BAG Day 2006 Surprise
Kim du Toit
April 26, 2006
7:00 AM CDT
Sometimes, I am just overcome by the generosity of my Readers. Upon reading my woeful bleat that I would not be able to participate in Buy-A-Gun Day 2006 because of extreme poverty, a Kind & Generous Reader made me the following offer:
“It would be totally wrong for Kim du Toit not to buy a gun on BAG Day. I have a spare K98 (Russian capture) which I’ll sell you for $1 plus shipping. Send me your FFL details.”
Well, suffice it to say, it arrived late last week, and now I own a piece of history.
As can be expected with something handled by Russians, the rifle is outwardly in poor shape: stock full of splinters and dings, crude initials carved into the buttstock, the metal worn, and the bore looking like ten miles of bad road. At first, I thought that I had a wall-hanger (albeit still a wonderful bargain, and still an unbelievably generous gesture).
However, I refuse to consign a rifle, especially a Mauser K98, to the mantlepiece without a fight. So over the weekend, I disassembled and cleaned out the bolt—finding no corrosion, with a decent spring and firing-pin into the bargain. Then I plugged the barrel, filled it with solvent, and let it rest for two days. Last night, two hours of brushing, more solvent and countless patches followed.
I would have been satisfied with a clean but dull barrel, with some pitting: something that could be fired, but purely a functional piece. Actual result: a bright, shiny barrel with sharp rifling and not a speck of corrosion (to the naked eye anyway).
A further surprise: the stock is walnut, not the customary beech of the time (about 1942/43, from the markings). It’s a fine piece of wood, albeit, as I’ve said, grievously abused.
And now for the major surprise. For the first time, I tried the trigger: a two-stage pull, as per usual, and then the proverbial “glass rod” snap! of a clean, creep-free break.
Whoa.
Next weekend, I’m going to tackle the stock. I’m not going to do much to it: sand off all the splinters, lift out the more egregious dents, and add just a touch of polishing (no, I won’t fill in the crude initials—things like that are part of an old gun’s charm). Then five or six coats of linseed oil, and that will be about all I’ll do. I have no need to create a “perfect” rifle—in fact, that’s exactly what I don’t want—but my rifles have to shoot, and look at least presentable.
Finally, I’ll file a range report, which will be done when time permits, and when I can afford a couple boxes of 8x57mm ammo. You see, when I sold Miss Gertrude, I threw in all my 8mm Mauser ammo. Aaargh. I should have known that I wouldn’t remain “Mauser-less” for long.
All that’s left is a name. As longtime Readers know, I name all my old mil-surp rifles (Princess Inge, Lady Constance, Fraulein Elsa and so on), so I’ll be considering names for this fine old lady. Suggestions are welcome in Comments: preferably German, and nothing ridiculous.
Anyway, that’s it. A generous Reader, a fine old Mauser, an appreciative recipient who loves Mausers with a passion, and a proper observance of April 15th.
Life just does not get much better than this.
Gratuitous Gun Pics
