Author Topic: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!  (Read 7656 times)

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Offline jd?

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I've always wanted a true Nazi Mauser, but I kinda missed the window of opportunity on the price.  Hell, they've gotten expensive, and I'm awful tight, (broke).  So a couple years ago, when this doofus boyfriend of a gal I work with came to me trying to sell his grand dad's bring back relic, (honest to God ::)) I told him he oughta keep it, and anyway, the most that me or anyone else would probably give him would be a couple hundred bucks. Problem was, the stock had been duffle cut, giving it this amputated look.



He wanted about twice that much, but I said no way, and figured that was that.  BUT -- the guy calls me back later, and says "I'll take your $200."  I'm thinkin,  I don't think I actualy offered it, but what the heck.  Gave the money to his chick, she gave me the gun, and that's how this whole thing started. 

Got it home, and wasn't too impressed.  It was pretty rusty and krusty, and the safety was non functional, AND - the poor stock was amputated.  Up side was, the #s all matched, and it was original, no import stamp, non-refurb or Russian capture.  I started cleaning and learning.  Here's what it looked like after clean-up. (first range trip)



And here's how it shot that day. (hundred yards, my own reloads)


It had cleaned up pretty good, no mechanical problems, bore was kinda ugly, but hey--
Thing is, and I'll bet that I'm not the only one this has happened to, after working on this rifle, cleaning, fondling, and well, I was hooked.  Might be Nazi demons or whatever, but it was now mine. (or maybe vice versa)

First gun show I went to, I acquired dies, brass, bullets, and started lookin for a new stock, or better yet a busted one of the same type that I could rob the forend off of for the repair that it needed.  I soon found that the stock was gonna be a tough one.  They are gettable, but expensive, (did I mention I'm tight).  I couldn't just use it the way it was, so I fixed this forend cap, using a method that I could splice a new forend to if I ever found one.





Well, I started enjoying being a Mauser owner, shooter, cast bullets for it, and it's a real 200 yard gong banger.  BUT!!-- This isn't where the story ends.  Stay tuned for Chapter Two, where one of our good friends with the name of (I think) a Mexican burro, steps up and saves my rifle from the shameful disfigurement that I couldn't seem to fix.  jd



I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.  Groucho Marx

Offline Loose}{Cannon

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Noice..

You make that nose-cap JD?
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Offline jd?

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Noice..

You make that nose-cap JD?

Yeah, my own invention.  I just cut that whittled portion of the stock at a point under the barrel band and installed a threaded aluminum ferrule which the end cap screws to.  my idea was that if I ever found a red glue laminate forend, I could attach it at that point, and simply drill the aluminum for the cleaning rod channel.  It buttoned things up pretty nicely, but I've always wanted to get this thing back to the way it's sposed to be. 

Blicero, (name of a South American surf perch?), came through for me with a full bore stock that had been coated with clear polyurethane.   He gave it to me for a ridiculously small amount compared to what they go for.  That leads into the next installment in this story;  the part where I post a bunch more pics, and blah, blah, blah about stripping the new stock.  jd
I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.  Groucho Marx

Offline Loose}{Cannon

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Good stuffs
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Offline sheepdog

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If it's a laminate stock be careful with the strippers especially a white glue laminate stock.Your current stock looks like a red glue laminate, can't zoom in on it very well. If you don't see any red sections in the laminate it's a white glue laminate. The white glue is basically Elmer's and can delaminate if caution is not used. No oven cleaner!
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Offline Dannyboy53

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Fascinating jd...American ingenuity, you have kept it alive! Good job and a nice looking rifle I'd say.

Offline Blicero

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I've been pestering JD for pics of the restored stock and he wouldn't even oblige me. Come on, JD, quit leaving me hanging by a thread here. You know I'm hooked!
"I reject your suggestion."
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"You would last about an hour in Charlotte before the police were called bc you were walking around outside with a bottle of scotch and a g43."
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"I don't appreciate you showing Nazi images. My old lady's granddad died at Auschwitz."
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Offline jd?

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Ok, I'm back from the salt mines, and even before dark.  ANYWAY --- I received the stock from Blicero (soothing lip balm??), and I was jazzed.  Sure it was coated with ummm probably rattle can clear coat, but actually looked pretty good.  Again, I can't thank ya enough Kevin.  It was hard to capture the varnish-ness of it in a pic, but here's a few.


Heck, I'll cut to the chase and show one where I tried the stripper..  It better shows what the thing was covered with. 


This is the stuff I used, and I like it. 





