What Danny didn't say was the shellac isn't a finish like we're used to. It was applied for it's hydrophobic properties. This helps block water from getting to the wood and helps block cosmoline from being absorbed into the wood too. Also the reason the trade agreement is such a big deal is that only India and Thailand produce shellac in large enough amounts for this rework process.

Although not 'aesthetically correct', these Russian captures are definitely historically significant. They remind one of the extreme hardships of Stalingrad, the fierce fighting at Kursk, or the final battle for Berlin.

I thought this guy was shirtless at first.

Your enfield is cocked and it's killing my OCD :D

German WWII small arms are going up like crazy in price pretty soon the “cheap” Russian capture will be prohibitively expensive

got my russian capture k98 for $400 at a local shop about a year ago. 1944 DOT. It has some rough spots but still has the eagles. Some people shit on Russian Captures but to me your getting an awesome rife without spending the crazy money on original german k98's. I certainly want an original german k98 at some point, but for now the russian capture does more than scratch the itch.

In the the late 1960's (high school for me), my friends had these German mausers. You could buy one from these guys for 20 dollars. We would put them in the trunks of our cars so we could go shooting after school. Nobody cared that we had rifles out in the parking lot. The teacher would ask us what we were doing after school; we said "going out to the sand pit to shoot the guns". I had five uncles in ww2. They were sending mausers and other German stuff back to their families and relatives. After a battle, they were laying all over the place.

It's still a Mauser 98 no matter how you slice or dice it. Still the best bolt action rifle out there.

In the thumbnail I thought you were shirtless, I saw the word “Russian” and didn’t even question what I thought I saw

Am i the only one who likes the shellac look? Makes it look much newer. And having extra damage protection from water and dings is a plus in my book.

>Go on Gunbroker >Only RC K98s visible are over $1000 in decent condition. All below that price are trashed. 'tis not a good time for milsurp

Enjoyed your post. I have a Yugo K98k purchased a few years back for $100. Added a long eye relief scope much like you'd expect with a scout rifle. It's a good shooter.

Pretty happy that I bought 2 of them. One of them was my first firearm. Good prices for Australia.

Just picked up my Russian capture k98 today. love it!

I just got into Mausers so this was very informative. For me the takeaway is that, event though it’s a ‘capture’, it’s still the real thing. Ja wohl!

I bought a gi bring back s/243 1938 date for 400$ all matching best buy ever sad to say the paperwork was lost over the years

I really enjoy how varied these rifles are. It's always fun meeting someone with another RC and just comparing the odd differences each rifle has from the refurbishing process. And like you say at the end, it's fun to have a cheap k98 that you can drag through the woods and can handle roughly without the guilt of damaging a historical piece

That G43/K43 hanging on the wall in the upper right got that bug going once again. Thanks ya bastard.

I bought one of the RC 98s over 10 yrs ago for about $550 Fazul and I love it. I have made 400 yard shots with it. Wish I had bought 2.

I have one and I was sad that they removed the hood, bottom mag/receiver screws and put smaller ones in and of course no sling or cleaning rod. But glad I have one and it was affordable before now.

Thanks for this! I have a Russian capture myself that I probably wouldn't have known what it was if not for your video, so thanks! Really informed my on my research, and there's still more to go but it's damn interesting. Practically everything's force matched on my K98, as per Russian style, but the barrel/receiver is manufactured in 38' and stamped for approval in '42 (Nazi eagle with 280 under it) even though it's a S/243. The rest appear to be all over the place manufacture wise. WaA63, WaA77, WaA655. There's a weird F that I haven't figured out either, as well. Unfortunately, a lot of the original stamping on the bolt and other force matched parts have been sanded down so I'll probably never know everything, but it's still neat.

I have a Russian capture P38 that I got for a steal because the dealer was snooty and turned up his nose at it. I think being an RC just adds to its history. Aa long as it functions correctly and is in decent shape, I have no problem.

Not gonna lie in the thumbnail it looked like you were shirtless with a farmers tan and a “milisurp world” tattoo.

