WWI 8mm German Gewehr 98 rifle (or Gew 98M ) at 420 yards

[Bootleg127]

I have my great-uncle's Gewehr 98 with a bayonet that he took home as a souvenir to the U.S. after WWI. The adjustable range is frozen. The gun is for display purposes only, but I'd still like to be able to adjust the range. Any recommendations on how to lubricate the range, and the gun in general? I've seen on "Pawn Stars" that you shouldn't restore an old gun as it reduces the value, so any advice is helpful to me. Thanks!

[MyJt7]

Love it, good stuff thanks for posting it...timeless I guess, you uploaded in 2007 but it's new to me :)

[thecrowandthehawk]

nice shooting, and you definitely don't want to get hit by one of those.

[History1986]

I have a bayonet for a G98, but have been stonewalled in my attempt to look for someplace where I can buy one. The bayonet was a war trophy from WW1 Europe and would like to have a WW1 era weapon to go with it, but at this point any G98 would work. Any idea where I could look?

[Senjhin]

Absolutely beautiful specimen of a rifle. What is its production date? I've come across increasingly fewer numbers of original Gew. 98's lately, with the latest ones being completely in the white.

[Bamchucknorris]

great video, awesome sound!

[sxegregor]

Damn good shootin! Where ya buy that rifle and how much did it cost ya?

[Obendorf98]

The front barrel band on your rifle. looks a little weird, like it was made fora side-mounted sling or something.

BTW, as always, nice shooting and I just love the sound of you working the bolt.

[idgewe]

in your opinion is it ok to load to the max charge with these old rifle as long as the max charge is not exceded ?

[CR055H41RZ]

the bolt on that gun is beautiful

my kind of bolt action rifle

[kitchsc]

0:21 looks like the kar98

[Toria8796]

shit!, those things are loud

[magnum9987]

@xSublimEstyLeE how much and when?

[robin6512]

Nice shooting!!

You actually care about people making comments about you hearing protection????

[triynizzles]

dam that camera has some major zoom!

[zchris87v]

I, too, have a Weimar-era "1920" stamped G98, mfg. Amberg, 1916. Unfortunately, it's had the stock cut on it - but still matching #'s minus the bolt. I cleaned the crap out of it for about 6 hours the other day, so I've got to see what it's capable of at the range (the bore was filthy and it could only keep groups at 25yds.)

[zchris87v]

As an update to my last comment, I took my Gew98 out to the range and hit a 2-inch bullseye at 100 yards with some old military surplus ammo.

[brentwoodthehood]

i just picked 1 up at a hobby store for $200 gew 98 i was so happy i could not belive it was there. all matching numbers somebody left it there 4 the guy 2 sell i love it

[wardog99s]

i got a gew98 1916 mod made in 1920. but it has the "bent" bolt handle like 98k

[agentmattlock]

Does anybody know where i could get parts to this weapon? all i need is the triger guard.

[mag30th]

Google Numrich gun parts, they will have it.

[agentmattlock]

good luck!

[pwnz0rz0r]

good riflemen!

[KAI19772011]

ROFL,

what do you want a gun, or junk.

most of these guns fought in 2 world wars. but that aint a problem.

you need at least 500€ to get one thats ok.

[FUSELFTWICE]

Dont spread bullshit.

Good not all numbers matching K98's sell for about 190-270€, matching numbers about 600-1000 €.

Gewehr 98's run for 300 to 600 bucks. All of it is a bit cheaper in the US.

I have bought several G98's and K98's in this price range.

[Unknownbmxr]

in the u.s. you can expect to pay around $600 for a matching numbers k98 or m1garand, with bayonet and cleaning kit. a luger pistol is about $300. and this is through magazine, which cost more. it's because of the surplus we get after the wars

[DonMeaker]

And a passing complement to "Michell's Mausers" which travels the world picking up and refurbishing rifles to help remember these bits of history.

[turkishprawn]

Just an FYI,

Be carful with Mitchell's. They have a very, VERY poor reputation amongst collectors. They've been caught faking and lying pretty extensively over the years. Not to say that the rifles aren't usable, but they are rarely what they purport to be. What they've sold as K98k's are more often M48's made in Romania and elsewhere. I've heard a lot about faked SS insignias as well as "snipers" that were built up by them and sold as the real deal for big bucks to the unwary.

[turkishprawn]

Gah! I mean Yugoslavian, not Romanian. Sorry. It's late.

[FUSELFTWICE]

What kind of ammo are you shooting? I chronoed 2750 fp/s out of my Gewehr 98, 2500 fp/s is a weak load. The sights of your G98 have been changed later, it does not have the original WWI ''rollercoaster'' sights.

