Two k98's i just got at auction what next???

[kcw]

thanks kcw kinda what I was thinking I don't know about the bore so that's a guess till I get my hands on them

BUT IS IT A GOOD DEAL??? that's 1000 bucks I could do a lot with a grand hell I could get a garand with a grand

It's an OK deal IF the bores are nice, or at least well shootable. At this point There's probably no way of knowing how they made their way into this country unless there's an importer or distributor stamp on them. Of course those weren't mandated pre 68', and of course if they were sent home from the ETO at the end of WWII there wouldn't be any either. I would caution you on the condition of the sling. Hopefully it's not dry rotted, as so many of that vintage are. Even if it looks good, it's still likely to need some treatment by now if it hasn't been previously attended too. Do some research into what product to use on 'antique" leather. On the subject of "restoration", if the one that's totally correct has an VG to excellent bore, you could consider having the metal hot blued to get it back to the original "like new" finish. Of course the problem with that is that you're probably looking at another couple hundred $, and then it still won't be "original". Wouldn't it be a surprise if there's a "duffle bag" cut under the middle bands!

[dave]

Hot bluing would make the rifle into a shooter and drop value to a sporter level, couple hundred dollars. Original finish was much different then hot blue of to-day and can be readily told by to-days collectors, who would never buy one. And collectors are the only people who will pay top dollar for these rifles, they hold the value up, like collectors do with anything "collectable"!

[rockisle1903]

bronze wool on the metal, no steel except possibly 0000, don't touch the stocks or the slings..other than a lightly damp towel on the stocks and wipe off..Don't take them apart if you don't know what you are doing, you will probably do more harm than good..Less is more with these rifles...

[dave]

..Less is more with these rifles...[/QUOTE]

I do not believe in that school of thought, those rifles never saw that kind of condition while in use! No military in the world would tolerate it! The condition they are in is due to years of neglect and poor storage and just not being taken care of. I do every thing I can to clean them up to at least condition they probably left the military in. I am speaking of rust, dirt, old dried grease and oil. etc., not honest finish wear. "less is more" is a sales BS line for lazy sellers!

[pzjgr]

A bolt mismatch, assuming all else is correct is easily a $600 gun....an all matching gun, assuming again, it is correct and matching is $1000 and up....I'd say you did great. 98k collectors don't care about bores....and if you do anything more than judicious cleaning you will greatly impact the value as collector guns.

All ting being equal, you can have an all matching gun "out of the closet" and untouched, and a collector may pay say $1200 for it. If you were to, say, sand and clean the stock....value drops to $800, easy. With 98k's originality is everything. If you want more info, and tips on what to do to clean them up post them here...

www.k98kforum.com

The best and most knowledgeable 98k board out there....

[Michaelp]

$1200 is pretty cheap for a matching K98 these days.

In recent times I have noticed the rise of the "patina freak."

These folks seem to think crud and gunk and corrosion is a good thing.

They wail at the thought of actually cleaning up a piece.

Stocks, need pretty much to be left alone, but bronze wool and elbow grease on rusting and corroding metal surfaces is good and necessary.

Buffing or grinding is verboten as well as actually "restoring" a matching piece.

Something found in poor condition, as the rifles discussed here nearly are, are kinda fair game.

[mike webb]

For $1000 you did good in my opinion.

[Discus420]

Thanks they cleaned up beautifully the mismatched bolt 8761 ended up being a dual code duv/bcd and the matching K98 well was a matching K98 I wish I could find more in that shape!DSCN1220.jpgDSCN1223.jpgDSCN1226.jpg8761receiver.jpgDSCN1359.jpg