Have a capture k98 an it shoots great kicks quite a bit but accurate

Much like nearly any US rifle that went through a refurbishment. My M1903 from 1936 was rebuilt in the war, and looks like a WWI M1903 with a 1940 barrel. It came out of the rebuild with an earlier stock. The USA was terrible when it came to keeping parts together, they weren't even numbered, so you had to find out if the part has a heat lot number from roughly the time of the receiver. Sure, optimally a Mauser collector wants all the numbered parts to match, but the RCs can be made into good weapons that look like they did when the Germans used them, although that may require swapping and refinishing stocks and parts as I did for mine. Sight hoods and cleaning rods are easy to get. At least the Soviets did not scrub the receivers like the Yugos did.

I've got one and I absolutely love it. Sure it doesn't all match and doesn't look the same. But it's still a 98K.

They didn't sit and rust, they were dipped in cosmoline and put in storage for a decade, then reworked assembly wise and now sold to the west..

I have a Yugo K98k. It does not have the cross rifles, it has pressed serial numbers on the floor plate, left side of the receiver and the rotated number on the butt end of the stock. It has the cupped butt plate. It was refurbished at the Zestava plant. It is in excellent condition and shoots great. Does not have electro penciled numbers. Has a couple of wafen symbols on the receiver and a Yugoslavian crest on the top of the receiver.

Great video, mate

I bought one 22 years ago for $200 in immaculate condition.

I’m fortunate enough to have one and it’s such a beautiful tack driver

I have a rc marked AX 41 which I've heard to be rare the bore looks amazing some numbers match but not all of course. Overall worth the 300$ I spent even came with 50rds.

When you buy a Soviet Capture, you're securing an authentic WW2 Eastern Front war horse, battlefield pick up, & piece of history, which probably died in some SOB's arms. In my mind, having been captured, parts broke down, re-blued & mismatched makes for its history & story. Regardless of whether the serial numbered parts were all mixed up post: Please don't treat it like sh*t.

When Iron curtain came down, in 1991, these captured 98ks began to be shipped to the West....Problem, was so many had parts needed changing, and bores were ate-up...…..The Russians slowed importing for 15-18 months, while re-arsenaling the remainder, to get them up to standards, then continued shipping , hence the 'x', as passing inspection before exporting...…..(I had to rebarrel two of the early ones in 1991)

I have one. paid 89 dollars for it, in the 80's, and 120 for a check Mauser. both are in great shape. it shoots great. the black finish is ok. the little x on the receiver doesn't take away from the rifle to me. I bought them to shoot, not be museum relics. I made the bores shinny again, with clr and then comet.

I have a pretty nice pre-Nazi (1936) Mauser-built Russian capture with a decent late-war stock. I dropped a Timney trigger in it and it shoots great!

Super informative vid, well done!!!

I got one when they were selling for $100. They go for about $500 now.

I paid 900 for mine. So the inflation is a serious problem. Especially in 2021. Thx everyone

In 1968 my father bought ten K98ks for $28.50 each; ten bayonets for them for $3.50 each; and, 1000 rounds of 8mm ball ammo for $50. He ordered by mail from a company called Century Arms located in St Albans, Vermont. I was 14 at the time and remember him saying the prices of these guns will more than double in the future.

What's the deal with the bolt release and extractor being purple with RCs?

