lol thanks for the vote of how much influence we have, but you know its not true. Now if MAC or Forgotten Weapons does a similar video....then yep, prices goin' up fast.
All milsurps are getting stupid expensive unfortunately. A lot of it has to do with us not importing them anymore. Many milsurps are selling for way more than theyre worth now simply because supply has dried up and investors/collectors are having their time in the sun. For example, M1 Carbines are cool and all but damn, not $1000 cool
@luckyrodude exactly. A lot of these milsurps are only uncommon cause we've artificially made it so for collector purposes. That's why I like to focus on the oddball stuff like the Hakim you mentioned. I picked up a Czech K98 the other day that was sold to Isreal and converted to 7.62. Lots of cool history out there!
👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇨🇦 When I was a kid in the early 60s , we had a hardware store in eastern Kentucky where I lived , they had a wooded barrel at the at the door when you came in , it always had some sort of surplus war rifles in it , one time I was there with my father and uncle and there were k98 s in the barrel for $30.00 , German bayonets were $5.00 , m1 garands were $90.00 , I tried to get my father to get me one of the Mauser rifles but he said that's to much , I brought one home from the war for free you can have it one day , I inherited it in 1998 . He did buy me a bayonet, I still have it ,
There was a store in Raleigh NC that had a barrel full of them $20. Friend of mine bought one and took it out to Hemlock Bluff to fire it. he didnt bother to check the bore and it was full of cosmoline. Glad I was standing behind him
Ukraine dumped these en masse on European markets early 1990`s when the country regained its independence and wanted to sell out surplus arms for hard currency. So luckily I bought my 1940 made X stamped piece then. Good video as always!
Bought my Russian capture 1941 Sauer JP and Sohn back in 2000 for about $100. It was covered in cosmoline, When I cleaned it up, I found a one beautiful rifle. I love the history that this was somewhere on the eastern front. Oh, if this rifle could talk the story it would tell. Awesome rifle and I’m very happy I own it
Thanks for rubbing salt in a fresh wound. Just last month I had one in my hand at a gun show. It had the"dirty birds" intact. I passed it up because I got a cheap streak. I have been kicking my self ever since. Thanks for another good video.
With milsurp, if you like it and can afford it, just pick it up. Even if you over pay a bit at the time, just wait a couple years. Then it'll seem like a bargain probably.
I’ve got a double capture K98. It’s a wz29/40 polish mauser receiver from when Germany invaded Poland and captured the Radom arms plant. Eventually taken over by Steyr (660 designation). Marked with the “H” on the stock, designating a Heer unit. Then captured by the Russians. 300 bucks back in 2008
I got a Russian-captured and a Yugo-captured K98, both BYF43s (Yugo was scrubbed pretty well, but BYF43 Is still visible under sunlight on the reciever). My Russian capture still has intact waffenampts, but not so lucky with the Yugo (only Mod 98 on the reciever)
@@michaelbenjmitchell1 I suggest anyone who is into finding out more details on his Yugo capture K98, to take a good look on it in sunlight, but real nice strong sunlight shining on the receiver. My hair stood up when I saw "43" and "bnz" on the receiver. It had a distinct violet color and it stood out from the rest of the blueing...man it felt like something coming to life...
@@ivanhorvat1995 I had at least 3 different serial numbers on my bolt body with two of the serials stamped over each other and the 3rd under the bolt handle near the ball 793 was that number and the rear barrel band and rear sight slide had the same serial numbers and matching waffenampts. And my stock still had a very large and intact Dirty bird on the bottom of the wrist of the stock. And the stock was a early war solid Walnut stock with what appears to be shrapnel damage on the butt where the stock ends and where the buttplate starts.
I have a 1938 jp sauer and sons k98 that is a Russian capture. Has the x, the dirty birds are still there and the waffenamps. The finish is gray parkerizing though. I paid $550 for it in 2015. It shoots about 4 feet high at 100 yards. One thing that’s pretty neat about it the receiver and barrel are serial number 4 from it’s batch. The serial number is also electro-penciled on to the top of the bolt and like you said it has an import mark on the bottom of the barrel right behind the front site. Neat, history knowing like you said knowing at least what front it was on. I’d love a later one with the front site hood and thicker butt pad. That’s just the more iconic look I think of. The Russian captured ones now are getting ridiculous in price. I wish I lived a couple generations ago when all the cool surplus was coming into the country and you could still buy machine guns. Being born in the 90s sucks.
@@soylentgreen7074 ok well that's fine with me and thx cuz I'm debating should I get a semi or a bolt and kar98k is the best so far plus video games I played and the gun history is really interesting to me so thx now ima cop one see how's the accuracy everyone talking about take care during these hard times God bless you
K98 Russian Captures are starting to increase significantly in value. I missed out on getting a German K98 / Russian K98 at a decent price. One good alternative is the CZ K98. While not a true German Mauser K98, they do share the same design, they look exactly like a K98. Picked up one under 500. Nice alternative.
Czech started making the K98 around 1942-1943, so they are legit as far as that goes. Of course tehre is also the VZ-24 series that is similar but not same.
I absolutely agree with you on the history aspect. Before I was into guns I was into classic cars and I always brought up how strange it was that people would take these 70s hot rodded muscle cars and restore them to factory original to make them more desirable and more "historically accurate". I didnt agree at all. I felt like getting the true history would be to drive it as it wouldve been driven in its day, which is modified the way it was. Taking it back to perfect factory stock condition is equivilant to removing all of the history in my eyes. This is also why I prefer the war-time looking rifles versus the perfect "collector grade" rifles. I'd rather have a historical firearm that feels like it was there than have one that feels like it was built yesterday
I liked your video. I thought you definitely put some valid reasons. My RC is very accurate. I have restored it to pre capture condition and is as close as I can get it to that status. Was a fun project and here in Australia they kerp going up in value.
I have a 337 1940 K98 that I bought a few years back. The lovely Russian that refurbished it made sure all the visible parts on the bolt floor plate and trigger guard were completely scrubbed and forced matched with the stock and barrel. A quick purchase from ebay later I now have a complete forced matched scrubbed k98 with the same code.
