Ger k98 Mauser project

[yggorf]

Hi, I recently purchased a large-ring German K98 (or is it 98K) Mauser, from about 1940. The metal is in pretty good shape but covered in very thick, heavy grease/cosmoline. I had heard about "sportorizing" these rifles -- what is involved in that? The wood on this thing is horrible -- it looks like cedar and feels as soft, so I assume I need to replace that. What do most people do to resurrect these rifles?

Do folks keep these in 8mm caliber, or replace the barrel? How do you get the heavy grease out of the bore (what is a good solvent)?

 

[mapsjanhere]

IF this is an original Mauser in unaltered condition, sportertizing it will convert a $500 rifle in a piece of $150 iron. Take pictures of the markings, check numbers on receiver, bolt and other metals, if they match you might have a prime collectible.
Even a non-matching numbers Russian capture Mauser is still worth more than any sporterized one.
With all these cautions, typically sporterizing a military surplus rifle involves at minimum reshaping (or, if bad, replacing) the stock, and usually drilling and taping the receiver for a scope mount. If you want a shooter without ruining the collector's value, buy a new stock, and get a scout scope mount that fits into the standard rear sight. You need a scout scope to use it, but you don't need to do any irreversible modifications.
The cosmoline comes off with hot water, a variety of solvents or simple heating it carefully to make it run off.

 

[yggorf]

Mine has mostly matching numbers, with a few exceptions. This could very well be a Russian capture Mauser.

The stock really must be replaced. Is looks like it was coated in cosmoline but subsequently submerged in water for a while -- the hard grain has stayed at one level but the soft grain has swollen up to a higher level -- running your hand over it you feel multiple hills and valleys. Possibly this could be sanded out but the stock is not really anything special wood-wise, grain-wise, or shape-wise.

The metal pieces are all in very good shape. I thought the best use for these parts would be to change stocks and possibly rebarrel to .308 (I believe the 8mm and .308 share a common base size, so I wouldn't have to modify the bolt -- right?)

I like the idea of the scout scope mount and scope.