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REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 07:18 PM
Yowza! it came today. TheRifleman I know you're going to want to hear this:

I ordered this from Century, VG condition $99.87 with bayo...

First off, IMO the rifle is in excellent+ / unissued condition.

The stock is bone dry and thus looks a little faded and feels sort of rough but it will shine up great with some oil. The stock only has three or four dings in it, besides that it is pristine. I'd rate the stock at excellent. I have an unissued M48 who's stock is comparable to this one except for the fact this one is so dry. Actually my unissued M48 has more dings in the stock than this one. No splits or deep scratches or anything and I looked it over reallly good. Only those few dings here and there from storage/handling. The butt is slightly darker at the very end. Very nice grain. Looks like teak.

The finish is 95%+, dark black blueing. Not a cheap refurbish park job. The only metal that shows blueing wear is the buttplate which has about 10% wear, the stock bolt is completely no blue, and the bolt tool/washer on the butt is also almost 0 blue, the sling swivels show slight loss of blue. Besides that the barrel, bands, receiver are99% a few little scratches up by the import engraving.

Here is the best part: The bore and chamber are new. There is no pitting, no discoloration, the bore is as shiny and crisp as a new AK. It is bright! It is crisp! It almost looks chrome lined. I mean it looks like an AK. Did they chrome line mauser barrels? It was full of cosmo and I only ran a few patches of lemon oil down it first to clean off, then a solvent patch and it just came out a cosmo color. No fouling at all. I've never seen a barrel as nice as this on a surplus rifle and it's not 100% clean yet.

The bolt appears to be new. There is no tarnish, a couple of tiny spots maybe and the bolt head is clean and shiny. The bolt does not match the receiver however.

The sights are marked in a funky language. It is not roman numerals. I think it's either the arishi or arabic. I'm leaning towards Arabic. I need to look at the Persian Mausers at the Samco sight to check, but I'm pretty sure they're Arabic. Perhaps this is a BRNO manufactured Persian Mauser? The receiver has the BRNO mark.

The serial number is B3# just two digits.

This is the best mauser I ever bought for under $100 and I am going to order another one tomorrow. I could sell this at a show for $200 easy if I cared to.

I know it's going to shoot good with that bore- fantastic.

OK TheRifleman, I know this all sounds too good to be true but let's compare it to the M24 Yugo's that AIM was selling in VG condition. We both got one or two of those. This one is better by about 30%, the stock is much better, the finish is as good (my M24 has a great finish) and the bore and chamber is simply unbelievable. Another comparison- it's as good as my FR8 I got from Century in VG condition, another rifle I'd rate as excellent+.
1 Patriot can attest to the FR8 condition we got ours at the same time, and that rifle was refinished with a park job.

The down side- the only serial numbers are bolt, receiver and stock. All three don't match. The bolt has a four digit number on it, but once again, it looks to be new.

I suppose this rifle was rearsenaled, but man they did a great job on it.

I hope they are all as nice as this one. I'm willing to risk another $100 to find out. If yours aint as good don't blame me, but this one IS NOT like the picture I posted the day I ordered this. It is a strong excellent IMO.

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 07:58 PM
Oh yeah, the bayo is in good shape, not as good as the rifle though. The wood on the hilt looks like teak too.

TheRifleman
11-06-2001, 08:14 PM
Ahhhh damn.....

So do I go to AIM tomorrow and get another K-31 ($109.)or do I buy this 98/22 mauser? shit.....to top it all off I called I/O today to ask when the Yugo SKS's would be in. They say they are in country and should clear customs this week sometime. Said they should be shipping rifles in two weeks time. I won't hold my breath but I did order one in like new condition. They don't charge the card until the rifle ships.

Anyway....damn.....I really am gonna go broke.

redstar do you have a digicam so you can post some pics of this thing. You're killin' me.

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 08:28 PM
No I dont have a camera unfortunately. I looked at the stock again and I can't tell if it's teak or not because it's so dry. I've never seen a stock as dry as this. It's a little greyish because of this. I was just reading some stuff on the 98/22 and the Czechs sold a bunch of these to the Turks, the Turks put on Arabic sights, so that's the deal with the sight leaf. The stock wood is very similar in appearance to my VG Turk Mauser so I don't think its teak. The barrel is not chrome lined but man is it shiny and crisp, I can't get over it.

