I can’t believe this has happened to me.
On my various meanderings through this thing we call Teh Intarwebz, I came across yet another post by Hitchcock45. I’ve watched dozens of his EeewChoob shows — he’s my kinda guy altogether, no surprise, and I lust after his range setup — but I’d never seen him play with a Mauser K98k.
FFS. I thought I’d purged myself of Mauser-lust, but just watching the old bugger shoot the thing reawakened my urge to shoot a K98 again.
And I don’t have any 8x57mm ammo either, so that’s yet another thing that’s going to depress my bank balance somewhat. (Fortunately, I don’t intend to shoot it a great deal, so a five-box reserve will do me fine.)
I thought I’d outgrown this thing, but damn it all…
So if anyone has one of these K98 beauties in decent condition (I’m a shooter, not a collector, so I don’t have a fetish matching numbers or anything) and it hasn’t been to Bubba’s Amateur Gunsmithing, Inc., and it’s taking up space in your safe and you want to get rid of it: talk to me first.
I am SO WEAK.
Afterthought: here’s a pic that’s going to make you sob, like it did me:
One of my favorite youtubers.. with a moniker that honors the famed Wild Bill Hitchcock.
He seems like a nice guy, but I have to tell you, I find myself yelling at the screen after a few minutes … “Just get on with it, fercrisake, you don’t need to say everything twice or three times.” Well, that and “Say Bud’s Gun Shop again, I dare you, I double dare you, MF.” The guy was made for the YouTube 2X speed.
This seems an appropriate moment to invite you, Kim, and your readers again to our 2nd annual (sorta) WWII weapon shoot. October 16, 10:00 am till the ammo runs out, in El Dorado, Kansas, El Dorado Lake shooting range. $10 to get in, $2 a round for rifles, $1 for pistol (it’s a fundraiser, after all).
Two years ago, it was a beautiful day. I hope the weather cooperates again.
We’ll shoot a lovely Mauser Karabiner 98 Kurtz or two, as well as assorted Enfields, Carcanos, Arisakas, a Mas 36, a Thompson (yes, full funswitch – it’s the sheriff department’s, and I’ve tried to buy it from them without success), and of course M1 Garands and a M1 Carbine. And the USMC has not said no (though they’ve not said yes either) to bringing a MaDeuce. I don’t expect it, but hope springs eternal.
This is a fundraiser for our local WWII museum. The weapons and ammo are largely mine, and I donate same as a fundraiser. Plus it gives me an excuse to take the old girls out and shake them out a bit, and I get to share these pieces of history with the others.
If I can make it — and I’m going to try like hell to — I’ll bring a couple of mine along for others to shoot.
I don’t care about the ammo “fee” — it’s for an excellent cause — and considering the cost of ammo nowadays, it’s very reasonable, maybe even too reasonable.
If so, we may have to break out a guitar or two as well, though you’re almost certainly a better player than I. Nearly everyone I know is a better player than I. Oh well.
Just bought a Marshall Origin that I’m still shaking out. Put a Mullard 12ax7 in the first tube slot, and that seemed to soften some of the edges a bit. But the new Marshall is like all the old Marshalls – it sounds best when it gets loud.
I haven’t shot a Mauser but I’ve used rifles with a Mauser action. Can’t beat a good dependable rifle.
JQ
Some years ago Mrs D and I were visiting friends in Georgia, and the male half of the couple was gathering up guns he didn’t want to sell at a gun show. One of them was a gorgeous 7mm Mauser with Mannlicher stock. Had I not had to fly back to PRNJ it would have gone home with me.
Now that I live in a place where I can walk into a store with credit card and driver’s license and walk about with just about anything I like, the shelves are bare and the prices induce nose bleed. Just ain’t fair!
Mark D
Stories like that give me the sadz.
That loud “THUNK” you hear is KDT falling off the wagon.
I have a Yugo Mauser. Its not as nice as the Kar98, but its a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. Last time we went out I hit a target with the iron sight at 300+ yards. My buddy looked at me and said “makes you wonder how anyone survived the war?” That was before my eyes started going to shit, and my area started being overrun by KALIFORNIANS. So now all the desert shooting spots are overwhelmed or fenced off.
I had a chance several years ago to get a Swedish Mauser at an estate sale. I think they wanted the ungodly price of $350, so I walked away. Ask me how I regret that road not taken.
That’s what Princess Inge cost me, back in 2002. (And no, I don’t have it anymore, because Son&Heir done stole it and won’t give it back.)
Intra-familial inter-generational theft must be stopped BAMN.
I’d be happier than hell for my kids to steal mine to shoot.
Sadly two of them would do it to sell them to a Buy-Back program (theys step kids but still should have more fucking sense)
One of them would probably have whatever boyfriend of the month steal them because ditto on the sense part.
There’s hope for the last one but she’s at a University, which, don’t get me started.
Got a couple of Yugos. If one of these would work for you lemme know. One of them is really nice – looks like it came out of “Mitchell’s Mauser’s” shop – the other is just a nice example of the type. As far as ammo goes I might consider turning some of the 12K( ?) 8mm loose for your enjoyment; original pre-WWII German, post-war Rumanian, Russian, Syrian, etc. stripper clips or loose… but only if you feel the need. I actually have a few older European boxes of hunting ammo that came from a shop we bought out.
I’ll give you another Sad, KDT.
It’s not a firearm. It’s too old to be a firearm.
It’s an all-matching barreled action, bolt, and magazine, only missing the stock and accompanying metalwork.
It’s an 1895 Chileno Mauser in 7x57mm, made by Ludwig Loewe.
I’ve had it for years, and have yet to get around to acquiring a stock for it so I can shoot it. Ammo is no issue either – I have all the stuff required to roll it, eventually.
One of these days…
I feel the same about the SMLE.
Sadly, (a) I can’t get a licence to own one, and (b) at about $2000 for a halfway decent one, I just can’t afford it.
I have a 7mm Mauser stamped for the Argentinian army, i bought one box of ammo for it but have never cleaned the cosmoline off. It’s been awhile since i looked, but IIRC the date stamp is 1898.