mauser 98 30.06 history

Varel · February 23, 2018, 07:24 PM

I would like to know what was the likely story of this rifle.
It has german stamps on the receiver and Liège markings on the barrel and it is a 30.06.
There is not a single matching number.

Varel · February 23, 2018, 07:32 PM

and some more pictures:

https://thefiringline.com/forums/att...4&d=1519431917

https://thefiringline.com/forums/att...5&d=1519431917

https://thefiringline.com/forums/att...6&d=1519431917

Scorch · February 25, 2018, 02:08 AM

What you have is commonly referred to as a "Franken-gun" or "parts gun". As the name implies, it was assembled from extra parts. There is likely no way you will find out anything relevant about its history other than who originally made the receiver. Just shoot it and enjoy it.

Varel · February 25, 2018, 04:30 AM

"Just shoot it and enjoy it " : that's just what i'm going to do! And at least the cartridges for 30.06 are more widely available, so that is convenient.

The assembly of such a parts gun, is that something that was done by a factory like FN after the war was over to get rid of their stockpiles of different parts or is it usually something done by a gun enthousiast that has gathered some crappy rifles to brake them down and assemle one good rifle out of the different parts?

Jim Watson · February 25, 2018, 12:49 PM

The only factory .30-06 military Mauser was the 1950 FN.
Looks like somebody put one of those barrels on a German action. I don't google anything to say that it was a government or company project, probably a mixmaster.

10-96 · February 25, 2018, 12:59 PM

There's always the chance the rifle got to spend some of it's life in someplace like Israel, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Iran, Turkey, etc. Right after WWII, some of the re-building and re-structuring countries/states that didn't swing towards Russian influence adopted NATO trends such as ammo, rifles, and other equipment. Not all governments armed up strictly their armies. There were all sorts of forestry, police, guard, rail roads, and border security entities that were armed up in these countries. I remember reading where there were actually quite a lot of M1 Carbines issued to the German Forestry after the war. And quite a few Nazi marked Mausers ended up being present for the birth of Israel.

That stock looks way too fresh for me to believe it was issued to anybody, but the flaking black paint- I've seen that before on different rifles from different countries. In truth, there's just not much of a way to tell what that rifle has seen in it's prior life or where it's been.

Slamfire · February 27, 2018, 10:05 AM

Can you show a picture of the top of the receiver ring?

There is the small chance it is a Norwegian K98 converted to 30-06. These were Nazi capture and converted, with a new barrel. Variations exist:

https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...?idproduct=728

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...-Norwegian-98K

Pics by Eastbank

https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=390241

The new barrel installed by the Norwegian's is important. A proper conversion to 30-06 requires the removal of the 8mm barrel and the installation of a 30-06 barrel with a longer, thicker chamber shank. The 30-06 case is longer, hence, the reinforced area around the case needs to be longer. It is my opinion that any gunsmithing job where the "gunsmith" reams out the chamber for a longer cartridge, on a barrel chambered for a shorter cartridge, is dangerous. I believe a number of 8mm-06's were made by this method.

eastbank · March 5, 2018, 08:34 AM

slamfire, no need to give credit. their was a south American mauser that were converted to 3006 from 7.65 argentina by rechambering to 3006, but left the .311 barrel on it and I think they also notched the receiver ring like the norwigians. the mausers rechambered from 8mm to 3006 worked quite well, I owned a few of them and they were easy to load for, I just added a .323 expander plug to the 3006 size die and loaded with .323 bullets.

gw44 · March 5, 2018, 07:06 PM

I had one that my shop teacher built and sold to me, you don't know how bad I wish I had it back, it was custom all the way !!!

Road_Clam · March 7, 2018, 12:33 PM

Wow, great info. Never knew of any -06 rechambers for the K98. I have a nice Yugo "MOD98" in 8mm and it's not a great shooter (about 4 MOA at 200 meters), I think the throat rifling is worn. Have not shot it in years. Good to know options are out there.

Scorch · March 8, 2018, 04:32 AM

Quote:

their was a south American mauser that were converted to 3006 from 7.65 argentina by rechambering to 3006, but left the .311 barrel on it and I think they also notched the receiver ring like the norwigians

In the late 1940s, since we had just finished a war and had lots of ammo left over, the USA stepped in and stopped the longest-running wars in modern history by getting the South American nations to quit fighting. We formed the OAS so they could all talk about things. And then we gave them arms and ammunition, which had been in short supply since the beginning of WW2 (most South American countries had been supplied arms and munitions by Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, or Belgium). So almost all South American nations rebarreled their rifles and machine guns to 30-06 since it was free. And they had to modify them a bit to get them to feed and operate properly with the new ammo. And when they did, they stamped the receivers with a great big "30" (or 7.62) so grunts would know that this rifle didn't take the old ammo any more.

Jim Watson · March 8, 2018, 10:29 AM

I recall somebody getting good shooting out of one of those rechambered 7.65s. He just loaded with .311 bullets and motored on. Called it a .31-06.

There was nothing wrong with the 7.65 except that no Power used it. Belgium, Argentina, Turkey (until they went 8mm like the "modern" Europeans.) Who else? Nobody I know.

I think we should have just bought the whole Mauser package instead of cherrypicking parts and pieces. A .30x 2 1/4" (7.62x57) would have served very well. But NIH is strong.

Slamfire · March 8, 2018, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Wow, great info. Never knew of any -06 rechambers for the K98. I have a nice Yugo "MOD98" in 8mm and it's not a great shooter (about 4 MOA at 200 meters), I think the throat rifling is worn. Have not shot it in years. Good to know options are out there.

