Even an RC K98 has more historical and collector value than a Mitchell's. A RC will be worth more in the future depending on the date code than any Mitchell's rifle will ever be. Just because you paid more for it, and just because
they are raising the prices does not mean that is what the rifle is worth. The only simple way to say it is you've been suckered.
Go to surplusrifleforum.com and do a search there for an even more exacting description about what a Mitchell's Mauser really is (in essence just an RC K98 that has been scrubbed and taken of its historical significance [it at least has history if it was done by an opposing enemy force, not 2 weeks ago by an employee of Mitchell's]). There are old timers on that forum whom are affectionately referred to as Cruffler's who will forget more about military firearm collecting that many will ever know.
I will not say that MM's business practices are illegal, but they are without question very misleading in their advertisements. Stating that an M48 is preserved war time rifle is nonsense. The nomenclature "M48 K98k" is nonsense, the two although both Mauser action, are completely different rifles with their own differences. Their ads serve to mislead newcomers young and old to surplus rifle collecting. And juding by the fact they are still in business, they are selling their product very well. They are even endorsed by the History Channel !
HOWEVER, if you know what that you are purchasing a stripped, cleaned, scrubbed RC K98 because you don't feel like doing it yourself and are just looking for a shooter, then I suppose paying for that labor is "OK". But please don't consider your knowledge to be taken seriously when you buy their story about Nazi held M48 rifles sitting in a warehouse. Do you know how long they've been saying supplies of those rifles have been "running out"? Sure, of course they will run out someday, even the ubiquitous Mosin Nagants will run out eventually, but they've been using that line for years!
From a
collector's standpoint, the most valuable and desireable K98k will be a non import marked, all matching bringback with the factory code further dictacting value, next will be RC K98k rifles scrubbed by Russian peasant factory workers or conscript soldiers post war, again with factory codes dictacting more/less value. A MM will never be worth more than what they advertised it for, and generally, it is the original purchaser just trying to recoup their money once he/she figures out they want to collect military rifles.
We have a store called Gander Mt., an hour from here, with very ignorant pricing policies. Never spent a dime in it.