I just picked up a prewar 1937 J.P. Sauer Mauser Karabiner 98 Kurz with Civilian Markings that turned out to be a Russian capture. Contrary To Popular Belief, K98k Mausers before 1940 lacked a sight hood and had the flat buttplate style until it was discovered that the flat buttplate would crack the stock easier. It was 1940 and beyond where they produced guns with those two features; the hooded front sight and the buttplate cap. The Shellac job on my example was terrible as the stock has shallac particles coming off onto your hands as you held it, but the Blackening/Bluing was really beautiful. The Barrel and Receiver are matching, however the bolt has been electropenciled. The stock is original, or at least the butt-plate is as it matches by the serial stamp. There was no X mark on the receiver. The Bolt is still smooth operating as if it were arsenal refurbished so that matching numbers wouldn't matter, but I suspect a true receiver bolt match would be even smoother. The trigger has a lot of take-up, a moderate wall and the trigger breaks like glass with a satisfying sound. The bore is in good shape with clear rifling and no pitting, but the bore is still in need of a proper clean. I ran a 308 bore snake through it, but I need a 8mm Mauser bore snake to get it properly clean. I plan to get a cleaning rod and the missing capture screws, but other than that I think I'll leave it alone. Yes, before you ask, this is going to be a shooter. It has a unique history as it is likely it served the border guards, the prewar Wehrmacht or perhaps either the SA or SS. It then eventually made its way to the Eastern Front where it was eventually captured by the Soviets. I just don't understand why Russian Captures are considered worthless compared to Wartime, Kriegsmodel and Volkskarabiner 98 Mausers with Waffenampt Stamps. What's so special about the Nazi markings that drives the price up so much? Russian captures have so much history and for 800 bucks, for a pre-war example that was later a Soviet Capture, I'm not complaining. I also picked up at the same time a wonderfully preserved Toyo Kogyo Arsenal (Subcontracted by Kokura Arsenal) 32nd Series Arisaka Type 99 Rifle. Built Approximately in 1943, it was the last series of Arisaka from that arsenal to be fitted with a monopod, dust cover and full anti-aircraft sights. The Rifle has an excellent and shiny chrome lined bore and chromed bolt head with no issues that I can see. The original stock finish is untouched, the stock is beautiful and there was a Japanese soldier battlefield modification on the rear sling mount which is a round ring instead of a D ring like on the original sling mount. This Rifle possibly served during Guadalcanal (as it would be the time period), but more likely engaged the enemy during the Invasion of the Philippines or during the invasion of Okinawa. Due to the existence of an Intact Mum that has been only slightly molested (a couple of Bayonet scratch marks on the top right hand corner), it is entirely possible it was picked up by a Marine during one of these battles who brought it home as a war trophy. I am going to restore it as it is missing its monopod, dust cover and cleaning rod and before you ask, yes, I am also going to shoot it. I was amazed that a intact mum Arisaka was in the shop for 600 bucks. I made sure the Mum was genuine as an original mum has 16 petals, most faked intact mum examples out there use a 14 petal chrysanthemum metal stamp.

Thanks for the vid and info...I got a K98 capture...and now I know...Around £290 ($371)...I was told it came from Kursk...maybe I bought it around 2007...It has been disarmed...metal rod welded in barrel and bolt chamfered with a grinder at the front (UK law)...It's only a display collectors gun for here in the UK...Maybe I'll shoot one next time I go to the US...That would be an experience...and shoot an M1911 and a Luger and an army colt...and a colt peacemaker...I'd like that...I'd only need to do that once just to say I'd done it

So I thought about it last night, I think you should do a video on Turkish Mausers. They are still the cheapest Milsurps out there and they are quality! You could do all the different varieties including the 1954 ATF (only 15,000) made.

I think what more or less happened with the capture screws and sight hoods is they were thrown away simply because they didn't want to bother with putting them back on. Especially when some rifles are cut of the sight hood and some weren't. Removing and replacing the sight hood is the most labor intensive part of 98k disassembly IMHO. The cleaning rods were probably thrown away due to there being both 10" and 12" rods. After the stocks were mixed up it would have been a major chore sorting all those out to find what went where. That problem was exacerbated by stocks made after mid 1944 that weren't drilled for the cleaning rod at all.

You know I was thinking of getting a Russian capture k98k at my local gun shop before i watched this video

My Russian capture Dou 44 has the brightest bore. It's surprising. The bullet test in end the bore is very good as well. Like a new barrel.

.6mm paint pen helps bring the lettering to suit your needs

Mine i regret selling years ago was 80 precent matching hours and hours of cleaning you can get that orignal finish back on the wood

1199.99 last I checked in my area of canada. Got mine in 2013 for 699.99 just about doubled in canada

Good video Sir🇺🇸 Do you have a video about/showing a ‘shooter kit’ install for a K43? I have two and want to outfit one. Also, who you would recommend buying the kit through? Thanks from mountainy Idaho🇺🇸

My dream gun room

I just got a K98 after wanting one for awhile that was made in 1941. 90% matching and it is a Russian capture but other the cross marking you wouldn’t know.

What’s up with Yugo captures? Same?

I bought four RC K98's back in 2004 when they were 220 a piece. One had the Swastikas peened out but the other three had them intact. I had to sell three of them some years later, still kicking myself for doing so. But I kept one. A real mix match. Prewar solid walnut stock with a 1934 dated barrel and a Mauser Oberdorf reciever. You can tell it's been thru a war (the stock in particular) but it's still one of my most accurate shooters and my favourite rifle. Way better than a Mosin. Now that most military surpluss as dried up the prices are just stupid if you can even find one. They are interesting pieces of history and excellent rifles in their own right. Apparently the ones with intact Swastikas came out of Ukraine. Ukrainians apparently didn't mind having Swastikas on the ones they refurbed.

