Israeli K98

[vandle]

I picked this Israeli Mauser up a little while ago.

The condition is ok for a rifle that was used a little by the IDF

Its a Brno 1945 all matching. I cant find any dirt birds so Im assuming its post war manufacture.
Its not a bad shooter but needs some experimentation with loads to get the best out of it.
I managed to find a Israeli K98 Bayo to go with it.

[vandle]

[vandle]

[AGB-1]

Nice rifle.

[Rapidrob]

Thanks for posting.
It is interesting that these rifles have markings placed in diff areas of the receiver from whom ever modified them to 7.62x51mm. They are fine shooters at long range.

[vandle]

Hi Rapidrob

You have raised a good point. From all the pictures i've seen there seems to be no directive given on how to mark the receivers, only the information. It seems it was left to the individual on the end result.
It seems there was no instructions/standard to adhere to.

[jardows]

That one is in nice condition compared to many I've seen. I always wondered if there were any around that missed the conversion to 7.62, and still were in 8mm.

[ric44]

Great rifles .

[Mid.]

Nice rifle! Big fan of the K98 - having one in .308 would be nice.

[VMASCIOP2000]

The NATO loadings with 145 gr. to 150 gr. Bullets have been the most accurate In the three Israelis that I shoot. The best was the 150 gr. sp. I.M.I. rounds in the blue and white box, but they have been gone for some time, I believe. Great fun shooting these rifles.

[Mid.]

Nice rifle!

[jonnyc]

"I always wondered if there were any around that missed the conversion to 7.62, and still were in 8mm."

There were some. I have heard that all/most of those went to Australia.

[72 usmc]

Odd, I just traded a VZ 24 lacking a crest for a similar rifle. I walked around 4 hours and only had 5 people look at the vz, but the lack of a crest was the killer at $300. A guy had $390 on this .308 , so we traded. Both rifles headspaced and had excellent bores. I got in trade a dou 45 a tack driver. I just took it out to shoot today.

[72 usmc]

This is from a write up I am working on about commonly found K98s at gun shows. I am talking about this rifle pictured here.

I recently found an example of a 7.62 NATO converted, post war, Czech built K98k. So here are some of its attributes. This one was made from left over and newly made stamped parts-- winter trigger guard and stock. This one has a German receiver with markings "Mod. 98", "dou. 1945" and is not one of the common Czech K98s exhibiting the winter trigger guard and scrubbed top receiver. At the very upper edge of the receiver above Mod. 98 is deeply stamped "7.62". The receiver markings and Nazi inspection markings remain intact on most parts. However, the only matching numbers are found on the receiver and the bolt. The bolt does not match itself.

The 8mm barrel was rebarreled to a 7.62 NATO barrel on 8/56 and it lacks any original German barrel codes. If you look on the right side of the barrel, you will see the "8/56" date stamp, an "arrow" and also see a "7.62". The left side of the receiver has a Czech firing proof on the barrel and two Israeli proofs: the nun inside a star and the Hebrew letter tsiyon (a Y inside a circle) positioned below the original receiver's serial number. No additional dot matrix, importer serial number has been applied. In fact, this rifle has no import markings on it. The left rail is marked "CESKOSLOVENSKA ZBROJOVKA, A.S. BRNO".

Curiously, the sight base displays Nazi inspection markings. Likewise the bolt pieces and the stock bolt still retain their Nazi markings. This rifle has the stamped winter trigger guard and an Israeli Beech stock with late war features. The postwar Beech replacement stock is typical of these late 1950 Israeli conversions in having a bayo lug, but no bolt takedown disk or cleaning rod. In fact it is not even drilled for a cleaning rod. It has a late war leaf spring that holds both the stamped lower band and the milled upper band. It has a cupped buttplate with a bolt take down hole in it. The heel of the stock has a large " 7.62" deeply burned into the wood.

This CZ made K98k is a total miss match of German and some Israeli parts (stock and buttplate). It has a four digit serial number with a J letter code below the serial number, an excellent bore, and a well used and oil darkened stock. Headspace is perfect. It is a 1956 Israeli NATO rebuild that has a late Israeli K98 style sling with brass fittings and sling loop. The buckle is brass with a hebrew letter on it and the frosch has a brass button. The sling is not sewn, but has 2 large brass rivets holding on the buckle. The rifle has no defaced Swastikas most likely because the 8mm barrel and original laminated stock has been replaced. There is no IDF crest. This K98k is a product the Israeli program to rebuild, rechamber, and update their 8mm K98s to 7.62 Nato.
see photos
also see this link about Czech winter trigger guard rifles in both 8mm and .308;
http://www.surplusrifleforum.com/viewto ... ?f=11&t=10
and this German 98k in Israeli service:
https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/201 ... i-service/
also see the Cruffler review 2001;
http://www.cruffler.com/review-January-01.html

[72 usmc]