Don't be too upset with that Russian. Usually they only replaced parts if they were missing, heavily worn, or damaged. Otherwise, they just left them. Also of course some just got mixed up during the rebluing process too.
@@DeimosPC I picked mine up today for a bout 775$ I’m not super happy about the price but honestly... they aren’t making more of them.... and they are only getting harder to find. 1k by 2022 I don’t doubt
My first firearm was a byf 41, hardwood stock with a cupped buttplate. Heaviest shellac was on it and has a mint barrel. I then bought a second K98, a 1939 Erma Werke with a flat buttplate, no sight good and laminated stock. Basically the opposite of my first. I've had people try and buy one off me but I'd never sell. To me they're perfect, I have zero issues with them in any way shape or form.
I bought a 1937 S/27 Russian capture just yesterday. It still has all of the early milled parts, capture screws, & cleaning rod. It has the shellacked laminate stock, but has the flat butt plate. I was led to believe the parts would be more random. I guess I got lucky. It has a nice 7.90 bore, a very smooth action, and a pretty light trigger. If only it could talk.
I agree 1000% Misha! I had (victim of my divorce) an RC K98k BYF41 that was my favorite milsurp rifle. When I bought it about 10 years ago it was slathered in the typical Russian shellac, and after about 2 hours of washing it in denatured alcohol , a gorgeous rifle appeared. The original blueing was perfect, and the eagles were not pinged. Force matched of course, the stock was a 1943 BYF laminated stock. I added repro capture screws, cleaning rod, sling, and front sight hood. The one rifle that I miss the very most of all of the guns that I lost in my divorce. Maybe sometime I will tell you about the other Russian capture rifle I used to own- A DUV41 that had a weird type of mount on the side by the rear sight.... ZF41 was what I later learned it was ;) I later traded that one for a 1944 October built M1 Garand :D
John B I hope you can at least get another K-98. I went through a similar situation about 7 years ago but was able to keep all my weapons which included more than 10 K-98s. I feel lucky but my ex was the loser here.
Yup, $150 was exactly what I paid for my first K98 too. It was an European import with m/m bolt. The RCK98s came around a couple years later and were real good buys for the $$$.
I like my SWP45 K98 RC I bought in late 1990's for $179. Minimal barrel wear, but had seen action. I am the first owner after the gun dealer who bought a bunch directly from the importer. So someone used this rifle in battle.
Great review, Misha. Thank you. I just bought my first Mauser this past weekend at a show -- Russian capture. $600 1941 Original serial number was 1979. No matching anything. No sight hood. Barrel is a bit frosty, but good lands and grooves. Looks similar to that one your showing. dfb markings? PW Arms Imported. Sitting next to a 1930's Mosin 91/70. They could have been spitting at each other at Stalingrad.
This is personally my favorote gun ever made. The safety, reliability. Built for one rifle of all time. It was so good everyone stole it as a service rifle across the world. You can even take it apart with the gun itself and clean it. I have such a love for the gun because nobody can outshoot you if you get really good with it.
Appreciating the history of a weapon is a good thing and you present an excellent viewpoint. I’ve ignored the K98’s because I always wanted a Gewehr 98 long rifle… still do, but you present a convincing reason to get one of these captured rifles. All I really want is a good 8mm Mauser military rifle that’s simply a decent shooter.
I have a duv 42 RCK98 with a barrel I'm assuming came from Belgium. Marked FN 16/42 1941. I feel bad for occupied FN, being forced to make war materiel for the country that just invaded them.
I have a K98 with some history. It was built by Steyr at the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1942. Later it was Russian captured most likely on the eastern front as well. Some parts are hydro penciled to make the serial numbers match.
I got mine at the tail end of the "Good ol'days". When several different country's were selling them off. I bought what I thought at the time were RC's but one turned out to be a Czech capture AX 40 that went too Iraq. Has both Iraq and Czech acceptance marks on it with a post war winter trigger guard lol. A 43 DOU with original blue and markings intact. And my favorite, a Norway rework in 30-06. (337 1940). Thankfully I've kept them all and didn't sell during the up's and downs of life.
Thanks for the video - great information. I picked up a Romanian capture 1941 K98k a couple weeks ago for a good price. It has a mismatched bolt, but the rest of the rifle is matching. Most of the bluing on the rifle is pretty much worn off, and from my understanding that might have been due to the harsh chemicals the Romanians used to clean them, but I can't confirm if that's true. Also, the Waffen marks are lightly peened off.
Thanks for watching. Yeah most of those that came in had an m/m bolt and majority of finish gone. They were used to train new recruits for decades...so they got handled and cleaned often. There was some debate back in the day as to which East Euro country they came out of, but Romania is a good guess.
The cleaning rods on K98s are only useless if you dont have the issued cleaning kit. The short cleaning rod threads into a small nut that is attached to an aluminum monkey ball chain. The opposite end of the chain sports a brush or whichever tool from the kit you choose to equip. Note that the threads on the cleaning rod are opposite of the end that holds a patch. So essentially, the Germans invented the first ever Boresnake. I can imagine that the job these tools are capable of is abysmal in terms of what modern sport shooters expect. However, if used regularly with a new issued rifle, these tools are sufficient to get the job done good enough to maintain the weapon indefinitely hinging upon frequency of maintenance. The cleaning rod is also used as a tool to separate the magazine floor plate, spring and follower assembly from the triggerguard/magazine well combo. Also worthy of note, these guns deserve love from collectors, shooters, preppers and patriots alike. Doesnt matter who did the shooting, every RC K98k is a certified Commie Killer and that makes it a treasure to me. Soon enough, these guns may drink Communist blood again if put to use by the right people at the right time.