I'd love to buy one of your swedish mauser rifles

Mine is taken from them here and have right numbers and a Norwegian barrell :) from 1941.

These go for around a grand up here in Canada. Count yourself lucky that you can get them for $500

Well.. at values today these captured rifles can’t be treated like beaters😳

Take that No. 1 MKIII Enfield off the wall, remove the forearm and turn the rear sight protector around so it faces the proper direction.

I don’t really think it’s any mystery as to why the Soviets would refurbish and store hundreds of thousands if not millions of captured rifles. We have to remember that although the AK was designed in 47, it wouldn’t actually see widespread adoption until the 60s and the K98 would make a fine rear echelon rifle if the need arose. Best not to relive the small arms shortage of 1941 again.

Never could figure out why the Russians sanded a huge chunk out of the Butt stock before stamping the serial #.

Where do i find an authentic one with reasonable price?

Thanks for sharing. I have a Russian capture Mauser K98k rifle that is in excellent condition.

5:00 I think they didn't add them back because to them it wasn't worth the time and effort. The rifles still functioned just fine without those parts so they weren't necessary.

You know what would be a good video? Interview a former "Mitchell's Mausers" employee who was involved with the refurbishing of the k98ks that were sold by them in past years. I have a byf '44, shellacked stock, electro penned bolt---- shiny, and matching part numbers with Mitchell's info on the barrel, beautiful bluing etc; I got it at a pawnshop, I knew what I was buying, got a good deal so don't pity me or think I'm a dumb idiot. It is obviously one of the cheaper grades of k98ks that they sold. I would like to know what exactly Mitchell's did to the RCs they got and how they did it. How many people worked for them, etc; very little history about Mitchell's but much ill will about their deceptive advertising and their continuing assertion that the Yugo M48 (or whatever it is) is a WW2 Mauser. It would be fun to find out more history.

Goid vid man thank you

This is a great introduction but in our India very rear this kar 98 k mauser

I'm by no means an expert on mausers, so i could be wrong, but its my understanding that when a RC 98k has its swastika's scratched off, it was generally due to the proxy countries that got issued them not wanting to be using a gun with nazi marks on it, so if your's does its likely it saw combat or at least a second service life outside of the wehrmacht got mine at an auction for 450 at the hammer, '36 receiver s/243 with 3 commercial marks and only 1 waffenamp. import stamp on the barrel edge from VA, bolt force match and a pretty heavy black-oxide finish on the metal. i'd prefer the original german look of the wood but i actually dont mind the shellac as much, its a fairly nice red imo. Funny thing too, the russians put the sight on upside down as well, so the notch was on the bottom instead of the top when i first got it Overall a pretty solid quality rc, based on its condition it probably just sat in storage after its work was done. insanely glad to have it, even if its expensive as hell to shoot and find ammo for it.

I have a Mitchell’s Kar98k. Trolls can save their hate. This was a Christmas gift from my father (one of the last gifts he ever gave me - and I will never sell it). He believed their hype. I am pretty sure it is a Russian capture that they took and polished the bolt group (removing all original bluing), and most likely renumbered all the parts to be matching. They put a mint, new matching numbered stock on it - as if that could survive the war in that condition. There is a strange “asterisk” symbol on the receiver band. I read somewhere that a lot of Russian captures had an “X” engraved on them and that Mitchell’s simply engraved another line through it to make a “nonsense” symbol. Functionally, it still is a nice example. All tight fitting and clean. Just no historical value to collectors.

Mine has pitting and the bore never comes clean. Not very accurate. What can be done with it

first!! love the videos keep up the great work !!

A guys can you tell me where are those $400 k98 mauser’s

Vulcan Refinishing can and has restored those to make them look like a complete matching numbers rifle. He has the laser markings and you chose the new matching numbers. This guy is so good he replicates the damn machining marks.

The 98's are a tough rifle to see the sights. Gotta have really good eye sight. Their nice rifles but not for the prices these days.

I have a Russian capture K98k which I purchased about 12 years ago. It is marked S/42G . From my research this is a date of 1935. I think this is the first year that the K98k was made for the German Army. Receiver and barrel match. The rest is mixed numbers. Metal and wood are in pretty good condition. Do you have any idea what this rifle would be worth ? Just curious. Thank you for any info you can provide.

