkey with if the GEW is original.

 

[ramick]

First off thanks for the advice. But as far as it being worth big bucks I doubt it, because it has been sporterized. Also I thought it would just be fun to do the work myself. I am by no means a gunsmith but I do have a machinist background and access to all the machinery I would need. I didnt pay very much at all for it. So I am not real worried about ruining an expensive rifle. I will pick up that book and take another look at my options, thanks.

 

[bstewrat3]

First off thanks for the advice. But as far as it being worth big bucks I doubt it, because it has been sporterized. Also I thought it would just be fun to do the work myself. I am by no means a gunsmith but I do have a machinist background and access to all the machinery I would need. I didnt pay very much at all for it. So I am not real worried about ruining an expensive rifle. I will pick up that book and take another look at my options, thanks.

They are great to learn on. If you want to save a little cash and change to a different chambering take a look at the Adams and Bennett barrels that Midway carries. You can catch a plain steel one on sale for $59 occasionally. There is another book Do-It-Yourself Gunsmithing that would be great to own too. It covers reshaping the trigger guard and several other easy and fun modifications that you can do with hand tools. Good luck in your ventures.

 

[Disposable Heart]

They are great to learn on. If you want to save a little cash and change to a different chambering take a look at the Adams and Bennett barrels that Midway carries. You can catch a plain steel one on sale for $59 occasionally. There is another book Do-It-Yourself Gunsmithing that would be great to own too. It covers reshaping the trigger guard and several other easy and fun modifications that you can do with hand tools. Good luck in your ventures.

I've got that book on my shelf with an envelope to put money into for a Mauser build. The book rules, pretty much everything can be done with "handtools". Only problem is, laymen aren't going to have many of those "handtools", but for a minimum cost, gunsmiths and machine shops can fill the role.

My father rebarreled a rotted out Mauser in .257 Roberts with that Adams/Bennett barrel years ago. Now THAT was a youth experience! Shooting a caliber that is pretty much hard to find or handload only (more memories), but in a rifle we strove to keep "military pattern" in look. Turned more than a few heads to see a big Mauser firing with less boom (more of a crack) and ejecting smaller casings than 8mm Mauser!

 

[edporch]

Sell it to somebody who appreciates this rifle in it's original configuration.
Then take the money and buy a more modern bolt action that doesn't need to be irreparably altered to fit your needs.

As a collector of old rifles like this, I cringe when I hear things like this...

 

[451_Detonics]

As a collector of old rifles like this, I cringe when I hear things like this...

If you had read through the responses you would have seen it had already been altered and sporterized. He is simply resporterizing it to meet his wants and needs.

 

[edporch]

If you had read through the responses you would have seen it had already been altered and sporterized. He is simply resporterizing it to meet his wants and needs.

My apologies for jumping to conclusions.
I was wrong not to read the entire thread, and instead just went by what the OP said originally.

When I read of old military rifles being sporterized something comes over me and my protective instincts jump into action.

I have a 1916 Gewehr 98 and it's a cool rifle.

 

[ramick]

Hey thats alright, I am not a huge fan of ruining fine old rifles either. But since this has already been messed with why not make it mine.

 

[451_Detonics]

Tell me...is your motorcycle stock or has it been modded ruining it for future collectors?

I would be hesitant to modify a rare or historically important firearm. For example I wouldn't ever do a thing to a 1911 made by Singer, nor would I modify the Carcano used by Oswald. But a rifle that has no history and was made by the thousands? No problem at all making it into something I want it to be.

 

[edporch]

Tell me...is your motorcycle stock or has it been modded ruining it for future collectors?

I would be hesitant to modify a rare or historically important firearm. For example I wouldn't ever do a thing to a 1911 made by Singer, nor would I modify the Carcano used by Oswald. But a rifle that has no history and was made by the thousands? No problem at all making it into something I want it to be.

That's a fair question.
My motorcycle is a 2008 Yamaha FJR1300 Performance Touring motorcycle.

It's stock, except for screwing on a replacement windshield, which can be restored to the stock one (which I kept) in 10 minutes, and I bought a new seat (kept the stock one), which the stock one can be put back in about a minute.
NOTHING has been permanently altered.

When it comes to sporterizing old military rifles, they usually have to be permanently altered to a point that they can't simply be put back together in their original configuration.

I know a lot of people have the opinion that it's fine to sporterize a military rifle that is in abundant supply at the time.
BUT there was a time when for example M1917 Enfields were in abundant supply, so many people sporterized them.
NOW they aren't in such an abundant supply, and people who want a nice original one will often have trouble finding one.

There'll come a day in the future when even the dime a dozen Mosin Nagants will dry up.

I don't sporterize any of my military C&R firearms, because I want to do my part to passing these on to the next generation to own and enjoy long after I die of old age.
Sure, nothing lasts forever, I just don't want to be one that hastens that reality.

 

[pinshooter45]

I recently picked up a 1916 Gewehr 98, and was thinking about using it as a base for a custom build. So I was wondering what you guys could tell me about it. I know all the basics, but what I really need to know is will parts for a K98 fit my Gewehr. Will an aftermarket stock for a K98 fit, or will a new barrel fit in the reciver. Thats the sort of thing I need to know. Any thing you could let me know would be great, thanks.

Two major diferences between the early Gewehr 98 and the k98 is barrel length (K meaning Kurtz or short in english) and bore diameter. The WWI models like you have while still considered and 8mm the bore is .318, the K98 has a .323 bore and will not shoot the same ammo. Surplus ammo like I have that was made in the 50' will damage a WWI 98. So I'm not real sure any thing is interchangable, except possibly the bolt and receiver. Because the base of the cartidge remained the same.

 

[steif]

Two major diferences between the early Gewehr 98 and the k98 is barrel length (K meaning Kurtz or short in english) and bore diameter. The WWI models like you have while still considered and 8mm the bore is .318, the K98 has a .323 bore and will not shoot the same ammo. Surplus ammo like I have that was made in the 50' will damage a WWI 98. So I'm not real sure any thing is interchangable, except possibly the bolt and receiver. Because the base of the cartidge remained the same.

The WW1 GEW 98's were chambered for the S bore .323 bullet. The earlier Gew 88's were the J bore .318.

 

[ramick]

Two major diferences between the early Gewehr 98 and the k98 is barrel length (K meaning Kurtz or short in english) and bore diameter. The WWI models like you have while still considered and 8mm the bore is .318, the K98 has a .323 bore and will not shoot the same ammo. Surplus ammo like I have that was made in the 50' will damage a WWI 98. So I'm not real sure any thing is interchangable, except possibly the bolt and receiver. Because the base of the cartidge remained the same.

Wait a sec you have me confused. On the side of my reciver it says 8mm. So will it handle new manufacture ammo along with surplus or not.

 

[steif]

gew

I would and have fed all of my gew 98's with any .323 8mm mauser ammo. this will be marked with 8x57 or 8mm mauser. military or commercial production. The gew 88's I have I feed with handloaded .318 cast bullets.
It's easy to get confused. the earlier german 8mm ammo was a long round nose bullet in .318 diameter. when they went to a pointed bullet in 1905, they went with a .323 bullet. older rifles(pre 1905) were converted to the S bore when they were serviced. thousands of soldiers in WW1 were issued gew 88's updated to the S bore, and they never had any problem with the 323 ammo.
So your late war dated GEW is definately able to handle military or commercial loaded 8mm mauser ammo, provided it is in good mechanical shape.
The only concern you should have is that military surplus 8mm mauser ammo will be corrosive primed. Clean accordingly.