Great video my K 98 is correct even though it was a take home in great condition. Going off subject. I purchased two M1 rifles in the mid eighties a private sale. When I was a young Soldier. I'm not sure if the soldiers were allowed to buy their rifles or if they took them down and packed them and took them home. Both are Springfield armory they are in great condition original barrels bolts receivers and stocks. They are both March 1945. I really lucked out they are in perfect condition. I really found out at the range after I retired a couple of the old timers explained to me the treasure I had. I looked in to it further and was offered a lot of money for them. But I'm a shooter not a collector. I have a good collection of milsurp rifles cheap and in great of I purchased them at stores and Gun shows. Near Fort Bragg and Benning I served thirty years in the United States Army almost twenty in the Ranger Regiment I retired in 2010.I While on active duty I didn't shoot much for recreation between training and deployments the last thing I wanted to look at was a rifle. Now I have time. I live in New York State so I don't have AR platforms because of the way they have to be configured or registered. I switched to Ruger Mini thirty and Mini 14 and other modern rifles. A M1A the Rugers and a few more nothing short fancy. I reload and been saving ammo for year's so I'm in good shape. Sorry for the rambiling
My first kar98k is a RC DOT1943 with intact waffenamt stamps. It came to me with a early war Mauser obrendorf stock that I decided to keep with the rifle. My second kar98k is a BYF44 with completely obliterated waffenamts and no bluing above the wood line. I think it is a balkan or Romanian capture due to the markings being completely defaced. It had a chopped up vz24 stock on it but I put a period correct stock on it. They handle well and both rifles are better shooters than I am.
Great video. Always enjoy watching them. Prices on a RC k98k make me kick myself for selling to 5 I had over the past 10 years. Even a Mitchell's. Down to just one. 43 bcd. Pretty much matching, all of the bolt parts and floor plate are mismatched. No import mark. Curious if it was a vet bring back. All of the bolt parts being mismatched is the odd part.
I also have a Russian capture bcd (41). All of the bolt parts on mine are different too. Waffenamts are still in tact on the barrel as well. The rear sights on this one are marked with the ranges both on top and bottom when you flip them up. The selector affixed to the range is stamped 42 on the back. Do your ranges appear on the under side as well?
i actually find them more interesting because due to that provenance i can know for fact they where used in the part of the war my grandfather fought in
Completely agree with you, at least with earlier production examples. If you get a 1945 (or even late 1944) example, its possible that the Russians captured it in a warehouse where it was still unissued. Towards the end of the war, Germany had real issues with supply lines. Anyway, if you get anything earlier, it is very likely that it came into Russia in the hands of a German soldier and was used in combat, before being captured after some battle or other. Either way, its interesting and these are still much cheaper than other K98 alternatives on the market today.
@@misha5670 Likely due to collectors wanting "as issued" examples. Im intent on picking one up when i get the chance. same way im intent on finding a fin capture SVT40, because all the added stuff just add to the history. For me an example of a rifle my grandfather was issued that i know saw fighting in the eastern front is a solid piece of history to me. Heck even the yugo modded M44s are interesting, i just love the little tweaks that happen when countrys end up with extra rifles
Have 6 of these, collected over 20 years. 2 are military all the way, no alterations, 4 are sporterized. The 2 russian captures have the electro pencil x, but one had the swastikas penned out, one did not. All are good shooters. Well worth the money. Good hunting and self defense rifles.
The original German finish still exists under the dark Soviet paint blue. I have 5 RCs and steel wool removed the crappy Russian finish. Once it gets started it flakes off. The same holds true with the crappy thick finish on stock. They never removed the German finish underneath, so the cruddy Russian stain does not penetrate the wood. No need to sand steel wool, and maybe a mild stripper. Mine now look just like my vet bring backs, except the numbers don't match and I never could get the numbers the Russians stamped into the wood to pop out perfectly, but they are faded. I used steam for that.
As a WW2 re-enactor in the late 90”s ( still active ) I was guilty of turning my nose up towards these when they were for sale everywhere. My “logic” was “ who would want a defaced k98 when you can get a mismatched vet bring back for around the same price “ ….but now I have a newfound appreciation for these. I have one myself that I “ re-Germanified” …removed the stock shellac and bluing from the buttplate and the weird blackening but I also added a reproduction zf41 scope and mount and I don’t feel too bad about scratching it up at re-enacting events. I think I love my Russian capture K98 as much as my G43 …if not just a little more.
I got my Russian capture in 2008 for about 120 bucks. Non match serials with waffen marks though. I re-blued in and used linseed oil in order to make it look more original (I know I know...but I was 18 and hated the Russian look). Cool gun but the Ammo is pricey!
I always wanted one of these. My step grandfather was a Hitler Youth and near the end of the war at 17yr old they gave him a kar98 and said your are now SS serve Hitler and your country well and sent him to Russia, where he was captured and was in a POW camp until 1947. If you ever find a RC98k that has never been shot it's probably his, he was no warrior and wasn't ashamed to admit it. I was lucky to get a very rare 1939 Berlin-Lubecker, I didn't even know it until I got it home and started researching it.
I got a few RC 98k most of them had pitted chambers . And you had to use a hammer to open the bolt. Most of them are not worth the money. I have one left because of its very rare maker code of BSW . They only made 98k rifles for 2 years 1938 and 1939.
Do you know anything about the Romanian capture k98's? I picked one up a month ago and other than the waffenamts punched out a good 30 times each haha its all matching. I feel these are actually great for the person that enjoys the been there done that rifles. Any idea how the Romanian's got their hands on these? I'm assuming when they switched sides during the war? Mine is 1938.
Mine is a 1940 year with shrapnel on the side like someone threw a grenade in a pill box. I have all matching k98 bring backs but that gun by far is my favorite
Good haul. My byf44 seems be a Romanian capture. The trigger guard and magazine floorplate all match the receiver. Plus it has its markings completely gone and its finish is nearly bare metal on its exposed areas while the bluing remains on the areas covered by wood. o_O
Just picked up a RC98 for 400 bucks that someone "sporterized". Trying to decide whether to bring back to original, or just make a custom gun. I wanted it just because of the German eagle with sticka on it.
