Mitchell Mausers

crazy charlie

Every month I get a magazine or two with the
mitchell ad for 8mm mausers. They are really tempting.
On other forums I've heard many negative things, but I'd like to hear from someone who has bought one.
Are they as sweet as the picture in the ad?

crazy charlie

Anybody out there purchased a 98 that they advertise? The picture they show looks sweet, but is that what you get when you buy one?

Wehrmacht_45

They are pretty and they make good shooters. They are however refinished so they will not have much for collectors value. But if you want a new looking K98, its your most economical and easiest route.

crazy charlie

So they like you to believe that they came out on an arsenel, but neglect to say they are refinished?

ladams

You are far better off to go to a gun show and buy a surplus Mauser for about 1/3rd the cost. It would be a REAL mauser, not an overpriced refinish.

Wehrmacht_45

quote:Originally posted by crazy charlie
So they like you to believe that they came out on an arsenel, but neglect to say they are refinished?


They did....they took them out of Russian or other eastern block arsenals and refinished them. They have all been used to some degree. If you know what you are doing you can get a really nice non numbers matching Mauser at a show or at some shops and doll them up for less. I bought my K98 and redid it for less than half of a Mitchells gun. However it took alot of time and work.

Frogbert

The Russians, themselves, refurbished the Mausers they captured, and lacquer-coated them for protection before storing. The lacquer is very easily removed with denatured alcohol, and the stock brought back to it's origional finish with tung, linseed, boiled linseed, or Danish oil. Plenty good Mausers.

That being said, a Yugo M48 will outshoot a German Mauser, and have better steel than late-war German Mausers due to the heavy bombing of the German facilities by the Allied forces.

crazy charlie

Thanks for the info, guys.

Wehrmacht_45

The funny thing is I have a late war mauser that outshoots all my others m48 and BRNO 98/22 included. The bore was pristine and there was blood pitting on the site, so the poor soldier didnt get much shooting off before the rifle hit the ground it seems.

Most M48 mausers will outshoot a K98 because they have not been abused as much, and hence not seeing corrosive ammo. I get the feeling that if you found a pre war k98 it would outshoot the M48 which alsways are a bit rougher than the nice 1935-1939 k98s.

gotstolefrom

Mitchells guns do look really nice, and their advertising is very motivating. I had a need for a Mauser 98, and the first time I saw the add I couldn't get the phone and credit card fast enough.

I see Mitchell's as a great pimp. The stable of wares are some great lookers, maybe excellent lookers. They all perform well, but have an unknown history. And, they do ask top dollar for them. If you know what you are dealing with, you are O.K.

You may get great enjoyment from Mitchells services.
You may get great enjoyment cleaning one up yourself.

I have never seen a Mitchell that DID NOT have a 'white' bolt. Though I'm not an expert, I have never seen a true and correct 98 that DID have a 'white' bolt.

Other than the 100% 'bring-back' from my Dad that 'gotstolefrom' my home, my 'best' 98 now is one with all markings intact, and all the S/N are e-penned. I avoid e-penned s/n , but I feel it is more 'historically correct' for me than my Mitchell, just IMO.
I cannot afford a true original like I once had, but worse things have happened.

ENJOY !