Help me identify this relic

[Guest HCRoadie]

I was given this by a friend. I have had issues trying to get a grasp on this stick. Mausers were in 8x57 correct? Were any of the chambered for other calibers? Any how, I do not believe that this one will be fired again. The bolt is smooth, but something in the bolt jacked and the firing pin is not moving. It seems to be non-numbers matching, the barrel is crusty, and there is some pitting.

I'm gonna lob one!

[Garufa]

That's a Gewehr (gun) 98 made at the Erfurt aresenal in 1916. A WWI era German Mauser 98 that has been cared for poorly. Stock has been butchered.

It is 8x57 Mauser caliber....or at least originally. Looks like the barrel is original so I'd say it still is 8mm.

Edited June 4, 2012 by Garufa

[Guest HCRoadie]

Thanks Garufa. I knew it was a hack job and the metal is shot. It'll will make a nice piece of wall art

[Clod Stomper]

When did the bore size change from .318 to .323?

Edit: Of course, if you know that you're not going to shoot it, it doesn't matter.

Edited June 5, 2012 by Clod Stomper

[gregintenn]

I'm guessing it needs a really good cleaning and it'll likely be ready to shoot.

If not, the action is a great starting place for something like this:

Edited June 5, 2012 by gregintenn

[1gewehr]

Don't be so quick to write it off. If the bore is anything other than a sewer pipe, I'd get a replacement stock and hardware and restore it to it's 1916 configuration. The Gew98 is very collectable. The wearlier the date, the better. And 1916 Erfurt is a good date. If the parts you have are matching numbers, it's a keeper.

[50 cal]

I believe APEX has correct stocks for those.

[Jonnin]

tear it down, clean it up. Probably a 90% chance it can be saved.

[Caster]

They used very good steels. You'd be shocked at how well it'd clean up. You could bead blast that thing and then spend a few hours in front of a buffing wheel and it'd knock your eyes out. Reblue and put it back the way the Kaiser meant it to be.

Also, you do need to be sure of the bore before shooting. Also, don't be quick to write it off if the bore looks sickly. There are several remedies to make it a shooter. Not the least of which......CASTING!

[Caster]

Oh, and as far as the bolt being jacked and the firing pin not moving. In the picture, You have the safety on. It's a three position safety. Fire, safe but the bolt can open and close, and safe with the bolt locked shut. The wing on the bolt shroud will move 180 degrees locking in the 9 o'clock, 12 o'clock & 3 o'clock positions.

They rarely break. They are built like a tank. It's the reason it's the most heavily copied rifle ever.

Edited June 6, 2012 by Caster

[Guest Tnslim]

I've used this stuff often and it does a fantastic job. I'm working on a 1939 Model 41 Remington Targetmaster that was maybe worse than yours and it cleaned up extremely well. I used a piece of 4" PVC pipe with a cap on one end and a screw cap on other, filled it with Evaporust and slid the barreled action down in it for a couple days and it came out looking like new metal. It's not cheap but can be reused several times.

http://evaporust.com/