Going price o K98 Non Import??

[leftyo]

just about all milsurps have jumped quite a bit in price. russian capture k98s that were $200ish 10yrs ago are a minimum $400+ now days. heck russian mosins that were under a hundred 5 yrs ago run $250 and more now.

[dave]

Back when I started buying I quickly settled on K98k's (and some other 98 Mausers). Local gun store would get the in maybe one a week (late 50's, 60's). They got so they would save them for me to see first, 30-35 bucks. I hung with a group who also bought, gun stores in the area all had them, of and on. We shot them, traded them, one guy sportered them. I had a Hi-Turret sniper paid 180 bucks and traded it off couple years later. Hell there was no end in sight. I did manage to keep a few real gems. About that time the imports started coming in and people started "collecting" them. Winchesters and Colts were getting too expensive! Not all of my small group of K98k's date that far back with me, have acquired a couple more over the years, not all are all matched either. Some collectors are too picky and miss having scares examples.
Remember those full page Rifleman ads? Cheap then but they raised demand and demand raised prices. When the imports dried up prices increased more.

[togor]

Dave these were veteran bringbacks coming into the gun shops, maybe on trade for a hunting piece?

[dave]

Most likely bring-backs, some had duffle cuts. I never got a K98k thru mail order, just too many around in gun shops. Trades? Maybe, or vets just wanting to get rid of them. Shops could not have paid much for them either! Had one from a fellow at work, had the cut but the fore part was walnut, rest was laminate. He said several guys packed their rifles up at the same time and he must have picked up the wrong one. He dug it out of his attic and it was so dirty you could not tell the wood 'till I cleaned it up. PS: he did not ship in a 'duffle bag', but in cardboard tube their tank shells came in.

[togor]

Gotta say Dave, you did it right! You knew your niche and you understood the times you were in and made the most of them. I tip my cap to you, sir.

[tmark]

Would someone post a pic of a K98 with a duffle cut?

[dave]

All mine have been repaired. The cut was usually made under the rear band, so it cannot be seen. Many ways to repair as long as gap is left for the saw cut.

Togor-- I let a medium to large collection go by trading, selling, etc. so I could have done much better. At the time just did not think about the supple drying up!

[dave]

It's surprising the market for 98's has taken off the way it has. Even the RC models are selling for stupid money now. Even WW2 German handguns are jumping up in price. P-38's, Lugers (both wars) and just about anything else with a swastika on it.

Anything "Nazi" has had one of the highest collector following for years! Except for the guys who brought them home!