Btw, I have also the same rifle, a Danzig 1917/1920, I have also a 1914 Spandau G98 and they are fun and beautiful!

[mag30th]

I didnt chrono this but I wished I had. Im shooting 198 grain mil-surplus loads, and per several sources, the average FPS through a 98K was 2476. Although no doubt when the same load being fired though the Gew the FPS would have been much higher due to the longer barrel. A 200 grain bullet at 2750 is a very hot load, my loads were not that hot.

This is the 98M, the rollercoaster sights were removed (by Germany) and replaced with 98K sights after the Treaty of Versailles.

[FUSELFTWICE]

I suggest to try Sellier & Bellot (New Czech ammo) 8x57, this load chronoed 2625 out of my K98k, out of the G98 it will be a tad faster. The ammo is also known to match the original WWII 8x57 performance the closest. You can actually load the 8x57mm pretty hot, back in WWII German snipers used hotter delinked machinegun ammunition to get some extra range w/o any Problems.

Do you know when the sights were replaced? Same with my Danzig, K98k rear sight! Some say 1920 and some 30'.

[mag30th]

That is extremely hot ammo; I wouldnt feel comfortable with those kinds of pressures.

I was running IMR 4350 with compressed loads (200 grain match rounds) and only achieved 2475 FPS.

Hodgen data shows the hottest loads for the Mauser as 45 grains of H4895, and those hit 2539 FPS with nearly 49,000 CUP in the chamber.

2,750+ FPS would be an excessive amount of pressure with 200 grain rounds (in my opinion). Ill bet it is VERY loud!

[FUSELFTWICE]

The Mauser 98 system is extremely strong, here in Europe many gunsmiths re-barrel 98 systems to big rounds up to .338lm with no problems at all. Rifle systems designed for .300 and .338lm are not any sturdier than the 98 system, it can withstand far more pressure than the hottest 8x57 loads!

196 @ 2750 recoils almost like a .300 magnum and its sure fun! But I dont shoot such hot reloads on a regular basis, the original load is a bit over 2600 fps and I usually shoot that.

[mjolnirv17777777]

@mag30th i've used sellior and bellot ammo for my turk mauser before, and i like it more then the surplus stufff you pick up at duhnams, and there is a huge sound difference. but your concern about the pressure is noted, i never thought of that when i bought it.

[KAI19772011]

you know what it means 1917Danzig 1920? i´d pay for original gun like that. matchingnumbers despite the bolt 1500€. an Id be happy

[FUSELFTWICE]

I have a 1914 Spandau matching numbers, I got it for € 280 w/o shipping. Bore like new, no rust. The 1917 Danzig with a none-matching bolt with excellent bore cost me € 350. I have also several good K98ks which I got for way under 300.

[KAI19772011]

ok, we should stay in closer contact, as soon as we krauts come domwn a little its time to go shopping ;-)

[TheBelva85]

no way

[Lusth0g]

Hm, maybe you should disassemble the whole Bolt and give him a night in a WD-40 bath or something like this. Or maybe there´s a tiny little piece of rust somewhere.

That´s the prob with old weapons...

[disturbedone5009]

i have a 1938 k98k that is russian capture. i noticed that after shooting about 50 rounds of brass ammo the bolt starts to get really tight. i have disassembled it and oiled it but nothing works. do you have any ideas on what i can do to fix it?

[Lusth0g]

Sell it and buy a M1903

[disturbedone5009]

I would but why would I do that when i can just buy an m1903 and have both? I am collecting WW2 weapons so selling the kar98k wouldn't make much sense.

[Lusth0g]

Naa just kiddin ;-) But I guess, since your 98 is a captured one, the russians threw all parts of hundrets of 98´s into a box and everybody could get what he needet.

Does your bolt have got the same number as the rest of the system? if no, there your problem could be.

Sorry for my english, I´m german

[disturbedone5009]

Yeah it has most of the same numbers. That is what is making it hard to figure out.

Don't worry about your English. It is better than a lot of other peoples' on here.

[iceman27406]

if you shot 50 rounds without giving it rest it might be just the expansion of the locking lugs are you using handloads if so then it could be a little to hot for it

[disturbedone5009]

It wasn't rapid fire and no it wasn't hand loads.

[zchris87v]

Okay now this confuses me...the "1920" indicates that it was refinished for the Weimar Republic (I've got a 1916 Amberg stamped the same), and I could tell based on the K98 rear sights, but were they ever fitted with the K98-style turn-down bolt?

Maybe they weren't, which means my gun isn't entirely matching.