My inspection eagles are still there with just the swastika has been lightly punched. And it also has the old style eagle marks on the other side intact
I have a m98 (clearly German made k98) that is in great shape. You can see faintly where they ground off the top of the receiver German markings but it is missing the Yugo crest... Does anyone know about missing Yugo crests?
Exactly, Russia didn't make them, they just captured and refinished, but my Russian Capture, which happens to be a 1940 243, still has a bunch of Nazi eagle symbols all over it, among other symbols. The receiver has what looks to have been a 5-pointed star on it in between the 243 and the 1940, but it has been drilled ever so slightly so as to get rid of the star, so now you can only make out the edges.. I wonder what the star meant, and why the Germans, or Russians, drilled that symbol out?
I found one for a good price it’s Russian capture k98 1939 code 42 Mauser manufactured rifle unfortunately my rifle has the eagle markings carved out crudely but it does however have the German inspection mark Some of the parts
My mauser 98 I bought it in 2014 was a vet bring back and it's stock was sportered. I was a cheap ass and I bought an Israeli stock and refinished it. I really wished I would have spent the what extra $20 on an actual German stock but hey its a good gun.
Hi I have a captured K98 which i obtained about 20 years ago for £250.00, but because i live in the U.K mine is Deactivated, by British Law so i can own it, really wish it actually worked as bet it would be ace to fire, i've been watching a few of these videos last couple of days as been looking for original parts to replace the stuff the Russians took off, Finally found a dealer here in U.K who sells deacts etc and he has original parts so have ordered my capture screws and cleaning rod, did also order a for sight hood but after he looked at photos of the sight of my gun he told me there was no groove to fit the sight. A little confused about this so i went onto Google to check as mine is dated 1939, and it seems that the k98 wasn't given a for sight hood till 1939 so mine wouldn't actually have a groove if it was one of the last few made that year before the they added them, is a pity really as i thought it looks better with one lol, As for the cherry red lacquer on the woodwork im getting tempted to strip it off and re oil the wood German style as have seen a American video on doing this, just not to sure if i should risk this?
@@hydroxycool I only bought new screws and a cleaning rod for it, screws fit fine but cleaning rod don't fit in correctly when bayonet attachment in on, so looks like at least one of the holes is off as when partially disconnected the rod actually screws in, as for anything else, it will stay as it is. Just realised though that my MP44 and P38 are also Russian Capture.
The year is 2024. I found a 1938 S/243 Russian capture in a store. Store wanted $1,000. I offered $800 and they took it. Walked out with it for $800 + tax the next day.
Saw an israeli mauser at the gun show it was the most absolutely beautiful milsurp I've ever seen far above and beyond the normal Israelis or Russian capture with a white filled in Israeli crest
Just check around with milsurp collectors. Its not at all a bad thing, and actually was very popular/common to do some years ago. The IDF though wasn't painting its markings....they weren't That bored lol. Many of those K98s ended up going to South America, hungout there for a few decades, and then got imported here. Of course there were a couple batches imported directly from Israel back in the 1990s, and those usually are in the best condition, cheers.
@@misha5670 thanks for the reply Misha I actually tend to value your opinions much higher than the average lowly collector! I have no idea why it seemed like a joke to me haha! I'll never doubt you again u da MAN
I did think of this too....not 'white' but sometimes with refurb guns, some people would put a fresh stamp/crest/proof into the metal which was already blued, thus leaving the marking in silver (i.e. bare or primer color). Not common, but it has been known to happen. That and sometimes pistols really did see painted in markings. The P.38 is a good example with its S & F safety letters. Of course pistols generally receive more attention like that. Rifles? those are just for the lowly groundpounders hehe, cheers.
I've got a gunshop near me with about 6-8 K98s of varying quality and completeness most in the 600-800 dollar range with 3 more in the $1,400 range, need to get me one now that I've seen this and the following price increases
this video just added 400$ to russian capture k98s... :( LOL
lol thanks for the vote of how much influence we have, but you know its not true. Now if MAC or Forgotten Weapons does a similar video....then yep, prices goin' up fast.
Glad I got one yesterday.
All milsurps are getting stupid expensive unfortunately. A lot of it has to do with us not importing them anymore. Many milsurps are selling for way more than theyre worth now simply because supply has dried up and investors/collectors are having their time in the sun. For example, M1 Carbines are cool and all but damn, not $1000 cool
@luckyrodude exactly. A lot of these milsurps are only uncommon cause we've artificially made it so for collector purposes. That's why I like to focus on the oddball stuff like the Hakim you mentioned. I picked up a Czech K98 the other day that was sold to Isreal and converted to 7.62. Lots of cool history out there!
They're $1400 in Canada lol. I've seen them selling in the US lately for $9-1100.
👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇨🇦 When I was a kid in the early 60s , we had a hardware store in eastern Kentucky where I lived , they had a wooded barrel at the at the door when you came in , it always had some sort of surplus war rifles in it , one time I was there with my father and uncle and there were k98 s in the barrel for $30.00 , German bayonets were $5.00 , m1 garands were $90.00 , I tried to get my father to get me one of the Mauser rifles but he said that's to much , I brought one home from the war for free you can have it one day , I inherited it in 1998 . He did buy me a bayonet, I still have it ,
There was a store in Raleigh NC that had a barrel full of them $20. Friend of mine bought one and took it out to Hemlock Bluff to fire it. he didnt bother to check the bore and it was full of cosmoline. Glad I was standing behind him
Ukraine dumped these en masse on European markets early 1990`s when the country regained its independence and wanted to sell out surplus arms for hard currency. So luckily I bought my 1940 made X stamped piece then.
Good video as always!
They started to appear here around 2000.
I have a 1943 dated, single SS Rune, Steyr Russian Capture 98K. Bought it at standard import prices about 20 years ago, I think $125....
I had an RCK98 latewar with the fixed, stamped rear sight once upon a time. There were some neat variants mixed in with those.
I believe single rune meant it was a hitler youth gun
@@nicholasbruns6914 no , thats a standard Steyr making.
