After Action Reports

Krag's aren't that hard to find, my brother in law has one, and again it’s hard to go to a gun show and not run across a 30-40.
Also, a word to the wise. The VAST majority of K98's out there are actually post war VZ-24's. The VZ-24 is a near perfect copy of the K98 made in Yugoslavia from 1945-1958(?)<I can look it up if anyone’s that interested> Many have been purposefully altered to appear to be wartime K98's. An immediate give away (I have one) is the stamp on the barrel says, "made in Germany" <Had it been a German stamp it should say"macht im Deutschland" or something close>
I have a collector’s magazine with a great article on K98 knock offs. BRNO in Czechoslovakia continued to produce K98's into the '50's also. As did many small firms in Germany. And all over the world.
Believe it or not, in the '40's NAZI/German stuff wasn’t as nearly as prized as it today. 98% of K98 were either destroyed or sold to third world armies. As war booty former occupied countries were allowed to take ownership of millions of K98's, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Denmark, France, and Italy sold almost all the K98's they had to Central/South American, African, Asian and most other poor countries. Many were sold in each other’s colonial possessions.
Most of these rifles served hard time in the hands of communist rebels, drug runners, or militia members for years and have since been lost to history. Meaning most of what you see at gun show’s is post war build, or rebuilt models.
A great source for good K98's is Israel. They purchased hundreds of thousands of K98's from Czechoslovakia in the '40's. They rechambered them for NATO .308 later on, and then mothballed them. These can be purchased from Israel over the Internet. You must have them delivered to a licensed gun dealer. I purchased one 4-5 years ago and was very impressed with the shape the rifle was in. It has the stylized Czech lion on the receiver, with a Star of David stamped over it.

 

Until recently we still had tens of thousands of K98s in the German army - in the one single unit that still has them - the Wachtbatallion. This is a ceremonial unit, and use the K98 for presenting arms. A while ago, some smart guy figured out that this single unit does not need 20 000 rifles, but could easily make do with three thousand. So they sold the rest. Don't know if there are any still out there. These would be German ones of course.

 

Hello Tally, I know Krags arent THAT rare. Mine is an 1898 Krag Carbine all matching #'s with an original Army Arsenal marked Leather Sling--still supple and in very nice condition, that is much much rarer than yout average Krag on the market.. What I said about rarer was the fact that I rarely taks my Krag out and fire it. Its 30-40 ammo is no longer made and hasnt been for around 20 years. I still have 2 boxes of ammo made in the late 50's early 60's?

Krag Carbines--not long guns are rarer, and will fetch starting prices at about $1,400.00. Krag Carbines were issued to US Cavalry units fighting in Cuba under Lt.Col Teddy Roosevelt. I bought this one with accessories and the two boxes of vintage ammo for $385.00 as the seller was selling off his collection of weapons. He also has a Walther P-38 1944 BYF coded (Walther) serial number 7777, for sale at $500.00 at that time,which I felt was a bit too high for a matching P-38.

Well, about 3 years later, a collector/dealer friend of mine bought this P-38 from some dealer in Houston--not the same person I bought the Krag from. He then offered it to me as he knew I loved Walther P-38's. UNfortunately I had just bought my 1936 S-42 K-98 for $650.00 and just could not afford this pistol. Well, 2 years fter the fact, I saw this very P-38 at todays gunshow, for sale at $700.00--which is too @#$%^& high. The person who now owns it is out of Zapata, Tx. As I knew who the past owners of this particular P-38 were, I already knew all about this particular weapon. The dealer was shocked that I knew all about this P-38 as I told him the history behind it--the people who owned it and what price the pistol sold for and when. Sometimes you HAVE to keep a dealer straight (he was trying to bullsheite me about it) but it backfired.

 

.30-40 ammo is still made. Hornady, Black Hills, and I believe Winchester still make it, you just can’t find it at Wal-Mart. My favorite gun store keeps it on the shelf.
Andreas, as I said in my post the K98 remained in production in Germany well into the 1950's. I would doubt most of the K98's you spoke of were/are WWII vintage. Most countries using the K98, off the top of my head, Spain, Israel, Argentina, Iran and Norway went to the new models as they were equipped with flash suppressors, new sights, and were converted to fire NATO .308 in the '50's. Older 7.92mm models were phased out of most militaries. I’m not sure about Germany, if you have pics of this unit look for a flash suppressor on the muzzle, if its there the gun is .308.

 

Andreas: Have you contacted our big boss blokes and arranged to come? If you have in what capacity will you be there? As a full member? Observer? Photogropher even? I look forward to meedting you there, if you like e-mail me at 'stoofmeister@hotmail.com'.

 

Tally, thats great news to me about Krag still being made, problem is, almost nobody either knows about it or either doesnt know where to get it---like in my case.

I deal and or know many many dealers and not one of them were aware of Krag 30.40 still being manufactured--sure as hell cant buy it around here in Texas.

I had always thought it was stupid to quit manufacturing a popular round. I do know for afact that at least in the southern part of Texas, back when I was knee-high to a grasshopper, I do know my father used to take his Krag out to the range about once a month and fire it. This was about 30 years ago. At that time, Krag ammo was scarce here in Texas and dealers eventually dropped Krag.

