Josh Smith
Moderator
Hello,
I got it in my head today that I wanted a Mauser. I went to a few gunstores and they all wanted around $400 to $600 for one. Nope. All had bent bolt handles, too, and I wanted a straight one, being a lefty and all.
So I saw this thing in my favorite gunstore. Said "Amberg 88" or some danged thing on it. It had been sitting there for the better part of the year.
The gunstore owner said he wanted to see it gone, and he'd make me a deal. It had rust in the bore but looked OK overall.
I called up a friend who knows some about these things, told me some of what to check for. I told the gunstore owner that I'd have to come back for it after doing some research as I didn't know if it would be a wall hanger or a shooter, though I do like a project.
He told me that I know how he dislikes old milsurps. I know... too much research to find their value. He also knows how I like a project and to make an offer. I told him I didn't feel right doing so because I'd likely insult him.
He said he was thinking 50 bucks.
Not to pass up a deal, I came back with "How about 25?"
"40."
"30."
"35."
"Sold!" says I. $37.50 out the door.
I got it home and pulled it apart. One dent, very little surface rust -- just one spot on what appeared to be a hood on the barrel. The barrel was pristine under that hood. I had been afraid maybe it was rusted through.
Happily, it was not.
I was pushing what looked like mud out of the barrel, and after liberal amounts of Fluid Film and bore brushes wrapped in steel wool, it started to shine.
Not the best bore I've ever seen, but far from the worst. I've seen worse bores on Mosin-Nagants shoot well.
Here are some pics:
G88 pictures by WabashShootist - Photobucket
Now, only a couple questions are of very great importance to me: What the bloody hell is a G88, and what ammo do I shoot from it? 7.92 Mauser? I wanna make noise!
Thanks,
Josh
I got it in my head today that I wanted a Mauser. I went to a few gunstores and they all wanted around $400 to $600 for one. Nope. All had bent bolt handles, too, and I wanted a straight one, being a lefty and all.
So I saw this thing in my favorite gunstore. Said "Amberg 88" or some danged thing on it. It had been sitting there for the better part of the year.
The gunstore owner said he wanted to see it gone, and he'd make me a deal. It had rust in the bore but looked OK overall.
I called up a friend who knows some about these things, told me some of what to check for. I told the gunstore owner that I'd have to come back for it after doing some research as I didn't know if it would be a wall hanger or a shooter, though I do like a project.
He told me that I know how he dislikes old milsurps. I know... too much research to find their value. He also knows how I like a project and to make an offer. I told him I didn't feel right doing so because I'd likely insult him.
He said he was thinking 50 bucks.
Not to pass up a deal, I came back with "How about 25?"
"40."
"30."
"35."
"Sold!" says I. $37.50 out the door.
I got it home and pulled it apart. One dent, very little surface rust -- just one spot on what appeared to be a hood on the barrel. The barrel was pristine under that hood. I had been afraid maybe it was rusted through.
Happily, it was not.
I was pushing what looked like mud out of the barrel, and after liberal amounts of Fluid Film and bore brushes wrapped in steel wool, it started to shine.
Not the best bore I've ever seen, but far from the worst. I've seen worse bores on Mosin-Nagants shoot well.
Here are some pics:
G88 pictures by WabashShootist - Photobucket
Now, only a couple questions are of very great importance to me: What the bloody hell is a G88, and what ammo do I shoot from it? 7.92 Mauser? I wanna make noise!
Thanks,
Josh