Bought my Russian capture 1941 Sauer JP and Sohn back in 2000 for about $100. It was covered in cosmoline, When I cleaned it up, I found a one beautiful rifle. I love the history that this was somewhere on the eastern front. Oh, if this rifle could talk the story it would tell. Awesome rifle and I’m very happy I own it
Thanks for rubbing salt in a fresh wound. Just last month I had one in my hand at a gun show. It had the"dirty birds" intact. I passed it up because I got a cheap streak. I have been kicking my self ever since. Thanks for another good video.
With milsurp, if you like it and can afford it, just pick it up. Even if you over pay a bit at the time, just wait a couple years. Then it'll seem like a bargain probably.
How much was it?
You will find another one. No big deal.
I’ve got a double capture K98. It’s a wz29/40 polish mauser receiver from when Germany invaded Poland and captured the Radom arms plant. Eventually taken over by Steyr (660 designation). Marked with the “H” on the stock, designating a Heer unit. Then captured by the Russians. 300 bucks back in 2008
A double capture is really cool
Exactly Misha I have the same opinion!
So much history behind the X mark
I got one k98 Soviet captured in special code S237 from 1937
I got a Russian-captured and a Yugo-captured K98, both BYF43s (Yugo was scrubbed pretty well, but BYF43 Is still visible under sunlight on the reciever). My Russian capture still has intact waffenampts, but not so lucky with the Yugo (only Mod 98 on the reciever)
Yep, sounds about right. Each has its own story and history.
My Yugo Kar98 still had WaffenAmpts on the stock and a few parts of the gun.
@@michaelbenjmitchell1 I suggest anyone who is into finding out more details on his Yugo capture K98, to take a good look on it in sunlight, but real nice strong sunlight shining on the receiver. My hair stood up when I saw "43" and "bnz" on the receiver. It had a distinct violet color and it stood out from the rest of the blueing...man it felt like something coming to life...
@@ivanhorvat1995 I had at least 3 different serial numbers on my bolt body with two of the serials stamped over each other and the 3rd under the bolt handle near the ball 793 was that number and the rear barrel band and rear sight slide had the same serial numbers and matching waffenampts. And my stock still had a very large and intact Dirty bird on the bottom of the wrist of the stock. And the stock was a early war solid Walnut stock with what appears to be shrapnel damage on the butt where the stock ends and where the buttplate starts.
I have a 1938 jp sauer and sons k98 that is a Russian capture. Has the x, the dirty birds are still there and the waffenamps. The finish is gray parkerizing though. I paid $550 for it in 2015. It shoots about 4 feet high at 100 yards. One thing that’s pretty neat about it the receiver and barrel are serial number 4 from it’s batch. The serial number is also electro-penciled on to the top of the bolt and like you said it has an import mark on the bottom of the barrel right behind the front site. Neat, history knowing like you said knowing at least what front it was on. I’d love a later one with the front site hood and thicker butt pad. That’s just the more iconic look I think of. The Russian captured ones now are getting ridiculous in price. I wish I lived a couple generations ago when all the cool surplus was coming into the country and you could still buy machine guns. Being born in the 90s sucks.
How's the rifle now cuz I'm thinking bout getting me one the same price as yours
@@nanbubucks9953 that price in 2021 at any condition is a deal if it’s a k98. Mine is fine just shoots high.
@@soylentgreen7074 ok well that's fine with me and thx cuz I'm debating should I get a semi or a bolt and kar98k is the best so far plus video games I played and the gun history is really interesting to me so thx now ima cop one see how's the accuracy everyone talking about take care during these hard times God bless you
K98 Russian Captures are starting to increase significantly in value. I missed out on getting a German K98 / Russian K98 at a decent price.
One good alternative is the CZ K98. While not a true German Mauser K98, they do share the same design, they look exactly like a K98. Picked up one under 500. Nice alternative.
Czech started making the K98 around 1942-1943, so they are legit as far as that goes. Of course tehre is also the VZ-24 series that is similar but not same.
I absolutely agree with you on the history aspect. Before I was into guns I was into classic cars and I always brought up how strange it was that people would take these 70s hot rodded muscle cars and restore them to factory original to make them more desirable and more "historically accurate". I didnt agree at all. I felt like getting the true history would be to drive it as it wouldve been driven in its day, which is modified the way it was. Taking it back to perfect factory stock condition is equivilant to removing all of the history in my eyes. This is also why I prefer the war-time looking rifles versus the perfect "collector grade" rifles. I'd rather have a historical firearm that feels like it was there than have one that feels like it was built yesterday
I liked your video. I thought you definitely put some valid reasons. My RC is very accurate. I have restored it to pre capture condition and is as close as I can get it to that status. Was a fun project and here in Australia they kerp going up in value.
I have a 337 1940 K98 that I bought a few years back. The lovely Russian that refurbished it made sure all the visible parts on the bolt floor plate and trigger guard were completely scrubbed and forced matched with the stock and barrel. A quick purchase from ebay later I now have a complete forced matched scrubbed k98 with the same code.
Don't be too upset with that Russian. Usually they only replaced parts if they were missing, heavily worn, or damaged. Otherwise, they just left them. Also of course some just got mixed up during the rebluing process too.
I've noticed that the prices of the RC's have been climbing over the last year and a half. spring 2019 USA
1k now, easily.
@@DeimosPC I picked mine up today for a bout 775$ I’m not super happy about the price but honestly... they aren’t making more of them.... and they are only getting harder to find. 1k by 2022 I don’t doubt
My first firearm was a byf 41, hardwood stock with a cupped buttplate. Heaviest shellac was on it and has a mint barrel. I then bought a second K98, a 1939 Erma Werke with a flat buttplate, no sight good and laminated stock. Basically the opposite of my first. I've had people try and buy one off me but I'd never sell. To me they're perfect, I have zero issues with them in any way shape or form.
I bought a 1937 S/27 Russian capture just yesterday. It still has all of the early milled parts, capture screws, & cleaning rod. It has the shellacked laminate stock, but has the flat butt plate. I was led to believe the parts would be more random. I guess I got lucky. It has a nice 7.90 bore, a very smooth action, and a pretty light trigger. If only it could talk.
