I was at the rifle range yesterday shooting my latest creation. Last year, I found a lovely Czech VZ-24 military surplus rifle at a favorite gun shop with a ruined bore. For $85, the 8mm rifle came home with me (the stock and action were worth more than that). Then I saw that Marstar in Canada had German Kar98k Mauser barrels real cheap and I ordered one. It took three weeks for the barrel to clear U.S. Customs at the border (I feel safer due to the prolonged delay). Then I took the rifle and replacement barrel to my local gunsmith. He assured me he could rebarrel the rifle, switch the sights and he did a marvelous job.

The rifle shoots well and is accurate. The rear sight when set at the lowest setting of 300 meters prints about a foot high at 100 yards. My local gunsmith has higher Mauser front sight blades that lower the point of impact quite a bit. A file is required to carefully reduce the height of the front sight to get it to shoot on target at 100 yards. That's how I spent the morning and now I have a classic rifle with a new barrel that shoots where it's looking. All the best...
Gil

I got a '43 98k 8mm from the company in CA. Mitchell Mausers. I think they said it was made in Serbia. Haven't shot it yet.

RPM1031,
I am sure you will enjoy shooting the Mauser. Is it a Kar98k (it should have "Mod 98" stamped on the left receiver wall), or a Model 48 or 48A (that should be stamped atop the receiver ring)? Both are great guns. All the best...
Gil

Someone sent this to me recently on site adjustment. It came from Brownell's. You may know this but it was new to me.

Please NOTE Brownell's Copyrights 1999 & 2001. For those of you who haven't
yet done business with them, Brownell's is a great resource for parts,
material, targets, and equipment ALL AT ONE STOP (as opposed to all the
various 'vendors' I sometimes have to deal with -- for more $).

Additionally, their Tech. Dep't has been an great help in the past, too.

Anyway, next chance you get to do business you may wanna remember 'em!

"THOR"

"Live Every Day As If It Is Your Last, Work Every Day As If You Have The
Rest Of Your Life!" . . . Unknown.
*********************************************************************

(Brownell's "Bench Talk", Fall/1998)

DETERMINING SIGHT HEIGHT

by David Kaiser

One of the most commonly asked questions for the Tech Dept. concerns
figuring iron sight corrections in order to choose a new front sight.
There’s a simple formula, that when used for a rifle, corresponds almost
exactly to the chart in our Catalog. Here is how it works.

Fire at least a three shot group at the distance desired for sight-in. Use
the ammunition that will be normally used in the gun and utilize the sight
picture you will normally use. Determine the center of the group, and
measure the distance from the group center to the desired point of impact.

Next measure the sight radius, or the distance between the front and rear
sights. Multiply the sight radius by the sight correction needed, and then
divide this number by the distance to the target. All measurements should be
in inches.

Here is how that formula should look.

Error At Target" x Sight Radius"= Correction
Distance to Target" Needed

EXAMPLE FOR MARLIN 336 RIFLE . . .

At 100 yards the rifle is shooting a group centered 12" high and 4" to the
right of the X-ring. The sight radius, or distance between the front and
rear sights is 23-1/2".

We’ll make one change at a time, so let’s correct first for elevation.

1.) Multiply the sight radius, converted to decimals, by the error, or 23.5"
x 12" = 282".

2.) Divide this by 100 yards converted to inches, which is equal to 3600",
for a total elevation correction of .078".

3.) Since the rifle was shooting too high, lower the rear sight or raise the
front sight by this amount. If no front sight exists that will give exactly
.078" of correction, go the next taller sight and raise the rear sight by
the difference between the new front sight’s height and .078".

Now let’s correct for the windage error of 4" to the right.

1.) Multiply 4" x 23.5" = 94".

2.) Divide this by 3600" = .026". Move the rear sight to the left by .026".

EXAMPLE FOR A COLT COMMANDER . . .

At 25 yards the handgun is shooting a group that is 10" low and the overall
sight radius is 5-3/4".

1.) Multiply the sight radius, converted to decimals, by the error or 5.75"
x 10" = 57.5".

2.) Divide 57.5" by the distance to the target in inches (25 yards = 900
inches) for a correction in sight elevation of .064". Since the gun was
shooting low, either raise the rear sight or lower the front sight by this
amount.

Just checked. It' an M48A and it was made in German occupied Yugoslavia not Serbia.

The Model 48A is a very nice rifle. I have several of the Model 48 and 48A and like shooting them. Just a point; these are not true '98 Mausers, but very close clones. Most '98 Mauser parts, stocks and handguards will not interchange. I also found some of the Yugoslav Model 24/47 which were reworked Czech VZ-24s.

The front sight correction chart is very handy. I used a slightly different method to come to the same adjustments. Take care. All the best...
Gil

Gil,
Thanks for helping me out with that. Don't know very much about them just that Mauser makes some fine guns.

I'm a bit leery of some of the M98 mausers out there. It's a strong enough action, but you have to remember many of them have been through 2 world wars and are in terrible shape. This is most apparent in the barrels. Often they are badly pitted and the rifling worn. If you get a good one, cherish it because they can be things of beauty, but often this is not the case. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

Cal,
Good point and I absolutely agree with you. Perhaps the Russian captured '98 Mausers are about the worst examples of these classic rifles. I was in a gun shop and commented on the terrible condition of the barrels. It is apparent that the Soviets did not spend much time cleaning these captured rifles. The shop owner said the Russians were not concerned about collector values 60 years ago.

Many of the reworked Yugoslav '98 Mausers are in pristine condition. Then again, it seems many of them were rebarreled then put into storage. Take care. All the best...
Gil

I have a 1942 Oberndorf M98 that was a 7x57 , is now a .30-338 ..
M98's as the young folks would say 'rocks'
Jack

Gil..The m48 and m48A are true m98 mausers..but they are an intermediate length action...they are a hair shorter than the full size large ring M98...and if I am not mistaken the 24/47 you mentioned is also an intermediate length M98... I have a m48a and I love it..mainly because it is nearly unissued...and it does shoot pretty well.

There are other examples of intermediate length m98s out there too.. I have a Mexican mauser that is sporterized and still in the 7x57 caliber..and it too is an intermediate length m98..

There are sure a lot of different mauser configurations out there. I started collecting C&R rifles about 4 years ago..and I have been facinated by the mausers...and I like to shoot them all...but..my favorite is not the m98...but the Swedish M96 and that 6.5x55 cartridge...the accuracy is scary and you can generally find them with pretty nice bores...

Whatever the flavor, I find the mausers hard to beat!!

Z

Good posts, folks. Now we should talk about the Swedes or the Swiss rifles. All the best...
Gil