WTB a Mauser: Mitchell's Mausers a Yay or Nay??
- Thread starter hivoltagefx4
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hivoltagefx4
New member
Nice pics tahoe2! Is that German K98 you have pictured a Mitchell's? Looks really nice as well as looking brand new!
A russian capture mauser will have an "x" on the reciever. I have a couple pics, but its really hard to see the x in the pics. As to how they shoot, mine shot amazing, but i did overpay. As long as you check out the bore, muzzle and crown of the rifle, it will shoot well for you. also, +1 on the finnish or swedish mauser. There amazing rifle built with the best materials of the time. Heck, these things are pretty close to being on par with todays rifles. maybe even better than some.
Mitchel's ruins historical firearms by permanently altering them through force matching, adding stamps, chroming parts that are not supposed to be chromed, etc. I hate him with a burning passion and would **** on his grave.
Get your C&R license and look over at Surplus Rifle Forum. There are more "experts" on mausers over there but there are still plenty here to talk to.
If you want a good, all-around shooting mauser rifle for not a lot of money, look at the Yugo 24/47 mausers. They are good rifles. Just don't bubba it or I'll find you.
Get your C&R license and look over at Surplus Rifle Forum. There are more "experts" on mausers over there but there are still plenty here to talk to.
If you want a good, all-around shooting mauser rifle for not a lot of money, look at the Yugo 24/47 mausers. They are good rifles. Just don't bubba it or I'll find you.
hivoltagefx4
New member
Apparently, MM seems to do that on all of their rifles. I was very close to laying out a lot of $$$ with Mitchell's Mausers until I did more research on them as well as hearing feedback about them here as well as other gun sites.
I see no indications of that on my rifles.
I'll ask again for anybody with specific knowledge & not just Internet rumor.
I can live with being corrected, but I've never yet seen anybody deliver firsthand experience, proof, or knowledge.
I'm very skeptical about the statement that they do it on all of their rifles.
Again- separate the "collector" aspect from the "shooter" aspect.
If you want a like-new shooter in excellent condition, and don't mind paying MM to clean it up for you, based on my two samples I'd not hesitate to say the MM Yugos are very much worth looking at.
Denis
I'll ask again for anybody with specific knowledge & not just Internet rumor.
I can live with being corrected, but I've never yet seen anybody deliver firsthand experience, proof, or knowledge.
I'm very skeptical about the statement that they do it on all of their rifles.
Again- separate the "collector" aspect from the "shooter" aspect.
If you want a like-new shooter in excellent condition, and don't mind paying MM to clean it up for you, based on my two samples I'd not hesitate to say the MM Yugos are very much worth looking at.
Denis
hivoltage, negative I don't have a pic of the Mitchell yet, the K98 is from Grandma's in the earlier post; note the military stock cut with no bayo lug, thats the way I got it, I put a "Mojo" sight on the rear it shoots awesome and TruOiled the stock 6-7 coats and thanks for the compliment. the Mitchell has Zastava & MMC on the barrel, blue is awesome #'s match and the stock is rough(as in not sanded) but has no dings or dents , will get a pic up soon, headed to the range right now!! woohoo!
DPris, While I dont think the Yugo Mausers are renumbered by Mitchells, the Mauser K98s that they sell most definitely are.
The proof is in the markings denoting what these rifles are, specifically, they are all "Russian Captures" as denoted by the "X" stamped on to the receiver. RCs were rebuilt by the Russians without regard to serial numbers. With the exception of the barrel and the receiver, no Russian captured K98 will ever have original matching serial numbers.
It becomes even more obvious when you look at the font of the serial numbers on a Mitchells K98 as that style was never used by Germany. Also, various parts changed from year to year, such as the design of the barrel bands, the butt plate, etc. While its not completely unheard of to see a mixed part or two on an original and authentic "numbers matching" K98, seeing a K98 put together from various parts spanning 1935 -1945 with all the serial numbers matching is absurd. It simply didn't happen.