I have an SKS waiting to be charged myself. I haven't seen the K31's but that would be a hard choice. The design of this rifle is very similar to the Turk. It's a little more graceful and the stock is a few inches shorter, but it looks to be the same length overall. The stock wood stops a few inches shorter than the turk. I'll try to find someone elses picture and compare it to that.

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 08:42 PM
This is from the OG page:

The 98/22s were exported to several countries including Turkey during their term of production. In my collection is a rather interesting m98/22. It is Czechoslovakian through and through including a shank stamp of CESKOSLOVENSKA ZBROJOVKA =BRNO= and a standard E-prefix serial number. It also has what appears to be a name pencilled in Czech lettering on the top underside of the upper handguard.

The rear sight elevation ladder, however, tells a different tale. It is in Turkish / Eastern Arabic rather than Western numerals.

This fits this rifle except for it's a B prefixed number and I don't know what's under the handguard.

Couldn't find a pic anywhere.

TheRifleman
11-06-2001, 08:45 PM
Yeah and to beat it all Redstar, my card just got hit from Samco for a 91/30 Mosin and for a VKT and B-barrel M-39 from WG&A...so bam $400. on the card in the last couple days. Thats the bad thing about this license. I was buying guns with cash. Now with the license, things go faster...much faster if you just use the card. Going to have to be careful about that.

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 08:50 PM
No kidding. I'm going overboard again this month. My next paycheck is more than spent. I hate carrying balances on my cards too. If I don't charge anything else, I'll be able to pay off all this stuff. i may have to reconsider a second one of these, for a few days anyway until the bug bites again. I don't want you to think I'm overrating this rifle though. It's really nice, I just got to figure the best oil for the stock, it worries me it's so damn dry.

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 09:31 PM
I forgot to mention the cleaning rod is in a raw silver state, not blued. Looks a little weird because the blueing on the rifle is so dark.

I can't wait to shoot this with the Yugo ammo. Unless these are calirated for Turk ammo since they sold them to the Turks. Aiiiiiiigh! :confused: I just though about that. Better bring both types.

zouavexx
11-06-2001, 09:36 PM
REDSTAR, the new Mauser sounds great!


You really need to buy a cheap digital camera!


Zou

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 09:42 PM
Thanks Zou! But I can buy more guns if I don't! ;)

whos2kno
11-06-2001, 10:08 PM
REDSTAR
ask for a camera for Christmas.then you can save all of your money for guns( I mean bills;) )

1 Patriot-of-many
11-06-2001, 10:15 PM
DAMN sounds pretty tempting......Glad you got one so nice!!
I'm still thinking about how to explain possibly buying that special rifle I was telling you about.......

whos2kno
11-06-2001, 10:17 PM
I'm still thinking about how to explain possibly buying that special rifle I was telling you about.......

SPECIAL RIFLE???????

hummmm lets here about it

REDSTAR
11-06-2001, 10:30 PM
The investment angle is the most truthful for that baby 1PM! That was a great deal.

Schuetzenman
11-07-2001, 06:54 AM
I vote you get another K31 TheRifleman. Strike while the Iron is Hot so to speak. K31's are not going to be around forever. Only about a half million made and you know not all are going to leave Switzerland. The Swiss still like to target shoot with them as they are very accurate and some Swiss see them for the pieces of History they are and aren't letting go.

Then there is the facts that as Redstar has said his rifle is sort of a patch work quilt (my words) of different technologies. Euro built but Turk sights, etc. Mismatched bolt to receiver. The K31's aren't going to be mismatched for the most part.



Redstar, yes if it has the Turk sights take the Turk ammo I'm betting that's what will work best with it. Redstar have you headspaced your 98/22? That mismatched bolt thing gives me a little concern.

REDSTAR
11-07-2001, 09:12 AM
Yeah, I plan on having that done sometime this week before I take it out.

The funny thing about this rifle is that everything is so pristine, it must have been professionally refinished. It couldn't have stayed in this condition for 80 years. The barrel looks to be brand new, there's not any tarnish in the chamber whatsoever. I suspect that the headspace will be A-OK, the bolt is brand new looking too, but I agree the HS should be checked.

I'll post a report when I take it out.