I agree 1000% Misha! I had (victim of my divorce) an RC K98k BYF41 that was my favorite milsurp rifle. When I bought it about 10 years ago it was slathered in the typical Russian shellac, and after about 2 hours of washing it in denatured alcohol , a gorgeous rifle appeared. The original blueing was perfect, and the eagles were not pinged. Force matched of course, the stock was a 1943 BYF laminated stock. I added repro capture screws, cleaning rod, sling, and front sight hood. The one rifle that I miss the very most of all of the guns that I lost in my divorce. Maybe sometime I will tell you about the other Russian capture rifle I used to own- A DUV41 that had a weird type of mount on the side by the rear sight.... ZF41 was what I later learned it was ;) I later traded that one for a 1944 October built M1 Garand :D
All the best to you, cheers.
John B I hope you can at least get another K-98. I went through a similar situation about 7 years ago but was able to keep all my weapons which included more than 10 K-98s. I feel lucky but my ex was the loser here.
I remember when these were $150, now I don't think I've seen a K98 for less than $600 for the most battered examples.
Yup, $150 was exactly what I paid for my first K98 too. It was an European import with m/m bolt. The RCK98s came around a couple years later and were real good buys for the $$$.
I like my SWP45 K98 RC I bought in late 1990's for $179. Minimal barrel wear, but had seen action. I am the first owner after the gun dealer who bought a bunch directly from the importer. So someone used this rifle in battle.
Great review, Misha. Thank you. I just bought my first Mauser this past weekend at a show -- Russian capture. $600 1941 Original serial number was 1979. No matching anything. No sight hood. Barrel is a bit frosty, but good lands and grooves. Looks similar to that one your showing. dfb markings? PW Arms Imported. Sitting next to a 1930's Mosin 91/70. They could have been spitting at each other at Stalingrad.
This is personally my favorote gun ever made. The safety, reliability. Built for one rifle of all time. It was so good everyone stole it as a service rifle across the world. You can even take it apart with the gun itself and clean it.
I have such a love for the gun because nobody can outshoot you if you get really good with it.
Appreciating the history of a weapon is a good thing and you present an excellent viewpoint.
I’ve ignored the K98’s because I always wanted a Gewehr 98 long rifle… still do, but you present a convincing reason to get one of these captured rifles. All I really want is a good 8mm Mauser military rifle that’s simply a decent shooter.
I have a duv 42 RCK98 with a barrel I'm assuming came from Belgium. Marked FN 16/42 1941. I feel bad for occupied FN, being forced to make war materiel for the country that just invaded them.
A bit oddly, a company in Czechoslovakia was assigned the mfg code of 'FNH' and you can see their parts on P.38s and other firearms.
I have a K98 with some history. It was built by Steyr at the Mauthausen concentration camp in 1942. Later it was Russian captured most likely on the eastern front as well. Some parts are hydro penciled to make the serial numbers match.
I got mine at the tail end of the "Good ol'days". When several different country's were selling them off. I bought what I thought at the time were RC's but one turned out to be a Czech capture AX 40 that went too Iraq. Has both Iraq and Czech acceptance marks on it with a post war winter trigger guard lol. A 43 DOU with original blue and markings intact. And my favorite, a Norway rework in 30-06. (337 1940). Thankfully I've kept them all and didn't sell during the up's and downs of life.
Thanks for the video - great information. I picked up a Romanian capture 1941 K98k a couple weeks ago for a good price. It has a mismatched bolt, but the rest of the rifle is matching. Most of the bluing on the rifle is pretty much worn off, and from my understanding that might have been due to the harsh chemicals the Romanians used to clean them, but I can't confirm if that's true. Also, the Waffen marks are lightly peened off.
Thanks for watching. Yeah most of those that came in had an m/m bolt and majority of finish gone. They were used to train new recruits for decades...so they got handled and cleaned often. There was some debate back in the day as to which East Euro country they came out of, but Romania is a good guess.
Man you're making me regret selling my own RC K98k... It was in rough condition, but man was it smooth and a great shooter despite it's looks.
Sometimes those rough looking guns are the best shooters. Funny huh?
@@misha5670 True. l owned two mosin nagant. One refurbished mosin nagant which is rusted but the barrel is thicker than standard one and shoots better
The cleaning rods on K98s are only useless if you dont have the issued cleaning kit. The short cleaning rod threads into a small nut that is attached to an aluminum monkey ball chain. The opposite end of the chain sports a brush or whichever tool from the kit you choose to equip. Note that the threads on the cleaning rod are opposite of the end that holds a patch. So essentially, the Germans invented the first ever Boresnake. I can imagine that the job these tools are capable of is abysmal in terms of what modern sport shooters expect. However, if used regularly with a new issued rifle, these tools are sufficient to get the job done good enough to maintain the weapon indefinitely hinging upon frequency of maintenance. The cleaning rod is also used as a tool to separate the magazine floor plate, spring and follower assembly from the triggerguard/magazine well combo. Also worthy of note, these guns deserve love from collectors, shooters, preppers and patriots alike. Doesnt matter who did the shooting, every RC K98k is a certified Commie Killer and that makes it a treasure to me. Soon enough, these guns may drink Communist blood again if put to use by the right people at the right time.