Regardless, the fact that they are Russian captures is the "smoking gun" as far as the renumbering question is concerned.
Don't even get me started on that polished bolt.
The proof is in the markings denoting what these rifles are, specifically, they are all "Russian Captures" as denoted by the "X" stamped on to the receiver. RCs were rebuilt by the Russians without regard to serial numbers. With the exception of the barrel and the receiver, no Russian captured K98 will ever have original matching serial numbers.
It becomes even more obvious when you look at the font of the serial numbers on a Mitchells K98 as that style was never used by Germany. Also, various parts changed from year to year, such as the design of the barrel bands, the butt plate, etc. While its not completely unheard of to see a mixed part or two on an original and authentic "numbers matching" K98, seeing a K98 put together from various parts spanning 1935 -1945 with all the serial numbers matching is absurd. It simply didn't happen.
Regardless, the fact that they are Russian captures is the "smoking gun" as far as the renumbering question is concerned.
Don't even get me started on that polished bolt.
I've read a lot of bad rap about the Mitchell's , but I'm totally satisfied with mine, it functions flawlessly, shoots great, and is easy on the eyes. I have seen some mausers owned by the nay sayers at my local range, and they have plenty of character(arsenal stock repairs, gouges, cracks, etc...) and they shoot about the same. But I wouldn't trade for any of them. My Yugo
M24/47 might be Bubbafied to some, but the original stock was cracked in several places so I replaced it with a Boyd's sporter and put a Timney trigger & low mnt safety, drilled & tapped for scope; I now have a beautiful custom hunting 8x57mauser that prints 1-1/2" groups @100yds and 3"@200 yds
the mitchell is on the bottom
M24/47 might be Bubbafied to some, but the original stock was cracked in several places so I replaced it with a Boyd's sporter and put a Timney trigger & low mnt safety, drilled & tapped for scope; I now have a beautiful custom hunting 8x57mauser that prints 1-1/2" groups @100yds and 3"@200 yds
the mitchell is on the bottom
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i my self like real german ww-2 rifles, in used combat condition(hell i like any combat used rifles) they talk to me. one of my best liked model 98 german rifles is a bring back, that has the been there done that look. it has been used in the rain,mud and snow in germany and shows it,but the bore is ex. a true rifleman carried it and cared for it untill it was captured in germany in 1945. no german soldgier would have carried a mitchell mauser in combat. if you want a wantabe mitchell mauser,there is nothing wrong with it,but don,t think its a real war horse. maybe a parade rifle. eastbank.
If you want combat history, look elsewhere, if you want an as-new Mauser shooter, MM is worth consideration.
You have to decide which you want.
The two core issues here, aside from what they do to the Germans, is whether you care about history and if you're willing to pay a little more for a very clean shooter.
If you do & if you're not, go elsewhere.
All I've been saying is don't automatically dismiss MM out of hand if you want a very nice Mauser-pattern user that's not beat to hell.
Denis
You have to decide which you want.
The two core issues here, aside from what they do to the Germans, is whether you care about history and if you're willing to pay a little more for a very clean shooter.
If you do & if you're not, go elsewhere.
All I've been saying is don't automatically dismiss MM out of hand if you want a very nice Mauser-pattern user that's not beat to hell.
Denis
if i wanted a 98 mauser to shoot i would buy the nicest yugo short 98 model 48 i could find,a ex one can still be had for under 300.00 and they are ex shooters. i happen to have two israeli 98 mausers converted to 7.62x51 with ex bores and a norwegin 98 converted to 3006 with a ex bore by the norwegins and all three are ex shooters with ammo being available any where. eastbank.
hivoltagefx4
New member
I actually ended up picking up a Czech VZ24 that is in very nice shape. Will post pics as soon as I can. Not knocking Mitchell's, but I am glad I did not go that route. I found a rifle every bit as nice for about half the cost. 