Nice day today with my K98

[willtill]

…at the AGC. Didn’t wear my wussy pad today though, my shoulder is still aching from the steel buttplate.

I brought with me 45 rounds of 8mm heavy ball Bulgarian, but I decided stop at 30.

 

[Combloc]

Nice!! Tell me more about your rifle please.

 

[RFBfromDE]

You're getting all soft and squishy!

 

[Trepang]

That's awesome.
I have only had the opportunity to put about 5 rounds through mine just to verify it worked okay.

It wasn't at a range with a real target so I can't speak to it's accuracy - just shooting at a round bale in Dad's field back in Illinois.

 

[Doco Overboard]

Great range pic and nice rifle.
I sold all my Mauser's years ago but kept a few I customized.
For some reason I still keep buying 8mm ammo. Im not sure why though however. Weird.
If you ever get into some hang fire ammo, just crimp the necks before shooting/bounce them around a little bit.
Sometimes that will help them light correctly, especially if the necks are seasoned-bullet pull has become lessened over time. Sometimes not, but whatever.
FWIW, a 98 bolt when it 1/4 cocks on opening movement causes the extractor claw to grip the case rim during primary case extraction with more purchase. For reliability of course. Lots of wartime ammo was steel cased/less springback yada yada.

 

[willtill]

Nice!! Tell me more about your rifle please.

I acquired this laminate stocked K98 back when AIM Surplus was selling them for like cheap (best out of five hand select) if you can remember that sales ploy. I bought this one, and another hardwood stocked one which the wrist was completely cracked in half. Either an irate German cracked Ivan over the head with it, or Ivan tried to destroy the rifle upon the Wehrmacht's capitulation... take yer pick of scenarios. I did repair that wrist of the rifle and she's singing "Watch on the Rhine" in her full glory

Both rifles were rough. I tore them completely down and cleaned them, and slapped back together But they have good bores and crowns. Not all serial numbers match across all components. The both do have Nazi proof markings stamped in the receiver and elsewhere.

So today I put my 62 year old eyes to the test with the iron sights. The rifle will do what you want it to do. Very consistent, I don't have a front sight pusher tool to move the impacts as you can see below on the target I had out there at 100 yards. Was starting to just adopt Kentucky windage towards the end. I'll adjust more precisely in the morning.

 

[RFBfromDE]

Either an irate German cracked Ivan over the head with it, or Ivan tried to destroy the rifle upon the Wehrmacht's capitulation...

Sgt Schultz sat on it?

 

[John from MD]

…at the AGC. Didn’t wear my wussy pad today though, my shoulder is still aching from the steel buttplate.

I brought with me 45 rounds of 8mm heavy ball Bulgarian, but I decided stop at 30.

View attachment 412781

Shooting 196gn 8x57 from a bench is not for us old fogies unless you are using a lead sled. Advil is your friend.

 

[willtill]

Shooting 196gn 8x57 from a bench is not for us old fogies unless you are using a lead sled. Advil is your friend.

Ya. Or remember to pack my PAST pad for next time. This is what I'll normally throw over my right shoulder/bicep when I know I'm going to endure some long bouts of punishing recoil.

 

[John from MD]

Ya. Or remember to pack my PAST pad for next time. This is what I'll normally throw over my right shoulder/bicep when I know I'm going to endure some long bouts of punishing recoil.

Yep, I used to keep one in my range bag. Don't get one wet and then leave it in the car on a freezing night, the rubber inside will get hard and fracture. Told to me by a friend.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I must have just missed you. I got there just after 2:00.

 

[trickg]

I have a small ring Mauser K98 sporter in 8mm. I was going to loan it to a friend for a deer hunt last fall but he didn't like the recoil, so he bought a Savage Axis II package with the Bushnell Banner 3-9x40 scope in 6.5 CM to use instead.

Gotta say, I'm not a fan of the recoil either, but I could deal with it for a few rounds on a hunt. I'm not sure I'd do 30 though. That's a fair amount of punishment. I can't imagine the young men who in WW 1 were shooting those and 1903A3 Springfield 30-06s all day long in battle.

 

[willtill]

I must have just missed you. I got there just after 2:00.

Yep, I unassed the AO after 1330 hrs. I was previously occupying position 81.

 

[ChannelCat]

Beautiful rifle, and not a shabby group, especially considering you were not using a recoil pad. I have one of those Yugo M48 Mauser cold war jobs, and that thing kicks like an angry mule!