[mag30th]

This one has a straight bolt, matching. It is not turned down although it looks like it in the video.

[taco1030]

i have that rifle mine was made in 1917

[sultanas52]

i have a portugese mauser 8 x 57 with a straight bolt bought for 50 pound sterling

refurbished the stock my self and blackened all the steel

these are arsenal refurbishe 1903 german manufactured mausers great to shoot or even look at  history.....

[artilleryjunkie]

this a k98k not a gewher. dumb ass. the gewher is semi auto. and btw your recevier has two diffrent dates...equals you dont know shit ab firearms

[UJS8X]

Only it's not a Kar98k. Kar98k means Karabiner 1898 kurz. The Kar98k was a later, shorter version of this rifle which I believe is the original 1898 Mauser that was used in the First World War. The Kar98k was standardized as a mid-length weapon to replace this longer standard infantry rifle and jungle or paratrooper carbines. Gewehr just means "rifle" in German, it's not limited to just the semi-automatic G43.

[disturbedone5009]

the g98 was the main battle rifle for the germans in ww1. there were many models made and the k98k is one of the carbine varients.

[ccsniper]

this guy is a firearm collector/gun nut and your a gamer, so who would i believe? stop playing COD and actually do some research.

[oktoberfest124]

did you ever consider that maybe just maybe in you tiny peanut sized brain, that the second number was the serial number? oh! god forbid! idiot.....

[oktoberfest124]

also dumb ass, if you look carfully the two numbers say 1920 and 1917, this in no way could be a k98k, the k98k wan't invented until 1935. you should read a book to learn what you are even talking about

[warnerd14]

Fucking dumbshit, the k98k has a bent bolt and a shorter barrel than the G98. the K's in k98k mean: short 98 carbine.

[puppeetoe]

no it doesn't.the k stands for karabiner,which,if i remember correctly,means carbine in semi-literal translation

[warnerd14]

Im giving you the translation :l

[mag30th]

Correct!!! :-)

[mnpd007]

Wasn't it 1935 when Germany arsenal refinished most of the Gew98's into K98k's? The shorter barrel was installed for the "S" bullet, the bolt handle was curved, and I can't remember whether or not the existing stock was reused after the modification, or if a new one was used. Funny how old age makes me forget thing. Things that were once second nature, have now become second hand! :)

[Gjldo]

the S bullet (mauser of course)came in 1905 and the the first weapon chambering it was the k98a, then g98 upgraded to the new caliber (7.92 IS is 0.12 mm bigger then 7.92 I, real diameter is 8.20 vs 8.08)

[iceman27406]

if i am not mistaken the new one is.323 and the old one .318

[mnpd007]

I've got one marked "1915 Danzig". One heavy rifle! My adult son fell in love with it so I gave it to him. We've shot several bullet weights in various reloads. This particular rifle's best load is a 175gr Sierra Pro Hunter SP ahead of 49 grains of 4064 w/Winchester standard LR primer. It chronographs at 2606 fps and is very accurate.

[majorporpoise]

lol mine too!

[Gunluver1]

is there a gun you dont have?

[mnpd007]

German military Mausers are inexpensive, yet high quality firearms. Some years back I noticed that Winchester was touting a "new" style bolt gun design. I looked, and lo & behold it was nothing more than a copy of the positive feed claw extractor of the Model 98. Introduced 111 years ago, the Mauser 98 has never been improved upon. It set the permanent standard for bolt action rifles in terms of strength, safety, and reliability. If I could only own one gun... it would be a Mauser.

[RedxCode]

I would agree with you these military Mausers are pretty high quality firearms I've seen many of them tested and used before they do prove to be pretty on target most or sometimes all of the time

[ramberghini]

I believe this was one of the "Transition Gewehr 1898" rifles produced by germany following the first world war in accordance with the treaty of versailles. The germans modified their gewehrs so as to modernize them, and to follow the treaty.

[BennettIsAmazing]

It has a 1917 date stamp on the receiver..

[mag30th]

You are 100% correct.

[agentolshki]

i was just suprised to see a young ian botham in the trenches ( 0.17)

[pintofshite]

ROFL, well spotted !

[VodkaAce]

you shooting hand loads or factory ammo?

good shooting none the less.

do handloading for my k98 all the time..very accurate up to 600 yards so far for me

[mag30th]

Thanks!!  And yes, they are handloads.

[mauser3846]

that action looks smoother than the kar98k does. do u have a kar98az?

[Rupushae]

ZerOwAffLeS=Troll What does a WWI german rifle have to do with Nazis? They didn't exist then. The other gentleman was right though. That is a converted Gew98 done before WWII. They changed the rear sights to that of the kar98k.