Slug the barrel. I have a re arsenaled, K98 that the Yugos re barreled. Nice new barrel. It is 0.328 in diameter. After bedding the action, tinkering around, I finally slugged the barrel and found out why the rifle would not shoot with .323 bullets.

James K · March 8, 2018, 11:23 PM

FWIW, the proof mark (circle P) on the stock appears to be hand cut rather than stamped, but I have no idea why anyone would do that except possibly to create a fake something.

Jim

February 25, 2018, 02:08 AM	#3
Scorch Senior Member Join Date: February 13, 2006 Location: Washington state Posts: 15,248	What you have is commonly referred to as a "Franken-gun" or "parts gun". As the name implies, it was assembled from extra parts. There is likely no way you will find out anything relevant about its history other than who originally made the receiver. Just shoot it and enjoy it. __________________ Never try to educate someone who resists knowledge at all costs. But what do I know? Summit Arms Services

February 25, 2018, 12:59 PM	#6
10-96 Senior Member Join Date: October 19, 2005 Location: Tx Panhandle Territory Posts: 4,159	There's always the chance the rifle got to spend some of it's life in someplace like Israel, Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Iran, Turkey, etc. Right after WWII, some of the re-building and re-structuring countries/states that didn't swing towards Russian influence adopted NATO trends such as ammo, rifles, and other equipment. Not all governments armed up strictly their armies. There were all sorts of forestry, police, guard, rail roads, and border security entities that were armed up in these countries. I remember reading where there were actually quite a lot of M1 Carbines issued to the German Forestry after the war. And quite a few Nazi marked Mausers ended up being present for the birth of Israel. That stock looks way too fresh for me to believe it was issued to anybody, but the flaking black paint- I've seen that before on different rifles from different countries. In truth, there's just not much of a way to tell what that rifle has seen in it's prior life or where it's been. __________________ Rednecks... Keeping the woods critter-free since March 2, 1836. (TX Independence Day) I suspect a thing or two... because I've seen a thing or two.

February 27, 2018, 10:05 AM	#7
Slamfire Senior Member Join Date: May 27, 2007 Posts: 5,261	Can you show a picture of the top of the receiver ring? There is the small chance it is a Norwegian K98 converted to 30-06. These were Nazi capture and converted, with a new barrel. Variations exist: https://www.libertytreecollectors.co...?idproduct=728 http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...-Norwegian-98K Pics by Eastbank https://thefiringline.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=390241 The new barrel installed by the Norwegian's is important. A proper conversion to 30-06 requires the removal of the 8mm barrel and the installation of a 30-06 barrel with a longer, thicker chamber shank. The 30-06 case is longer, hence, the reinforced area around the case needs to be longer. It is my opinion that any gunsmithing job where the "gunsmith" reams out the chamber for a longer cartridge, on a barrel chambered for a shorter cartridge, is dangerous. I believe a number of 8mm-06's were made by this method. __________________ If I'm not shooting, I'm reloading.

March 7, 2018, 12:33 PM	#10
Road_Clam Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2013 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 1,695	Wow, great info. Never knew of any -06 rechambers for the K98. I have a nice Yugo "MOD98" in 8mm and it's not a great shooter (about 4 MOA at 200 meters), I think the throat rifling is worn. Have not shot it in years. Good to know options are out there. __________________ "To be old an wise you must have been young and stupid"

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search

February 25, 2018, 04:30 AM	#4
Varel Member Join Date: January 14, 2018 Posts: 25	"Just shoot it and enjoy it " : that's just what i'm going to do! And at least the cartridges for 30.06 are more widely available, so that is convenient. The assembly of such a parts gun, is that something that was done by a factory like FN after the war was over to get rid of their stockpiles of different parts or is it usually something done by a gun enthousiast that has gathered some crappy rifles to brake them down and assemle one good rifle out of the different parts?

February 25, 2018, 12:49 PM	#5
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	The only factory .30-06 military Mauser was the 1950 FN. Looks like somebody put one of those barrels on a German action. I don't google anything to say that it was a government or company project, probably a mixmaster.

March 5, 2018, 08:34 AM	#8
eastbank Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2008 Location: pa. Posts: 2,450	slamfire, no need to give credit. their was a south American mauser that were converted to 3006 from 7.65 argentina by rechambering to 3006, but left the .311 barrel on it and I think they also notched the receiver ring like the norwigians. the mausers rechambered from 8mm to 3006 worked quite well, I owned a few of them and they were easy to load for, I just added a .323 expander plug to the 3006 size die and loaded with .323 bullets.

March 5, 2018, 07:06 PM	#9
gw44 Senior Member Join Date: March 15, 2015 Location: Michigan Posts: 311	I had one that my shop teacher built and sold to me, you don't know how bad I wish I had it back, it was custom all the way !!!

March 8, 2018, 10:29 AM	#12
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,535	I recall somebody getting good shooting out of one of those rechambered 7.65s. He just loaded with .311 bullets and motored on. Called it a .31-06. There was nothing wrong with the 7.65 except that no Power used it. Belgium, Argentina, Turkey (until they went 8mm like the "modern" Europeans.) Who else? Nobody I know. I think we should have just bought the whole Mauser package instead of cherrypicking parts and pieces. A .30x 2 1/4" (7.62x57) would have served very well. But NIH is strong.

March 8, 2018, 11:23 PM	#14
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	FWIW, the proof mark (circle P) on the stock appears to be hand cut rather than stamped, but I have no idea why anyone would do that except possibly to create a fake something. Jim