 

[willtill]

Well I am taking a break today from it. I decided to punch the bore several times this morning, that Sweet's 7.62 solvent really works good for these old rifles. I think it's the ammonia in it that really makes the difference. A little more punching and those lands and grooves will be squeaky clean.

 

[Doco Overboard]

With any average eyesight ,seeing clear and repetitive sight picture with irons at 100 yards is like being able to discern .003 from 24-30”
When you factor in light, shadows or other changing conditions your front sight may not even need to be moved it’s just your sight picture for that day.
Most milsurp sight systems have that much error built in the becuase they’re open u notch or partridge style.
If anything I would think with a Mauser front sight height often times they shoot high if you don’t use a six o’clock hold.

 

[John from MD]

Well I am taking a break today from it. I decided to punch the bore several times this morning, that Sweet's 7.62 solvent really works good for these old rifles. I think it's the ammonia in it that really makes the difference. A little more punching and those lands and grooves will be squeaky clean.

View attachment 412941

You know, unless you are shooting postal matches or over the course, you don't need to clean it that well.

 

[lazarus]

Ya. Or remember to pack my PAST pad for next time. This is what I'll normally throw over my right shoulder/bicep when I know I'm going to endure some long bouts of punishing recoil.

Heck, I am 39 and I have one for range sessions where I plan to put more than 10 through my 1903A3 from a bench.

 

[lazarus]

With any average eyesight ,seeing clear and repetitive sight picture with irons at 100 yards is like being able to discern .003 from 24-30”
When you factor in light, shadows or other changing conditions your front sight may not even need to be moved it’s just your sight picture for that day.
Most milsurp sight systems have that much error built in the becuase they’re open u notch or partridge style.
If anything I would think with a Mauser front sight height often times they shoot high if you don’t use a six o’clock hold.

Yup. 20/20 eyesight can resolve, at 50% contrast, a 1 inch dot at 100 yards...yup, 20/20 eyesight corresponds to resolving 1 minute of angle. But that again, assumes 50% contrast or better, and also assumes good lighting. Harsh or dim light can dramatically reduce your ability to resolve 1MOA, 50% contrast or even 100% contrast be damned.

Guys who can shoot very small groups with irons need some combination of fantastic eye sight, extremely good target irons, extensive experience of all of the tips and tricks needed to use those irons to get very repeatable shoots. I arguably have the former. I do not have the latter two at all. Which is why I often just shoot irons at 50yds. My groups always open at 100 and it is 100% me, not the rifle, verified with some of my rifles that have scopes and irons on them. With a very accurate MOA rifle, I can in fact hit about MOA at 50yds, but I'll get about 2MOA at 100 and closer to 3MOA at 200 and out. I can't speak to how far out, as I've only shot irons out to 300, but I was banging a 1/2 torso sized steel target 90% of the time at 300 with my Garand and match ammo, and it'll do more like 1.5MOA at 50yds with said ammo and ~2 at 100.

Lots of fun though and a lot more of a challenge than using a scope.

 

[willtill]

With any average eyesight ,seeing clear and repetitive sight picture with irons at 100 yards is like being able to discern .003 from 24-30”
When you factor in light, shadows or other changing conditions your front sight may not even need to be moved it’s just your sight picture for that day.
Most milsurp sight systems have that much error built in the becuase they’re open u notch or partridge style.
If anything I would think with a Mauser front sight height often times they shoot high if you don’t use a six o’clock hold.

This K98 shoots dead on @ 100 yards with the rear sight fully laid flat. However, all of my M1895 Steyr Mannlichers shoot high at 100 yards. I have to hold under several inches in order to get the bullets to register in the targets. I have one particular 91/30 Mosin that I suspect has a bent barrel, shoots about 2 feet to the right @ 100 yards, even with the front sight fully adjusted to the right. She's quite the challenge to apply Kentucky windage to register bullets where I want them.

I am always thrilled to shoot well as I did the day before yesterday with iron sights at a distance. It's a personally satisfying accomplishment, I'm very methodical and totally attuned between what's going on between my sights and that target out there. A combination of BRAS, a good front rifle rest, and patience while I try to get the sight picture in focus. Aim small, miss small is a little mantra I frequently (mentally) repeat to myself as I'm settling in for each shot.

You know, unless you are shooting postal matches or over the course, you don't need to clean it that well.

Ya, but I can't break from the tempo of the cleaning rituals I have done all my adult life. It's just impossible, like OCD for me. Everything I have is well cleaned, lubricated and ready to go.