Great video my K 98 is correct even though it was a take home in great condition. Going off subject. I purchased two M1 rifles in the mid eighties a private sale. When I was a young Soldier. I'm not sure if the soldiers were allowed to buy their rifles or if they took them down and packed them and took them home. Both are Springfield armory they are in great condition original barrels bolts receivers and stocks. They are both March 1945. I really lucked out they are in perfect condition. I really found out at the range after I retired a couple of the old timers explained to me the treasure I had. I looked in to it further and was offered a lot of money for them. But I'm a shooter not a collector. I have a good collection of milsurp rifles cheap and in great of I purchased them at stores and Gun shows. Near Fort Bragg and Benning I served thirty years in the United States Army almost twenty in the Ranger Regiment I retired in 2010.I
While on active duty I didn't shoot much for recreation between training and deployments the last thing I wanted to look at was a rifle. Now I have time. I live in New York State so I don't have AR platforms because of the way they have to be configured or registered. I switched to Ruger Mini thirty and Mini 14 and other modern rifles. A M1A the Rugers and a few more nothing short fancy. I reload and been saving ammo for year's so I'm in good shape. Sorry for the rambiling
My first kar98k is a RC DOT1943 with intact waffenamt stamps. It came to me with a early war Mauser obrendorf stock that I decided to keep with the rifle. My second kar98k is a BYF44 with completely obliterated waffenamts and no bluing above the wood line. I think it is a balkan or Romanian capture due to the markings being completely defaced. It had a chopped up vz24 stock on it but I put a period correct stock on it. They handle well and both rifles are better shooters than I am.
Interesting as always, thank you!
cheers
@@hydroxycool hello there! Thank you! 😁
Great video. Always enjoy watching them. Prices on a RC k98k make me kick myself for selling to 5 I had over the past 10 years. Even a Mitchell's. Down to just one. 43 bcd. Pretty much matching, all of the bolt parts and floor plate are mismatched. No import mark. Curious if it was a vet bring back. All of the bolt parts being mismatched is the odd part.
I also have a Russian capture bcd (41). All of the bolt parts on mine are different too. Waffenamts are still in tact on the barrel as well. The rear sights on this one are marked with the ranges both on top and bottom when you flip them up. The selector affixed to the range is stamped 42 on the back. Do your ranges appear on the under side as well?
going to bid on one of these in Jan, not sure what it will go for
i actually find them more interesting because due to that provenance i can know for fact they where used in the part of the war my grandfather fought in
Completely agree with you, at least with earlier production examples. If you get a 1945 (or even late 1944) example, its possible that the Russians captured it in a warehouse where it was still unissued. Towards the end of the war, Germany had real issues with supply lines. Anyway, if you get anything earlier, it is very likely that it came into Russia in the hands of a German soldier and was used in combat, before being captured after some battle or other. Either way, its interesting and these are still much cheaper than other K98 alternatives on the market today.
@@misha5670 Likely due to collectors wanting "as issued" examples. Im intent on picking one up when i get the chance. same way im intent on finding a fin capture SVT40, because all the added stuff just add to the history.
For me an example of a rifle my grandfather was issued that i know saw fighting in the eastern front is a solid piece of history to me.
Heck even the yugo modded M44s are interesting, i just love the little tweaks that happen when countrys end up with extra rifles
Have 6 of these, collected over 20 years. 2 are military all the way, no alterations, 4 are sporterized. The 2 russian captures have the electro pencil x, but one had the swastikas penned out, one did not. All are good shooters. Well worth the money. Good hunting and self defense rifles.
Fantastic rifles!!
Great video!
Where can you buy these?
The original German finish still exists under the dark Soviet paint blue. I have 5 RCs and steel wool removed the crappy Russian finish. Once it gets started it flakes off. The same holds true with the crappy thick finish on stock. They never removed the German finish underneath, so the cruddy Russian stain does not penetrate the wood. No need to sand steel wool, and maybe a mild stripper. Mine now look just like my vet bring backs, except the numbers don't match and I never could get the numbers the Russians stamped into the wood to pop out perfectly, but they are faded. I used steam for that.
Cool video! I have a BCD 4 (1944) Russian capture with a laminated stock and fantastic bore! All my waffenamts and swastikas in tact. Great shooter!
As a WW2 re-enactor in the late 90”s ( still active ) I was guilty of turning my nose up towards these when they were for sale everywhere. My “logic” was “ who would want a defaced k98 when you can get a mismatched vet bring back for around the same price “ ….but now I have a newfound appreciation for these. I have one myself that I “ re-Germanified” …removed the stock shellac and bluing from the buttplate and the weird blackening but I also added a reproduction zf41 scope and mount and I don’t feel too bad about scratching it up at re-enacting events. I think I love my Russian capture K98 as much as my G43 …if not just a little more.
You always make surprisingly intersting video keep going :)
Thanks much for watching
How would you rank the Zastava 98k (Yugo M98) when compared to the RC?
I got my Russian capture in 2008 for about 120 bucks. Non match serials with waffen marks though. I re-blued in and used linseed oil in order to make it look more original (I know I know...but I was 18 and hated the Russian look). Cool gun but the Ammo is pricey!
I always wanted one of these. My step grandfather was a Hitler Youth and near the end of the war at 17yr old they gave him a kar98 and said your are now SS serve Hitler and your country well and sent him to Russia, where he was captured and was in a POW camp until 1947. If you ever find a RC98k that has never been shot it's probably his, he was no warrior and wasn't ashamed to admit it. I was lucky to get a very rare 1939 Berlin-Lubecker, I didn't even know it until I got it home and started researching it.
I need some 98ks
Have fun.
"people think of WW2 and they think of Carcanos" you had me enough there to where I opened the comment section and now I can't close it. Whew.
I love alll my k98s. I stripped my stocks and returned them to the look of original German.
Yeah, going to have to agree with this comment.
You ruined the gun.
😢
@@jeffreymiller7847 I agree. What do you think of re-bluing rifles with almost no bluing left to protect the metal?
I got a few RC 98k most of them had pitted chambers . And you had to use a hammer to open the bolt. Most of them are not worth the money. I have one left because of its very rare maker code of BSW . They only made 98k rifles for 2 years 1938 and 1939.
Do you know anything about the Romanian capture k98's? I picked one up a month ago and other than the waffenamts punched out a good 30 times each haha its all matching. I feel these are actually great for the person that enjoys the been there done that rifles. Any idea how the Romanian's got their hands on these? I'm assuming when they switched sides during the war? Mine is 1938.
