RC K98 Project

[Brent]

I just picked up a Russian Capture K98 from the boys at Duffy's. I'm going to do my best to bring it back to originality. I'll update this thread as I do work to it. It's stock has a lot of oil to remove and I would like to try to get the metal to a more even surface. I read that Lemon Oil is my best bet for the stock work and some ballistol and 0000-steel wool on the metal should help. I also need to track down a repro or original cleaning rod to throw down the front along with a sling. Any leads?
The gun is from 1939 so it was before the huge ramp up in production so hopefully my assumption that it was made to a slightly higher quality holds some sort of ground. I've always wanted on of these guys since I was in 5th grade and started getting into WWII history.
My first question is this. The front band right before the muzzle is pretty well stuck on. A little persuasion might take it off with some slight taps from a ball peen. Should I take another route? Pictures to come!

-- Brent

 

[Brent]

Picture Heavy. The bolt matches itself but not the gun. The stock matches the receiver, and misc. metal parts are slapped onto it. It won't be any collectors piece, but I intend to make it a puhrty shooter.

 

[mvee]

The RC stocks are usually varnished by the Russians. Acetone or alcohol will strip that away. A hardwood block can be wedged against the front band and tapped with a hammer to remove it. Make sure the retainer is depressed.

 

[mvee]

Avoid sanding the stock. There may be some stampings in the wood that appear after the varnish is stripped. I have used solvent with a stiff nylon brush to remove old varnish.

 

[SWO Daddy]

Use denatured alcohol if you want to take the varnish off. Nothing else is required.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Should that gun have a turned down bolt handle?

Or did the Russians rebuild with the parts they had on hand?

 

[MilsurpDan]

Have you considered buying one of J&G sales Yugo Capture K98k stocks? You could get one of those and do whatever you want with it while keeping the original RC stock correct

http://www.jgsales.com/military-sur...tock,-complete-with-metal-parts.-p-70317.html

 

[MilsurpDan]

Should that gun have a turned down bolt handle?

Or did the Russians rebuild with the parts they had on hand?

The Russians used whatever parts they had. They didn't care too much about cosmetics. I've seen quite a few with straight bolt handles

 

[Sharp]

Should that gun have a turned down bolt handle?

Or did the Russians rebuild with the parts they had on hand?

The Russians rebuilt rifles with whatever parts fit and worked. But early in K98 production, the Germans also used bolts and parts from older Mausers to use up remaining parts. I think if it was done by the Germans it would have a matching serial number, but I am not sure about that.

How does the barrel look?

 

[Brent]

Barrel looks pretty good with strong rifling in it. Little cloudy but really not bad. Denatured alcohol? Just rub it with a rag?

 

[SKIP]

I gave James River my Father-in-law sporterized K98 which was in bad shape. Fortunately, it as all matching and had a great bore. Really pleased with the results.

 

[Augie]

The number on the stock was put there by the Russians, pretty sure the Germans numbered in the barrel channel, look for a number when you take it apart. Bolt matching itself is a plus with a Russian gun, most of the time the bolt parts do not match.

 

[ken792]

I've seen Russian capture K98's with straight bolts before, usually off a Vz.24, Mauser Standard Modell, or Gew98/K98b.

 

[toolness1]

Cool rifle. I say leave it as an RC, it has its own unique history.

I got one from Wideners and the front band was REALLY on there too. Used a C clamp to hold the retainer down while I tapped it with a nylon punch. That worked well.

 

[Brent]

I purchased some denatured alcohol and also some mineral spirits. The spirits because I've read where cosmo gets pretty sticky so it might come in handy, plus can't hurt to have some on hand for whatever. I am going to buy a gallon of ballistol to soak the metal parts in. Any ideas where to find some other than their site where they want $80 plus s/h?

 

[jkeiler]

A couple years ago Machodoc had a long detailed post on restoring the stock on a gun like this. I've followed it on several old rifles with good results. Basically what others have said here with some variations. Things like denatured alcohol, mineral spirits and citristrip used as needed with 00 steel wool and a lot of paper towels or old t-shirts and patience should produce a good result, with perhaps a coat of BLO at the end. Would be worth looking up original post though.

Depending how much you want it to look like a typical K98 as opposed to just keeping it as it is as a RC (there is good rationale either way) you might want a front sight hood in addition to the cleaning rod, and also check for capture screws (which are easy to get) plus a real or repro sling. A good thing about these RC rifles is that can be fun to play with, without thinking you are ruining a pure piece of history (others might differ.)

Also along those lines is the issue of the bolt. Again, it is a RC that the Russians matched with a straight bolt on a K98 stock that should have a turned down bolt. Like someone else suggested, it might be a vz24 bolt. I got a rifle with a vz24 stock but otherwise mostly k98 parts that I've worked on to make more like a real vz24. I have a K98 turned down bolt on it (which some but not most vz24s had) and would like a vz24 straight bolt for it. Vz24 and Mauser bolts are expensive so it hasn't been worth it for me, but if you were interested in considering a bolt for bolt trade PM me.

 

[ken792]

Speaking of Vz.24's, the Soviets captured a crap ton of them. The German military and SS used a bunch, either Czechoslovakian army ones that they absorbed or the ones they continued to make as G.24(t) rifles prior to the production of K98's started in the former Czechoslovakia. The main rifle of the Romanian military was also the Vz.24, and the Russians defeated a lot of them, such as the 220k outside Stalingrad on their way to encircling the Germans. There are pictures of Russians training with Vz.24 rifles.

 

[Brent]

A couple years ago Machodoc had a long detailed post on restoring the stock on a gun like this. I've followed it on several old rifles with good results. Basically what others have said here with some variations. Things like denatured alcohol, mineral spirits and citristrip used as needed with 00 steel wool and a lot of paper towels or old t-shirts and patience should produce a good result, with perhaps a coat of BLO at the end. Would be worth looking up original post though.

Depending how much you want it to look like a typical K98 as opposed to just keeping it as it is as a RC (there is good rationale either way) you might want a front sight hood in addition to the cleaning rod, and also check for capture screws (which are easy to get) plus a real or repro sling. A good thing about these RC rifles is that can be fun to play with, without thinking you are ruining a pure piece of history (others might differ.)

Also along those lines is the issue of the bolt. Again, it is a RC that the Russians matched with a straight bolt on a K98 stock that should have a turned down bolt. Like someone else suggested, it might be a vz24 bolt. I got a rifle with a vz24 stock but otherwise mostly k98 parts that I've worked on to make more like a real vz24. I have a K98 turned down bolt on it (which some but not most vz24s had) and would like a vz24 straight bolt for it. Vz24 and Mauser bolts are expensive so it hasn't been worth it for me, but if you were interested in considering a bolt for bolt trade PM me.

Awesome info in your comment. Thank you! What do you mean "blo"? This will be my first refurb. I have a true to original reproduction sling coming along with the cleaning rod in a week or so. The front hood isn't necessary, I was told they weren't on 1939's. I need to look up at original post I think. A bolt for a bolt? This could work! Where are you located? Pm me. Thank you!

 

[bach]

Be careful of rags wet with denatured alcohol; allow them to dry outside.

 

[Yingpin]

BLO = Boiled Linseed Oil