K98 Prices

['88Scrat]

Pretty simple question really.

Why are German K98 rifles going for such high prices? I was in Tulsa for the big show there and I seriously didn't see one for less than $1,200 ($2,000+ was actually more common...). And a lot of them look like they were drug through the mud and put away wet but still have these insane price tags on them. Several were clearly a hodgepodge of parts and others were Russian captures and yet still had ridiculous price tags on 'em. Interesting thing is I never saw one sell in two days (not to say one didn't I just never saw it if it did, and I was there both days all day) so it's not like demand is driving up the price.

Am I missing something here?

All right I'll step down from my soapbox now.

[Wyosmith]

They have gone up a lot in the last 15 years or so, but the only ones I see around here in that price range are in excellent condition and are 100% matching numbers on all parts.

Around here is't fairly common to pick up good sound M98s in "very good" without matching numbers for around $600.

So I think the "pretty simple answer" to your "pretty simple question" is that the gun show dealers are trying hard to rip folks off.

You said in your post you saw none actually sell. There is your answer right there.

[Rachen]

The thing that is happening with the surplus K98s right now is the exact same thing that happened to the cap and ball percussion revolvers between the early 1900s and the 1920s/30s.

Percussion revolvers were so plentiful in the first quarter of the 20th century that many people still used them on a daily basis and never cared about historical or collector's values. The patron saint of handgunners, Elmer Keith carried a .36 cap and ball Navy Colt and wrote a lot about how effective they were. And then, they started to dwindle. After all, new ones were not being made anymore and the old ones were being used until they couldn't be used anymore. The rest went into private collections and their owners, aware of the future resale value of these guns, stopped trading in them. The result? Prices went up as supply went down.

Same thing is happening with WWII surplus arms right now. They simply are not being produced anymore. I remember just 10 years ago, Mitchell's Mausers had mint condition K98s selling for just $150 - $250. There are still vast amounts of them out there, but they are mostly in private hands now and their collectors are smart about future value. In another 10 years time a K98 might be enough to pay for a good pre-owned car or a wedding party.

Until a large manufacturer, or a series of large manufacturers begin to mass produce reproductions of WWII weapons, the only way to get them now is sheer luck. Perhaps in the near future, another Val Forgett or Turner Edward Kirkland will grace the firearms community again and help start a new industry for the manufacture of reproduction guns from the 1914-1945 period. Affordable, historically accurate reproductions of C-96 Broomhandles, Mosins and Mausers that fire normal ammunition would really be appreciated.

[ndking1126]

I've basically quit going to gun shows because the dealers seems to be asking way to much for everything. You see new rifles being sold at or above MSRP and used rifles for more than I could buy a new rifle off the shelf. I'm with everyone else... they are trying to convince people they are actually worth that much just because they aren't readily available.

At $2,000 they'd make more profit off of one uninformed person than they would selling 4 at a fair price. It's just a numbers game to them I'd guess.

[Drm50]

The prices on WW2 stuff is nuts. People are willing to pay the price, that's what drives the market. Rifles like Carcanos & Japs were worth practically nothing. The same thing is true of sporting arms. A Win or Rem single shot 22 from the
early 60s that was $19.95, now brings $300+ in mint or maybe more in NIB. I
remember when I was a kid surplus stores had Mil Surps in barrels for $10-$20.
Many of the lesser disirable rifles had no surplus ammo available. A box of Norma ( only choice) for a Jap 6.5 or 7.7 was more than value of the rifle. I had
a real nice 98 about 10years ago in my auction pile. I figured it would bring $250
-$300. I was pleasantly surprised it brought $450. Now same gun would bring in
$800+. Guys use to buy these rifles and take off all the unnessary wood and metal for Sporters. Now you see them looking to buy parts to put them back to
original. If you think that is nuts, I saw a Civil War saddle that looked like it had
been on a dirt floor since 1865, go for $2500, at auction. Buyers drive the price
and that's it.

[Scorch]

Prices on ANYTHING related to World War 2 went absolutely crazy in 1994, the 50th anniversary of the landing in Normandy. Good K98ks went from $100-$150 to over $300 within a very short span of time, and have continued to climb ever since. Although I think some of the prices are stupid high, they aren't making any more of them, so if somebody has something you want you gotta give to get. But unless the piece is very rare, just bide your time and you will find a nice one for about the same money. And remember, there are a lot of fakes out there (both rifles and owners).

[RC20]

I have a WWII Bayonet that is worth something North of $1000.

Go figure, got ti for fun when I was a kid.

All WWII stuff is going sky high.

[Hawg]

I
remember when I was a kid surplus stores had Mil Surps in barrels for $10-$20.

Gibson's dept stores used to have 98's in 55 gallon drums for $15.00 each. I bought several of them. I used to see Mosin's at gun shows for $9.00 and I was the only one I saw even pick one up to look at it. It didn't take me long to put it back either.

[Pathfinder45]

One long time collector I know had so many worthless Arisaka rifles that he used the barreled actions instead of buying rebar when he poured a concrete pad for his side door. He probably burned the stocks as firewood, too. When I was a kid, the Payless store had shopping carts full of M1 Carbines for $19.95 each.

[FairWarning]

I regret that I didn't buy an extra unmolested K98 or three many years ago when they were plentiful and relatively cheap.

I have a nice German sporterized Mauser K98, but not a war spec original.

[T. O'Heir]

"...Am I missing something here?..." About 30 years of aging. snicker. The days of there being cheap milsurps everywhere ended long ago.
It's called "Supply and demand". The supply of K98's in decent condition is low, none are being made and the demand is high. The demand goes up every time Hollywood makes a war movie or the old movies are run on TV.
"...happening with WWII surplus arms right now..." W.W. II ended 73 years ago. The Korean War, where the same kit was used, ended 65 years ago. There's no "right now" involved. It was happening 25 years ago.
"...because the dealers..." Lotta non-store operating "dealers" at gun shows too.
"...Mitchell's Mausers had mint condition..." Mitchell's made 'em into "mint condition". They took junker milsurp K98's, rebuilt 'em and tried to pass 'em off as museum pieces. Lotta places refinishing milsurps and selling 'em for big money. That's supply and demand too.

[shurshot]

In the early 90's, at a small gunshop no longer open (Orion gun shop), I picked up a 1939 K98 8mm... for $40.00.. I guess I overpaid if Gibson's had them for $15 each! Lol!!!

[RC20]

Youse was robbed!

[Rachen]

The supply of K98's in decent condition is low, none are being made and the demand is high. The demand goes up every time Hollywood makes a war movie or the old movies are run on TV.

While it is highly unlikely that Pietta, Uberti or Chiappa is going to make reproductions of K98s or Moisin Nagants anytime soon due to the fact that there are plenty of modern bolt action hunting guns already being made, I would be really, really happy if one of these manufacturers start producing a repro of Chinese Civil War and Anti-Japanese War C-96s. I would be the first in line to get one. Chambered in 9mm Luger so ammo availability would not be a problem at all. Without the holster/stocks of course so there will be no trouble with NFA regs. I don't know if anyone is making C-96s right now. Only 1911s and Thompsons being made by Auto-Ordnance.

[Hawg]

In the early 90's, at a small gunshop no longer open (Orion gun shop), I picked up a 1939 K98 8mm... for $40.00.. I guess I overpaid if Gibson's had them for $15 each! Lol!!!

Gibson's had them for 15 in the 70's.

[Dufus]

I got my first one at Monkey Wards for a whopping $14.95 in fall of 1963. It was and still is a goodun.

They were selling '03s for $24.95. They were good too.