I've got two of these capture rifles...to me they have a TON more provenance than their non 'X' marked counterparts...the Soviets were terrible pack rats...thankfully for us collectors in the post Soviet era...I have a prize Mauser in my collection.. 1916 Spandau manufactured Gew 98....it was one of the early rifles that Hitler ordered converted to the new Kar98k model before illegally manufacturing new rifles in contravention of the Versailles treaty...it survived the Great WAR, the Weimar republic, the second World war and 'bubba' in the states..if it was made in 1916 it survived some of the worst fighting/destruction...I love those Soviet Captures...if only they could talk...

I don't look down on these ya they may not be matching but people pay big money for supposed "action" K98k but you can get a Russian capture that was pretty much guaranteed to have seen action because most were probably captured on the eastern front, I've had some they shoot great and most bores are excellent on these captures or the Russians would have discarded a bad bore

Saw a 1938 K98 42 all matching including stock. Everything was intact but on the left side of barrel where it meets the receiver 3 german eagles with swatz but a small stamped Star on the barrel. The stock and rest of gun does not look like a russian caputure as its bluing is pretty worn, no shellac on stock and no scribes on bolt or stock. Just don't remember the Germans stamping a Star on guns.

Did all RC’s have the cross rifles/X stamped on to them?

I remember when those rifles were selling for $40

I have 1942 numbers match. No butt number on the stock. My Dad got it after the war for fifteen dollars. What’s it worth?

Best bolt action rifle of WW2 . The 303 cartridge alone makes that rifle trash needless to say the safety , a real man killer ,that is the man carrying the 303 .

These are $1700 in Canada!

MUY BUEN VIDEO AMIGO. ME GUSTARIA SABER DONDE PUEDO ENCONTRAR EL RECEPTOR PARA UN MAUSER ARGENTINO 1909 SI USTED ME PUEDE AYUDAR EN ESO SE LO VOY A AGRADECER, SALUDOS Y UN FUERTE ABRASO. GRACIAS

When you said the price was 600 bones I knew this video was a couple years old. Most RC guns in poor condition with all stamps removed will fetch at least 1000$ on GB or local listings.

I have a gun store near me that’s selling a K98 Captured for 1600…that’s way to high right?

I actually own an MG53, with alot of parts that have this electro penciling on them. this mean all these parts where WW2 MG42 parts, captured, then given to the Yugoslavians who used them in the production of the MG53 My MG53 also does NOT have a yugo crest on top

Hey can some one help me value a k98? As i know nothing about them really. Not as much as you guys probably do! Im in canada here and no one really knows them well

Ah really? Man... 0:25

If I find one at a good price with a nice bore, I will buy it. I buy rifles to shoot them not to have them collecting dust in a safe. Now, I would never pay more than a $600 for a surplus bolt action rifle. I have seen a K-98 at $2500 and $3500, whoever pay so much are idiots. A Spanish, Swedish and Turkish Mauser do the same job for less.

In Canada now those are 1000$ guns..

$1600.00 CDN now... argh

I completely disagree with the closing few seconds of your video where you stated that you can be rough with them and ding them up because it won’t be a huge historical loss. I sincerely don’t understand why so many people have this attitude towards Russian Capture K98’s. It’s truly sad to me. I mean no offense but have you ever heard of Die Ostfront? Not to mention the rifles capture, refurbishment, and re-purposing by the Soviets. Tons of history there.

They exist because not everybody can afford mint numbers matching rifles or want one. I have 3 rc k98. Paid 250 apiece years ago when they were being imported after the supply of regular k98 dried up. An rc k98 has an extra layer of history to it. Occasionally both show up at the pawn shop or consignment rack. The last rc k98 I saw was 650 and an original numbers matching late war k98 was 1600. On the rc k98 some had the german stamps peened out some did not. Also look at the bore. Some have original bores and some are counterbored. Historic rifle from Nazi Germany and rearsenaled by communist Soviet Union. Both entities no longer exist.

Here's another fun thing... How many k98ks did Don Mitchell get? Supposedly he went into business in 2002? And it took him 15 years to sell out of them? He must have had quite a few!!

Nice vid I liked it I owe a few k,s. And liked your video

I seen one of these at a pawnshop a few years back going for $100. Had the Nazi insignia as well.

हिन्दी भाषा में बताओ जी कौनसी लिबर में है राईफल

Good luck finding an original matching k98