Then 8X57 became more popular as well as .303 British and .3006 Springfield and you saw many more people out on the ranges firing that kind of ammo.

Im not sure on what you mean on your point about the Mausers and where they were made at? I know where they were produced at tho I do not know production numbers.

I only collect Mausers made at Karl Gustavfstadt Mauserwerke. I have a mint 1911 Karl Gustavstadt made there for the Austrian Army. This rifle I paid about $250.00 for, which is I do admit a bit high, BUT, it was all original and mint. You couldnt have a better specimin than I have. This rifle fired the 6.5X55 Mauser ammo.

I do not yet collect Czech Mausers, and I will not collect Mexican Mausers which are made by Mendoza which all are pieces of sheite, as well as all Mendoza made "colt .45's" Buying guns made by them is actually much more worse than buying guns made by Norinco.

Brazilian Mausers are good ones as well as Peruvian made Mausers. The rest I wouldnt give a dime for.

 

Tally, by the way--neither of mu Mausers are stamped with a made in Germany ((Deutschland)) stamp. My S-42 is actually stamped as being made in Bavaria and has the Royal Bavarian Crest. The other is simply stamped as made at Karl Gustavstadt.

 

I saw severel posts about people purchasing G/K 98's. I was merely pointing out that people should be very careful when buying "Nazi Mauser's" as most are fakes.
Worse than the Mexican Mausers are the Chinese broomhandle Mausers. I still have the one I bought about 6 years ago. I knew what it was, just not how sh!$$y they are. I paid $150 or $175 for it. Never has cycled a round. I call it "Ole one shot" It has been fired so many times the fingers on the extractor are worn off, so it will only eject an empty cartridge when holding it straight up in the air
POW!!!!!! Clink! <stovepipe>
(clear jam)
POW!!!!!! Clink! <stovepipe>
(give up
When you shake the pistol, you can hear parts rattle inside. Many parts. Rattling loudly.

 

No problem. The deal with my Mauser is I do know who all the owners of it were since it was "liberated" from ite first owner.

The G.I. who "liberated" it, had it in his gun collection from 1945 to 1985, and had never fired a round from it. He sold it to another collector, who lives in Houston, Texas, who kept it for 10 years--and had to sell it as he was going through a divorce with his wife.

A Houston gun dealer bought it and had it in his collection till he sold it to me in february 1998. Its been in my collection since then--neith of us had fired any rounds from it either.

The only reason this dealer sold it, is because his wife was expecting at the time and he needed money, so it now belongs to me.

IF I ever sell it, I will have it sold by either Sotheby's or Butterfields only.

 

So my friend, how much are you asking ? ......just kidding of course. Hang onto that small piece of history. My 2 Mausers have been shot repeatedly. Especially the ar 1942 K 98. I've shot this thing many, many times at our outdoor range primarily to remember the "feel" of a fine piece of equipment and then brag about my sore black and blue shoulder after 50 rounds......

Erich

 

Stefan where would be a good place to get a crezch liner for a helmet. Also does anyone know what is a good price for swiss mountain troop boots, since they look alot like german low ankle boots and where a good supplier of them is. Thanks.

 

I am sorry, I dont know where to get a helmet liner, I can get them here but I havent a clue about in the USA, same goes for the boots. I want to get a pair for myself but I cant find them anywhere over here. I have a pair or German Ankle boots anyway, they look good but are a bit uncomfortable. Also, walking around a smooth concrete surface in them is murder. Jack boots are good too, I plan on getting a pair some time, when I cna scrounge enough moulah.

 

My unit doesn't want me to get jackboots even though I think they look way cooler then low ankle boots. ATF sells reproduction ones for $200. Also well I was checking out some stuff online I found a place that is selling those swiss boots for $65.

 

Who is doing the mountain boots? I may get a couple of pairs (order in bulk and sell them on). You would have thought it was easier to ger swiss boots in europe. Oh well.

 

I have an adjustable Norwegian liner, fits size 66 and 68, with pins, $20 plus shipping. Email me if interested.

 

Hey Erich, just remember to put the stock into the socket of your shoulder and you will have no black and blue problems. I know someone who fired a 12 gauge shotgun and had not placed it correctly had fired it 5 times (barely) and was black-n-blue for two weeks.

I almost made that mistake oncet upon a time when I fired a friends 30-30 Winchester for the first time.

I myself, only like firing shotguns from the hip--no chance at soreness.

Anyone ever try firing a .50 cal. Long Tom? We have two, and if you arent proped up against a tree or something solid--you WILL be knocked on you tin can, and you will have very sore bruised shoulders for about 3 weeks. This happened to my brother in law who fired 5 rounds from the Long Tom, AND he held it correctly.

 

Mossberg 590 12 gauge + full choke+ 3 1/2 00 buckshot= ouch

 

Ouch is right, thats what we used when I was working for the state of texas. I hated the thing, and preferred the AR-15 and the .357 Magnums we wore at the hip.

 

Stefan grenadier depot is selling them.