I'm currently in the process of refinishing my Mauser K98.  It was originally a Russian capture.

I'm looking to bring this back to as close to original issue condition as I can.  Its a Russian Capture, the numbers don't match, etc. etc.  However, I'd still like to make it look nice and restore it as much as possible.

I was hoping someone might have some good internet links to photos of correctly refinished and restored mausers?  I've been using some of the photo's from Mitchell's Mauser's site and that seems to be a good starting point.  In reading through the forums here it seems that there are alot of folks that are really well educated on the era and the Mauser 98K so I was hoping maybe they could point me in the right direction for some good reference and making this look nice.

As far as the wood goes, I'm down to bare laminated wood now and am in the middle of some light clean-up and sanding.  Steaming out dents, dirt, and grime.  Once done, I'll rub it with mineral spirits and sand down the raised grain.  Once thats complete, I've found some threads here that give me some pretty good info on applying the correct Boiled Linseed Oil finish.

With regards to the metal hardware...based on the pictures of the rifles I could find it appears that the barrel, the barrel bands, the receiver, etc. are all black. I'm guessing thats just very dark bluing to the point until the metal is black).  The details appears black as well (Recoil lug, bayonet lug, sights, etc.).  For the bolt assembly, it appears that it should be the original, unfinished, silver metal color.  Does this sound correct to you?

The bolt assembly on my Mauser apparently was at one time blued very dark and now is faded and worn.  I was thinking of removing that bluing down to the silvery metal like in the reference photos I have.

Any advice, or links to additional reference of correct mausers, or hints would be much appreciated.  Thanks!

There are a lot of variables when attemting to refurbish a K98. For example the year of production and  manufacturer are some big factors. Could you provide photos and I could tell you some more based on what you have.

There are a lot of variables when attemting to refurbish a K98. For example the year of production and  manufacturer are some big factors. Could you provide photos and I could tell you some more based on what you have.

First off, you need to determine exactly what you have before you can understand what it is you're trying to "restore". Second, you've already committed blasphemy by even mentioning sanding. Also, I'm not sure what references you're getting the "silvery metal bolt" thing from, but please tell me it's not Mitchell's Mausers! German K98 bolts were all blued, originally.

Basically, there are at least a couple schools of thought. One says that you will never be able to "restore" that gun, unless you happen to find all of it's original parts, so any modifications to it are considered butchery that will remove it even further from it's historical accuracy. Another says that it's yours, so go ahead and make it as "pretty" as you want to, but get used to the nickname "Bubba". Yet another, would suggest that you can attempt to bring it back to as close to "correct" configuration as you can get it. However, as I stated in the first sentence, you need to know exactly what it is that you have, to research what it once was and how far away from that you are. You should also be warned, however, that this last method can end up costing you more than what you could buy one for that's in a more "correct" state to begin with. None of this even really gets into the financial end of it (if that's a concern to you) which, in short, will usually leave you spending several hundred dollars on a gun only to make it worth less than what you paid for it, to start.

Post some pics!

Yea, I wouldn't use Mitchells as a reference point at all.  If you follow any k98 forums, you wouldn't even want to mention them.  The bolt should be blued, not polished, I can give you some reference pictures if you want.  I have a few original condition bring backs.  Normally I don't sand, but being a Russian capture, I personally don't see harm to it.  I haven't had to do it to my RC's, normally I just remove the shellac, and do a mineral spirits rub down.

Ack....sorry for the blasphemy ;)  There was no blasphemy intended

Looks like I need to give you guys a little more info on what I have and what I'd like to do...

First off, I probably shouldn't have used the term "Restore".  After reading your posts I face-palmed and realized that in a "Curios & Relics" forum that the term "restore" was going to be interpreted as trying to obtain matching parts, etc. etc...in other words...building a collector's piece.

Nah...not trying to build a collector's piece.

Back in '99 I purchased this particular Mauser for about $80.  At the time I was a WW2 Re-enactor and the president of the Historical Reenactment Society had an FFL and could sell us inexpensive Mausers as part of our impression.  As far as rifles go, it was in decent shape.  Once I got rid of the cosmoline and cleaned it up it was a a nice rifle.  The stock was beat to heck, it was a reddish shiny shellaced RC with the "new" Russian serial number stamped into the stock horizontally behind that bolt holder.  It was marked "1937" and "S/42" which I believe indicates Mauser Obendor.  It says "Mod. 98" on the side of the receiver.  A few of the numbers match the numbers on the receiver/barrel.  Most are mismatched.  The mismatched parts (The bolt, magazine, etc. are all electropenned to match the number stamped into the stock).  Everything was blued to black at one time, but the bolt has faded through in many places to metal and there is some surface rust along extractor side of the bolt.  I can't provide any pictures at the moment (Unless you guys want pictures of individual parts and stripped wood furniture) as its all completely stripped and disassembled now.  If pictures of that stuff would help you guys to provide advise though....I'll take some pictures and post 'em.