[mag30th]

True, the "roller-coaster" rear sight was changed (by Germany) after WWI on most of the Gew rifles to the same rear sight as the 98K, When a Gew98 has had it's rear sights changed to the modern sights, it is designated as the Gew98M.

[Rupushae]

Ahh, Also those two guys are scotts not germans in the second photo

[Moaks13]

o w8 my bad i just totlly mixed up the gewehr 98 with the gewehr 43 sry about that

[SSchultz82]

Ya, gewehr simply means rifle in German. The number after it is what designates the weapon (and also year of manufacture).

[Moaks13]

no not at all ghewr was a semi auto ww2 gun this is the k98 these r 2 totaly different rifles

[c4t2f0]

Nice gun!

[matthewjdenn]

Nice video.

[something01992]

Does your Gew. 98 have a sight hood? I can't really tell from the video. Anyways, what does the hood do?

[SSchultz82]

I find it easier to aim quicker with the hood on. However, it was probably just protection for the front sight so it doesn't get banged around and damaged during combat movement. You bend the sight out of shape and good luck aiming well with it ;)

[MoxleyMauser]

Gew 98, was the German World War I rifle, Kar 98 or Karabiner 98 was the World War II rifle.

[ramberghini]

The Kar98k was a shorter variant of the mauser gewegr 98, created as part of the treaty of versaies did not allow the germans to make rifles, only carbines. The G98 is longer, has a straight bolt handle, and different sights than those of the k98k

[mag30th]

"Was the original designation Gew 98, and later changed to Kar 98"

Yes, although the rifle was modified and renamed the Kar (Carbine).

[germansharpshooter]

is true that bullet drop is 58inches at the second target

[mag30th]

Yes, the distance is 420 yards.

[SSchultz82]

Not if you want a German made one. Random South American country Mausers and the like might go for that little.

My 1941, German, matching parts, excellent condition Karabiner cost $850....and that is a good price for it. Just check the Blue Book of firearms.

[SSchultz82]

As an ammendment, if you are referring to the rifles that came out of Russia in the past few years, then yes. However, they are a mix-mash of parts from many different rifles and stamped with Russian markings. Not much of a collector item but worthy for the range....

[mag30th]

"but worthy for the range"

100% correct, my video shooting the Mauser at 900 yards on a 18 inch target is a Russian capture. If you are looking for something to shoot, and have fun with, you cant go wrong with one.

[mag30th]

and $850, for a complete matching 98K Mauser, is a STEAL!

[Kurby1400]

Nice shooting

[alexhaas]

I have 1 questions,

how much does a kar98 cost?

[aforese62]

good video!

[mauser3846]

nice where did u get that rifle?

[mag30th]

A friend bought it for $15 in 1963. :-)

[mauser3846]

thats a good deal

[wraith444]

I have a random question... I recently aquired a Gewehr 98. the barrel is stuffed with a steel rod (intentionally, it was demilitarized I think) so I need to replace the barrel. However, it is so poorly maintained I can't find the seam between the barrel and receiver to save my life because of the surface rust. They do come apart, right? How do you do it, do they screw together?

[mag30th]

Yes, but if the rust is that bad it may be worth the time (and money) just to buy another one. Try gunbroker dot c o m.

[95000026]

AHH UR A threat to us all dont go crazy and start killing good job

[StPaul76]

Good shooting. Constant hits from 420 yards with open sights.. \0

[metsrule107]

ur good

[Jagdkommando77]

The Gewehr 98 is a really great weapon. I have on from Mauser Oberndorf 1918 with the old version sights (Kurvenvisier), your ´98er has the modified sight (Schiebevisier). Greetings from germany!

[FargoMarc]

LOL! I also have a 1918 Oberndorf with Kurvenvisier! I like it, it's still very accurate! :-)

[Askar28]

OMFG!!! I've got kar98 Leupold scoped - can't get near that accuracy

[ch89president]

search on youtube the Swiss Kar 31 rifle...this is the best i ever seen... i love thiz gun

i have one with scope

[mag30th]

The video titled, "Schmidt-Rubin Model 31 (Swiss K31) at 420 yards" is one of my rifles also, have you seen it?

[germansharpshooter]

good video, good shooting, good rifle. is the second target at 420 yards or further, because it looks 800 yards away.

[TommygunnerM1]

nice shooting. rarely can i see someone post a vid on youtube shootin at anything over 200yrds without a scope

[Mankemacho]

Almost perfect, got to dislike the straight bolt! ^^

[Mankemacho]

I take that back :x Perfect

[brightnight609]

very nice rifle and vid. Is that range strict.

