Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles K98 Mauser in 7.62

I have found a K98 Mauser in 7.62, for around $675 Austrailian. It is in imaculate condition has a 24 inch barrell and has only fired afew shots. Full wood stock. Does any one know if these are a accurate military rifle. May shoot in the military class. Will try to post pics when they are sent to me.

Israel rebarreled a bunch of those. They were really cheap in the states. Opinions vary as to the suitability of the action for the cartridge.

NO they don't..... K98 will handle 308 or any other cartridge you want to barrel it for, length permitting. Lots of them in 300 WinMAg, 338WinMAg etc..... You did it again Swampy, another really dumb statement.

Not sure as to the accuracy reputation of these, not having owned one. Probably could be made to work nicely even if one had to glass bed it and /or firelap the barrel.

I bet I've seen 1000+ post on a dozen+ forums by knowledgeable riflemen questioning the use of these Model 98s in 7.62NATO.

Another dumbass statement from Swampy.

K98's have been used for belted mags for nearly 100 years and they develop much more bolt thrust than the .308/7.62 does.

As for feeding a SA cartridge, there has to be several million k98 and its derivatives so chambered with complete success.

HAve one in my safe chambered to 3oo Belted NEwton. Drives 130gr TTSX bullets out at 3500fps. Am quite sure it would handle a 308 barrel.......

There HAVE been questions about chambering the '93 and '95 Mausers to high intensity rounds as they have less locking lug bearing surface and not as good steel and less advanced heat treatment hardening. Even the much weaker SMLE's have been barrelled to 308 (Ishtapour version from India) with no problems however.

A civilian conversion and a third world conversion aren't the same thing. The 7.62NATO K98s converted in India are real POSs. Of course they didn't have much to start with. The SMLEs will set the bolt lugs back in no time.

Big [bleep]' difference between an SMLE and a K98.

The K98 was designed around the 8x57; if it'll handle that, and it will EASILY, then the 7.62NATO is no problem.

Amazing..... just amazing..... No where did I mention a conversion done in India of a K-98. Lots of them done by industrial nations for thier own arsenals and lots of other high intesity rounds as well. Gobs of them done in 30/06 and 308 (7.62 NATO) by military contracts all over the industrialized world. The whole short or medium short to us nowadays MAgnum craze of the 40's and 50's were to give magnum performance in - you guessed it- K-98 Mausers!!! Lots coming in a surplus and they made and still make wonderful sporting rifles so barrelled. I have seen more than a few in Africa converted to 375 H&H in the hands of PH's and Harry Selbys famed 416 RIGBY for cryin out loud was custom built from a surplus MAUSER! Unbelievable ignorance being spouted and quoted as known fact.

To the OP, sorry this got hijacked, Swampychit is known to jump in occasionally and say really dumb stuff revolving around topics he knows nothing about. Again, I am sure you could make this work pretty well, even if you needed to tweak it a little. Bedding, re-crowning, and firelap polishing has been known to turn many a sows ear barrel into a silk purse. Lapping in the locking lugs would not hurt either if the rifle does not shoot just fine as you get it, which it well could.

I've shot my brother's Chilean Mauser 98 that was arsenal converted to 7.62 NATO. It shoots fine. I had read in various places how the short cartridge wouldn't feed right in the long action, but we've never had a problem with this one feeding, it's smooth and trouble-free.

I would not have any issues with a K98 in 308. Israel did many of them. The only ones I have heard that were questionable were the Spanish actions Lacortuna if memory serves. Any German or Checz built 98 Mauser would be fine for whatever you can fit in the action IMHO.

I think the Mauser that Swamp is referring to is the M1916s.

Likely, um... not.

Good link, those are not K-98's being questioned. Again, one in 308 would outlast several owners life expectancies.

Exactly. Those aren't even K98s, or '98s of any stripe, and yet, they are STILL fine in 7.62x51.

Given that the '93s lack much in the way of strength of the '98, to think that a '98 would flinch at a .308, is foolish. Especially when you open your [bleep]' eyes to what HAS been and IS built on a '98, daily.

Will the K98 shoot under MOA at 100 yards and beyond? I figured being a mauser action,you really cant go wrong,they are very reliable and very strong. Good action should produce good accuracy protencial? Yes?

It can, if it's built right, loaded right, and you do your part.

Many many rifles built from K-98's will do this and better, but the unknown is the barrel quality, condition of same, and bedding. I would say buy it and if it does not shoot as well as you need it to, then bed the action area. If still not shooting as well as it should, have the muzzle re-crowned and lap the barrel. Rarely will this combination of procedures not give better than 1 MOA accuracy with good ammo and a good shooter. No way to tell, unfortunaetly, without buying the gun and giving it a try. Yes, it is a very good action to be starting with and so you do have a good starting basis and a better than average chance at having a winner there. Got to get it and shoot it to know for sure though. Good luck.

Yes, the potential is there if you're building a custom rifle using that action, AND if you're willing to spend a bunch of money to do it properly. If you want to use it as is, then you have to consider barrel, bedding, crown, etc. I've seen a bunch of 98ks converted to 308 that look like they've been to Hell and back. They may or may not shoot well. I once owned a very crisp Israeli conversion of a DWM action (M-24?) with the Star of David stamped in the stock and Hebrew markings. It shot very well, but it was in nearly new condition and had seen little if any action.

No matter what you want to do with this rifle, I'd be concerned about feeding. The magazines of Mausers of a specific model were built for one cartridge and one cartridge only. If it wasn't the 308, then they can bind. I've seen a bunch that do it, and it takes a knowledgable touch to correct it the right way.


Okie John