It was years ago that I stopped being a ww2 reenactor but I've always enjoyed shooting that Mauser at the range.  I've put many rounds through that Mauser and I absolutely love shooting it.  So I decided that I want to clean it up, refinish it, and make it look as nice as I can.  It took some "doing" but I got the finish stripped off down to bare wood.  I was able to get out most of the soaked in oil and assorted goo.

I don't intend to spend much money on it, or attempt to get matching parts.  So I guess for terms of this discussion I do not intend to "restore" it.  What I would like to do however is choose a refinishing method that is close as possible to the original.  I'd like to do my best to refinish it to a point that it at least "feels" and "looks" like it just came out of the armory.

I pretty much HAVE To sand it.  Blasphemy or not.  There are splinters, rough patches, etc.  Its rough enough that if you were to slide your hand down the stock, you might get an unpleasant surprise in the form of one or more splinters.  I was able to steam out most of the dents but I'll need to do some sanding and stock refinishing in order to make it smooth again.

That was sad to hear about Mitchell's.  I hadn't ever heard of them and saw an advertisement in Guns & Ammo.  I visited their website and thought the rifles were really nice.  Seeing those nice rifles is what made me decide to refinish my own.

With regards to the Silvery Metal bolt I mentioned...yup...I got that from the Mitchell's Mausers site.  You can go take a look at www.mauser.net yourself and look at the gallery there.  In many of the pictures of K98's, M48's, and this Tanker Mauser they are selling...they all have shiny silver bolts.  I'm really glad I posted and asked here because if I hadn't, I just would have guessed that using Mitchell's Mausers was a good reference.

I'd appreciate any reference photos or internet links to good reference you guys have.  That would really help to be able to see what it SHOULD look like.  As mentioned previously, any advice on refinishing the wood or the worn metal pieces would be great.  The barrel/receiver is in pretty good shape and is nice and black.  The bolt assembly, magazine assembly, and trigger guard all need to be black again though...they are faded to bare metal in many places.

If you guys need any pictures of any of the individual parts and it doesn't matter to you that they are disassembled, just let me know and I'll get some pictures.

What is the code and year of this particular rifle?  All the finishes from what Ive read in Linseed oil.  Most appears different as it gets darker with age.  


Here is my byf45 which is mismatch bolt bring back which you can use as a reference.  It came with a 2nd stock, but both are original.  

http://s1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa462/jsko/BYF45%20k98%20Mauser/

Check out the K98 forum at Gunboards. There are tons of good pictures and discussions there that will give you a better idea of what you're looking for, rather than trying to explain it in words, alone.

For a '37 Oberndorf, I believe it should have a walnut stock (forget when they started using laminate, but want to say that it was at least 1938 and, even then, they continued to use walnut as well, especially at Oberndorf) with a flat buttplate. Bands should be milled and front band would be the H type. As for finish, like I said, pictures would likely serve you better and I don't have any of that particular factory/period. The closest original I would have is a '44 Oberndorf, but a lot had changed by then.

Mitchell's is pretty much the laughing stock of the collecting community. You can do a Google search and the hits would keep you busy for years (but it will only take about five minutes to figure out their scam). They sell some "pretty" rifles, but the terms "original" and "collectable", which they like to use so often, pushes their advertising into fraud territory.

I wish you luck with your project. If it's a good shooter and the damage is already done....well, it is what it is. So, enjoy it for what it is.

I have cleaned up a bunch of RC's over the years. here are some shots.



























HDH.

Nice rifles, HDH!

Okay, I'll admit it. I've done one (sort of). This is a '44 Sauer that I stripped the shellac off of. It's a very nice, early Oberndorf stock. No sand paper or chemicals, though. Just good old duct tape and it worked like a charm.

Thanks.  I'll check that out.



Thanks again for giving me the heads up on that.  After taking a look at the pictures that folks have posted in this thread of refinished/restored Mausers...wow...i see what you mean.




Wow!  Those are incredible hansellhd!  You should be very proud.  Thankyou very much for sharing those photos.  They will help me immensely and will go along way towards keeping me from f***ing this up.

Those are really some incredible rifles.  I may have to snag one of those pics and make my desktop for the week out of it




Very nice AKJP.  I'd have been embarassed to post pics of my rifle prior to me stripping it down.  Hopefully it'll turn out nice once all is said and done.



As I mentioned previously...my 98 is completely stripped so please forgive its condition in the pictures that follow.  I took some pictures of the parts of my rifle this afternoon as you guys had asked that I post pictures.  Hopefully I took pictures of the right stuff.