[mag30th]

Yes, and crowded, but I try to time it to go when as few people as possible are there, sometimes Ill be fortunate enough to have the entire rifle range to myself for an hour or so, but that is rare..

[brightnight609]

thanks man. i just went to the range and it was great. It was pretty empty and relaxed.

[leeminiaci]

man i cant even see pass my eyelids..

[beno420]

420!

[MoxleyMauser]

I could have bought a "Danzig", but instead I bought a WWII K98. Anyone have any statements on that?? I have loved my Mauser K98, I have shot it at my grandpa's farm in Maryland and it shoots greats. I love the K98's sound.

[Fergus1922]

Looks to be what is commonly referred to by collectors as a "Gew 98M". Has the later tangent rear sight instead of the original roller coaster rear sight. Modifications were done in the early 1930's by the Germans. The receiver also has the 1920 Versailes Treaty "permission stamp" which limited the Weimar government to 100,000 rifles.

[mag30th]

Thanks!

[trav10852]

420 yards.

[mag30th]

Yes, and verified with a laser rangefinder. It is at a shooting range called "a place to shot" in saugus california, all my rifle shooting viedos are filmed at the same range, and it is 420 yards.

[halfam]

From your guess... what year do you think these rifles will stop being found. How much do you think they cost? And where can you find one exactly? (Where did you find yours?)

[mag30th]

Mine was from a friend, who had purchsed it around 1960. And it is hard to guess when they will become hard to find, they already are to some extent. If you are looking for one, try Gunbroker(dot)com

[jubbles2343]

messy looking range, looks like there's alot of rubbish.

[mag30th]

It's not a really a shooting range; it is a location in the desert that the county permits people to shoot at, so long as it is cleaned out once a month. A tractor-like vehicle comes through once a month and scoops up everything.

I take out everything I bring in, most of what you see is from certain outsiders who leave everything from diapers, couches and dead bodies. They are the minority but make up the bulk of the garbage, acting like they are still in their fourth world countries.

[JooNosing]

I hunt with a stamped k98 from World War II. It's crazy and sad to think that the same rifle I use to hunt deer, at one point may have been used on Jews. Makes you think.

[comradeyars]

I own one of these, thanks to my grandfather. A real beauty...

[GreenCacktus]

I know they are not super rare in the field of purchase, Im refering to during WWII it was considered rare to see on the battlefields of WWII, and the ones used during WWII stamped and all are much more harder to find than the WWI issue was my point.

[ptairco]

Is that Lytle Creek?

[mag30th]

No, it's called, "a place to shoot" it is north of Los Angeles.

[saopaulo450]

Someone know the comission rifle,see one,shoot?

[mag30th]

The Gew88? Yes, I just have to get mine out, I wont have time for the next 2 weeks though...

[saopaulo450]

I see one,load,field strip,very beautifull.

[GreenCacktus]

I wish i could find one of the super rare Mauser Gewehr 98's issued during WWII, which by then of course the Mauser Karbiner 98 kurz had replaced almost every Gewehr 98 by 1936, 1 year after the mass replacement of Mauser Kar98k's

[mag30th]

Its not "super rare" there are plenty of them around.

[mag30th]

As long as the barrel is unobstructed it would be very difficult to cause a receiver explosion or breakage, the German Mauser actions were some of the strongest. If you take an 8mm bullet and the bolt closes with little effort, I would have very little doubt that it is an 8mm. And does it have the 7.9 stamp on the barrel I mentioned? I can send you info where to locate the stamp if you need it.

[mag30th]

If it is an 8mm it will have 7.9 stamped on the top visable portion of the barrel where is screws into the reciever.

[fjcf123]

IS THAT VASILI SAITZEV

[mag30th]

Actualy, it is spelled, "Vasily Zaytsev" and no, Zaytsev used the 91.30 like I have on my other post titled "Three 91/30 Russian Mosin-Nagant Sniper rifles."

[schlutia]

good video

We can know Gew98's information at this video.

Iwant to own Gew98 but it's impoosible for japanese to get real rifle in Japan.

I envy your child XD

[Napoleontas]

all those guns are yours?

[mag30th]

Yes, I collect antique military rifles.

[Napoleontas]

You are so lucky! Here in greece we cannot own military weapon due to law restrictions we have only shotguns for hunting. I wanted a kar98 my favorite weapon, and ive learned that i cannot own one...

[mag30th]

That is very sad, here we can own just about anything.

[tunnelportterror]

@Napoleontas that's because the black nobility of Europe enslaved you, now look what happened, Greece is bankrupt