Mine is a 1940 year with shrapnel on the side like someone threw a grenade in a pill box. I have all matching k98 bring backs but that gun by far is my favorite
Good haul. My byf44 seems be a Romanian capture. The trigger guard and magazine floorplate all match the receiver. Plus it has its markings completely gone and its finish is nearly bare metal on its exposed areas while the bluing remains on the areas covered by wood. o_O
Just picked up a RC98 for 400 bucks that someone "sporterized". Trying to decide whether to bring back to original, or just make a custom gun. I wanted it just because of the German eagle with sticka on it.
Opinion on the Yugo Captured German K98k? (I understand conditions vary).
Some were actually contracted, others captured, and still others were reworked/refurbed. The Yugo can have a unique barrel band for example.
Misha thank you
I have a bnz Mauser payed 200 in 2000 lucky to have one
Great video....just got my first k98 this past weekend freaking sweet all matching.......no slings on your?
this guy is growing on me.. i must admit
What is byf for? Just received a byf41 RC k98 and I wanna know all I can about it
Your rifle was made at the original Mauser 0berndorf factory in 1941.
Man there were 10 millions k-98k built during the war
These are now $1500 in Canada.
great video
Great Video
😎🤝👍
Are Yugo capture a similar story?
My inspection eagles are still there with just the swastika has been lightly punched. And it also has the old style eagle marks on the other side intact
Thanks bro
I have a m98 (clearly German made k98) that is in great shape. You can see faintly where they ground off the top of the receiver German markings but it is missing the Yugo crest... Does anyone know about missing Yugo crests?
i like a kar 98k dark brown colour its very reliable it same like the russian mauser karabiner 98 kurz
You're the reason I had to pay $1,000 for my Russian capture! It was even drilled and tapped in the 70's
Exactly, Russia didn't make them, they just captured and refinished, but my Russian Capture, which happens to be a 1940 243, still has a bunch of Nazi eagle symbols all over it, among other symbols. The receiver has what looks to have been a 5-pointed star on it in between the 243 and the 1940, but it has been drilled ever so slightly so as to get rid of the star, so now you can only make out the edges.. I wonder what the star meant, and why the Germans, or Russians, drilled that symbol out?
I found one for a good price it’s Russian capture k98 1939 code 42 Mauser manufactured rifle unfortunately my rifle has the eagle markings carved out crudely but it does however have the German inspection mark Some of the parts
My mauser 98 I bought it in 2014 was a vet bring back and it's stock was sportered. I was a cheap ass and I bought an Israeli stock and refinished it. I really wished I would have spent the what extra $20 on an actual German stock but hey its a good gun.
Got my Russian capture in 2001, it was perfect. Nice eagle and waffenampt Mark's. I paid $180.
इस राईफल का रेज कितना है कितने मिटर दूर जाती है बताओ मुझे
Hi I have a captured K98 which i obtained about 20 years ago for £250.00, but because i live in the U.K mine is Deactivated, by British Law so i can own it, really wish it actually worked as bet it would be ace to fire, i've been watching a few of these videos last couple of days as been looking for original parts to replace the stuff the Russians took off,
Finally found a dealer here in U.K who sells deacts etc and he has original parts so have ordered my capture screws and cleaning rod, did also order a for sight hood but after he looked at photos of the sight of my gun he told me there was no groove to fit the sight.
A little confused about this so i went onto Google to check as mine is dated 1939, and it seems that the k98 wasn't given a for sight hood till 1939 so mine wouldn't actually have a groove if it was one of the last few made that year before the they added them, is a pity really as i thought it looks better with one lol,
As for the cherry red lacquer on the woodwork im getting tempted to strip it off and re oil the wood German style as have seen a American video on doing this, just not to sure if i should risk this?
@@hydroxycool I only bought new screws and a cleaning rod for it, screws fit fine but cleaning rod don't fit in correctly when bayonet attachment in on, so looks like at least one of the holes is off as when partially disconnected the rod actually screws in, as for anything else, it will stay as it is.
Just realised though that my MP44 and P38 are also Russian Capture.
An average one is now 1000+, mostly Ethiopian
The year is 2024. I found a 1938 S/243 Russian capture in a store. Store wanted $1,000. I offered $800 and they took it. Walked out with it for $800 + tax the next day.
Cost?
About 1k plus or minus
being a kar98k captured by the russians was probably a better fate than being a kar98k captured by the americans.
Mine has the birds on it
Saw an israeli mauser at the gun show it was the most absolutely beautiful milsurp I've ever seen far above and beyond the normal Israelis or Russian capture with a white filled in Israeli crest
That white was done by the owner here in the USA. Crayon works well w/o being perminant or damaging the finish.
@@misha5670 I doubt that but who knows. I "assoom" you're joking
Just check around with milsurp collectors. Its not at all a bad thing, and actually was very popular/common to do some years ago. The IDF though wasn't painting its markings....they weren't That bored lol. Many of those K98s ended up going to South America, hungout there for a few decades, and then got imported here. Of course there were a couple batches imported directly from Israel back in the 1990s, and those usually are in the best condition, cheers.
@@misha5670 thanks for the reply Misha I actually tend to value your opinions much higher than the average lowly collector! I have no idea why it seemed like a joke to me haha! I'll never doubt you again u da MAN
I did think of this too....not 'white' but sometimes with refurb guns, some people would put a fresh stamp/crest/proof into the metal which was already blued, thus leaving the marking in silver (i.e. bare or primer color). Not common, but it has been known to happen. That and sometimes pistols really did see painted in markings. The P.38 is a good example with its S & F safety letters. Of course pistols generally receive more attention like that. Rifles? those are just for the lowly groundpounders hehe, cheers.
👍🏻👍🏻
I've got a gunshop near me with about 6-8 K98s of varying quality and completeness most in the 600-800 dollar range with 3 more in the $1,400 range, need to get me one now that I've seen this and the following price increases
lol everyone and his bud think their RCK98 is worth $800+. Hell even with waffen marks penned off they attempt to get $600.
You think the Russians still have stock piles of these?
Exactly.....your buying a German K98
Just got one for 750, money is worthless
750😳 oof mine was only 470 full matching numbers too
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Wow let's all dry fire rifles in our homes. Not a good video for youngsters!
Shut up Karen.
That's the parents responsibility not his