Thanks again guys.  Using the pictures from AKJP and handellhd I should be able to use those as a reference.  Thankyou.

Nice Walnut stock on that rifle good job.

HDH.

Can you tell me about the one with the scope and mount? are they both repro, or is the scope original, etc? I might do a project like that soon. im interested in details like brand, price, how the mount attaches, etc. thank you.  Last, in order to put a ZF-41 type mount on there, the rifle needed a bracket or mounting piece permanently attached from the factory, correct?  so i cant just turn any rifle into a repro ZF-41 sniper right?

another question for anyone with experience in this...

I have stripped shellac off of R/C's and applied BLO many times.

BUT, what if i acquire a rifle that already has the finished stripped off, and the stock is too light? what can i use to darken it so it has that original aged / darkened look? i know BLO darkens with age but i want it to look like my vet bringbacks

As I refer to your pictures here, I was wondering if you could clarify a few things in the images for me.  Sometimes its difficult for me to tell the color by looking at photos so I was wondeirng if you could confirm for me:

1)  Proper color of the entire bolt assembly.  It should be black correct?
2)  I notice that on alot of the photos that long claw extractor is reddish or has a light coppery sheen of rust on it.  What is the correct color for that extractor arm?  Should it be stripped down to polished silvery steel and thats why it has the reddish patina in so many photos I see?  Or should it be black like the rest of the bolt assembly?
3)  The bolt handle, bolt sleeve, gas shield, safety lever, and cocking piece..all black as well correct?
4)  I notice that the bolt release lever on most of the photos also has a copperish or rust patina?  What should have been the original color of that?  Should it have been polished silvery metal...or should it have been black as well?
5)  On the left and right side of the rifle are the little metal "disks" where the recoil lug crossbolt goes through the rifle.  One side is just a flat disk and the other side has the holes for the gizmo that helps to remove the recoil lug...what color should these "disks" be?  I see some photos where they appear to be black, and others silver?
6)  Lastly, the bolt take down ring on both sides of the stock should be silver metal correct?

Thanks!

1. Yes, black/blued. Late war bolts may be phosphate, so a dark gray.

2. Extractors were often what they call "plum". this is correct and common, although some may be more plum than others.

3. Yes. The same applies as in #1, above.

4. Yes. Again, this may be similar to the extractors. However, I see fewer plum bolt releases, than extractors.

5. These are typically blued/black, as well. However, it may depend on the period and factory and perhaps someone a little more educated in those variations could clarify, but mostly blue/black are correct.

6. Yes. The bolt discs are silver. Sometimes, you'll see Russian captures, or rifles that have been to other places, where these are painted, blued, or even covered with shellac. Original German rifles would be in the white, however. The same would apply to buttplates.

Thanks AKJP.  That helps.

That "plum" color you mentioned...I've never used it before...everything I've ever touched up has been cold blued with Brownell's Oxpho-Blue paste.

Do you happen to have a tip on a cold-blue type product that I might use to obtain the correct plum color?

I'm not sure on how to do it. However, I know that a gunsmith friend of mine gets pissed when he blues a part and it comes out purple. LOL.

From what I've been told, it has something to do with the amount of nickel in the metal and the particular blueing agent being used. Don't hold me to that, however. I would check some gunsmithing sites, or perhaps the workbench forum at Gunboards. Or, maybe some of our other members are more in the know than I am.

Will do.  I'm hoping its relatively simple I can do at home like doing a little touch-up with cold blue.

And thanks again AKJP

i always thought it had something to do with the amount of "spring" / temper there was to the steel?

Well...if I don't find an answer out on the net sometime in the next few days...I may just get impatient and try cold-bluing the whole bolt assembly and see what happens.  If the extractor ends up in that plum color...then we'll know its something to do with the composition of the metal of the extractor and not a certain product.

I do see a couple of "Plum" products on Brownells site...but it mentions they are for that "old" look like muskets and such.  Either way...I'll have to poke around and do some more research.  Maybe someone will chime in who has done this before.

I just did a quick google search and this is one of the first links that popped up. Check it out:

http://www.saubier.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7368

It is due to the fact that the extractor is spring steel vs the rest of the bolt.  

I had one reblued when I sent it off to be rebuilt and the extractor came back a nice plum color while the rest of the rifle is almost black.

Great.  Thanks guys.

I'll see what happens with cold blue.  I'm certainly no bluing expert, but I'd have to guess that the results a person might get from cold blue might be different than hot blue.  So I'm thinking that maybe the spring steel parts will end up plum...maybe not.

Holy shit, the wife better go see her mother for the weekend 'cause I got major wood after seeing those pictures!