My goal, and it took great willpower, was to remove ONLY the clear coat.  I didn't want to pretty it up, or sand it down, or otherwise mess with the character of it.  I wanted to open the grain up, and simply clean it, leaving the dings scratches and stains. 

That Cirtistrip is in my opinion, great stuff.  Easiest and best way I found was to simply brush it on with a paint brush, and let it do it's thing, even to the point of drying.  The finish simply turns to a white flakey substance that easily brushes off with a medium bristle dish brush.   A few spots needed a second treatment, but not many.  This stuff works great. 

After the stock was stripped, I scrubbed it with mineral spirits, and then with lacquer thinner, as per Sheepdog's suggestion.  That got things to a very clean dry state that was begging for a little moisturizing.  I simply rubbed a couple coats of BLO on it and reassembled it. 

Here's what we wound up with. Notice I didn't even lose the dirty bird.








As I said, it took great willpower to not start sanding and otherwise refurbish the stock, but I knew I didn't want it to look like a knew stock on an old rifle.  There are stains that in my mind are Nazi blood :o -- or maybe not.  But the point is that this stripper doesn't attack much besides the finish.  I'll give the stuff a two thumbs up. 

I'd also like to thank Sheepdog for expert advice, and once again Blicero (fashionable Italian Handbag??)  for a great stock and a great project.  I don't know if my pics convey the difference that has taken place here, but if you could handle it and see it in person, I think you'd like it.    jd



« Last Edit: March 10, 2015, 07:49:57 AM by jd? »
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Offline Lmbass14

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Very nice jd.
In war, there are no winners or losers.  Just survivors. DR

Offline Blicero

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Beautiful work. I knew you would do the stock justice.

Your one pic with the gunk still on it shows pretty well what you were dealing with but here are a few more:





I cannibalized the gun from which your stock came. It was a true bolt mismatch but poorly maintained- sewer pipe bore with no rifling left, dicked up stock, drilled, no front sight assembly, severe pitting on the action & bolt. It's too bad, it would've been an $800 rifle in good condition.

It looks like you're happy with the restoration, I'm glad you could get your evil Nazi Mauser looking the way it's supposed to look.
"I reject your suggestion."
-Ramcke

"You would last about an hour in Charlotte before the police were called bc you were walking around outside with a bottle of scotch and a g43."
-Ty O

"I don't appreciate you showing Nazi images. My old lady's granddad died at Auschwitz."
"I'm sorry to hear that..."
"Yeah...he fell off a guard tower."
-You Know How I Get Thomas

Regional Spelling Champoin, 6/6/2012

"Why the hell does it look like you turned into some weird trendy libtard?"
-LooseCannon

Offline Loose}{Cannon

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #10 on: March 10, 2015, 05:40:59 PM »
Great work JD    love it!    thumb1
      
1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms... It doesn't matter how many Lenins you get out on the street begging for them to be taken.

Offline jd?

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #11 on: March 10, 2015, 10:57:38 PM »
Thanks guys, it sure looks better hanging on the wall.  Still need to get a cleaning rod, and someday a proper bayonet.

Sorry it took so long to post up some pics, but for me this thread represents a lot of time and burned brain cells.  Matter of fact I think I spent more time putting it together than I did working on the stock.  chuckles1  jd
I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.  Groucho Marx

Offline sheepdog

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #12 on: March 10, 2015, 11:10:50 PM »
You didn't tell me it was a walnut stock. Cupped buttplate to boot, nice.


Oops you did tell me.  :-[
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Offline jd?

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #13 on: March 11, 2015, 07:45:47 AM »
You didn't tell me it was a walnut stock. Cupped buttplate to boot, nice.


Oops you did tell me.  :-[

Yeah, it was the original cut stock that was laminated.  it would still be cool to find the front end of a red glue laminate to finish that project.  That stock is numbered to the rifle. jd
I don't want to belong to any club that will accept me as a member.  Groucho Marx

Offline scarymike23

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #14 on: March 11, 2015, 11:24:03 AM »
Great rifle, cool history, nice write-up, very pretty pictures! Thanks for sharing and for doing right by that rifle jd. It's looking really good.

Offline Phosphorus32

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #15 on: March 12, 2015, 09:34:20 AM »
Great job jd! That is one heckuva beautiful K98!

Offline Dannyboy53

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Re: My K-98 Story - Lots of pics, lots of blah blah blah - Grab a sandwich!
« Reply #16 on: March 12, 2015, 02:38:53 PM »
Awesome job with the rifle jd, looks great.Good write up with photos too!  clap1