About 5 years ago I bought a sporterized K98 8mm Mauser for $100. It had a beautiful stock and I am a sucker for a nice piece of wood.
I fooled around with it for over a year trying to get it shoot, but to no avail.
The stock was to short for me and that a steel butt plate, this 6 pound rifle. The recoil is very bad even with US factory ammo.
The sights were express style sights that just flopped around.
The trigger was an original Mauser.
And there was small hair line crack behind the recoil lug.

So, I finely took it to my gunsmith. He asked me what I wanted? I told him first and foremost I wanted him to give it good going over. Then we would talk about what he thought need to be done. But I wanted a fitted recoil pad, a peep sight, a new trigger, and the stock pined.

He suggested that he check the hardness of the action, slug the chamber and at least an inch of the barrel, and it may need recrowned.

About a month later he calls me and says he's got it ready. He has done everything I wanted. Plus he has checked the hardness of the action, slug the chamber and at least an inch of the barrel, and recrowned the barrel.

So, I went to see him with my reloading components and equipment so I could up some load and use his range. When the smith saw my results he could suggested we send the rifle and loads to a testing lab to be sure I was not running way hot loads ever though there were high pressure signs. My 170/180 gr loads are running almost 2800 fps. My 200 gr loads are running over 2600 fps. My 220 gr loads are running over 2400 fps. And all of this is with a 22” barrel. All loads shot 2” or a little less at 100 yards with a peep sight and my 60 year old eye.

About two months later we got the results. My loads were not hot for this rifle.

All of this was over 2 years ago and I put the rifle back in the safe.

Now for the hunt

Two weeks ago I decided to use this rifle deer hunting. Reconfirmed the 200 gr loads and their sight ins.

On Dec. 31, 2009 I decided that on Jan. 6, 2010 I would go a 4 day deer hunt. But there is winter storm in the forecast for Jan 6 and 7. On Jan 6 called me and that her employer Mississippi State University will be closed on Jan 7 because on the storm and she will want me to take her for cancer treatment on the morning of Jan 7.

The morning of Jan 7, I awake to freezing rain, sleet and snow but the main streets and roads are clear. I don't to leave for camp until after 11:00 PM. It's 12 miles from my house to the camp house and that drive takes almost an hour because the road isn't clear. I get to the camp and no one is there. So I build a fire in the wood stove on the camp house and the skinning room and head for the pines.

So over the course of 4 days kill 3 deer with a 70 year old rifle with a peep sight at ranges of 75 – 268 yards.

One our young members saw me shot the last deer at 268 yards and same to help get the deer out. When he got to me he said, “You know, for 60 year old, one eyed blind man, you do shot pretty well. Just like Dad said. And with an very old rifle at that.”

Who else hunts with an 8mm Mauser?

nice story! may i ask what your load is for the 200 grain bullet (i assume its a speer bullet)

i hunt with a k98 mauser, you couldnt ask for a better cartridge to hunt with. enjoy hunting with a legendary peice of history, and a kick ass rifle/round as well!

A max load or a .5 grain of IMR 4350.I don't have my load book in front of me. Work up slowly.

I have one that I am working up loads for now.So far it has promise.I think I will lean to the 150gr bullets for now.Nice to know that all that old stuff still works HUH.

The 150's should work well but I always felt the 8MM was made for the 200 grainers.

I took my first deer 46 years ago with a borrowed 98K 8x57. I think it was a 1943 model, best I remember. Some of the wood had been chopped off of the forend and the handguard removed to "sporterize" it, but otherwise it was straight wartime military. I've always had a soft spot for them since.

I recently came by a 1950's sporter with a plain stock and someone's cheap commercial barrel built on an nice FN Mauser. My plans are to rework it with a classic stock and an 8x57 barrel into a light European-style sporter.

My only rifle for about 15 years was a lightly sporterized K98 war souvenir. I had no complaints with it and occasional consider gussying it up and using it. Since I got my first deer, bear and moose with it I feel obliged to keep it as it was out of nostalgia.

I inherited an old German K98 8mm Mauser, at least I think it is a K98 from comparison the only markings on it are the serial no. which are in German, from my uncle several years back and I have used it on hogs. I was told by my uncle before he passed that the rifle is from WWII and he changed the stock. Been using some 180gr soft points loaded by GA Arms.

I have one ram line camo stock mil barrel after market trigger burris scope. It has killed bear and deer.

I use 185gr rem corloks in it.

This thread is almost useless w/o some pics!!!

No question about it.....the 8mm Mauser is a true and powerful rifle capable of long range shooting.

Personally, I think you spent more money at the smith than was necessary....but that's a decision everyone makes for themselves.

Here's hoping you get another one next year!

OH, I have a couple. roger

quote:

Originally posted by RaySendero:
This thread is almost useless w/o some pics!!!

Happy to oblige

Vapodog, you are right I did spend more than was necessary. And you would think that after 40 years I would have learned not to do that.