Repro K 98 Sniper

[EnfieldEd]

I am comtemplating building a repro 98K sniper rifle.

I will use a RC rifle of course.

Probably a low turret mount set up or short rail. I know the mounts are available in multiple places but I have had a really hard time finding a repro scope. I found some zf41's but that is no help, although I might build one of those as well later.

Any help out there, I am sure some of you guys must have done this at some point.

And other hints or tips are appreciated and website with info and parts are good too.

Thanks,

[geladen]

i consider mine an imitation will all the modern ammenities zeiss scope, leopold rings, timney trigger, new barrel in 308. and the rest is all german, unmatching #'s. at a distance you cant even tell!

[EnfieldEd]

Thanks for the input, but I am trying to keep it more representative of the original. I dont mind repro stuff but I want it to look and feel like a real one.

Part one is already done. I found a RC rifle for $175 that is in really good condition. The barrel is great and it is in nice overall condition.

Only issue is the swastika's are peened off, but it is a nice 41 BYF. I thought about holding out for a non-peened gun, but the price and condition swayed me. Plus I will feel even less guilty of drilling and taping it for a scope.

It is sitting and waiting for me in FL for when I get back. I saw it a few weeks ago when I was home and I finally called today to save it. Excited should be fun.

I had a PU sniper once but I was very unhappy with the accuracy and sold it. I hope this one works out much better.

[EnfieldEd]

I have made some progress.

I ordered a repro ZF39 with a side rail mount off Ebay.

I also called up IO and got the sniper safety and sniper buttplate.

Boy are they proud of that safety, $40.

I should end up with around $775 in it, which I dont think is too bad considering.

I hope to have it all put together in about a month.

I will post up pics and a range report.

[PvtJoker]

Hi, Ed. Here's one I am not quite finished with yet (still need to mount the front base) but I think it is coming out pretty good for a replica. It's a 1943 low turret BYF built to replicate an illustration from a period German sniper manual of the same date (VERY late 1942; it has the serial number pattern that ended in 1942 but is stamped as a 1943, which should date the rifle to sometime around December 1942). It was not quite all matching- the bolt and other parts match, but somewhere along the way someone changed the magwell floorplate. I had the rings serialed to match its numbers, and used a Kahles-Wein H/4x60 scope as in the illustration. An expert could tell it's not original, but I'm not trying to pass it off as such so that's not a problem anyway. I just wanted a very accurate low turret sniper that would be as one would have been used during Stalingrad, to go with my replica PU Mosin.

[EnfieldEd]

Looking good.

I would like to build up a low turret next. I am also going to put one together with a ZF41 scope to round out my mausers.

I am stalled out on the ZF39. Brought it to a local gunsmith with a good rep and they said 2 weeks. More than 2 months later it is still there. I am a little pissed. I am trying to figure out what to do, but the options for a smith are small here.

We will see, I am excited though.

[Panzercanuck]

Hi Enfield,
Here is my K98k BYF-44 sniper.The rifle is a matching with high turret mount made by Robert Spielauer of Austria.The Scope is a Kahles H4/60.This rifle was assembled by my gunsmith and buddy the famous Klaus Hiptmeier .This rifle shoots very accurate with my handloads using a Hornady 195 Gr. Bullet with 51 Gr.of Varget.This rifle at 100 yards prints a 1.3" group with 5 rounds .All the leathers are repros from the US.The safety is a sniper repro,so is the butt cap.I really do not like the trigger on this rifle soon will replace it with a Huber trigger .Which I already installed on my restored BNZ 42.That trigger is so wonderful. A must for all Mausers.

Before anybody makes a K98k sniper please do some research before you assemble your rifle just to be historically correct.

[Rupert]

Now that's nice.

[PvtJoker]

+1 on Robert Speilauer's work; the guy is absolute top-notch. He's the one who mounted my Kahles-Wein scope in the low turret rings. If I were to do it again, I would have bought a set of his turret mounts as well but at the time, he wasn't selling the low turret mounts- only the high turret ones, which would have been a bit late for the serial number of my gun (and to match the manual's period illustration). I can't say enough good about the quality of this guy's work!

[CRUSADER]

I have been milling around a repro-sniper project for some time. I have a few questions for those of you who have done this...

1) Contact info for Mr. Robert Spielauer?

2) Source for a 'correct' looking scope?

3) Suggest an American gunsmith that can re-barrel my rifle to 7.62x51 and complete the rest of the build?

Also, I was considering buying a Mauser from 'Mitchells Mausers' to use as a starting point for this project. However, I have read/heard some vague stories that have led me to believe that MM would not be a good choice. Can anyone give me specific info on why MM is not well regarded?

[Kleist]

They are over priced russian captures.

Start with a good, cheap RC with a good bore (later '44+ dated guns have a better chance of a good bore).

Or start with a nice min-matched bring back action.

Also, the post war CZ guns that were selling for $225 from Sarco would be a great start. These guns are like new.


..

[CRUSADER]

Thank you Kleist.

Can anyone offer any opinions on the repro scopes coming out of the Ukraine lately?

I have figured out who Robert Spielauer is, LOL. I hope to pick up one of his Low Turret mounts.

Evidently, he has a great K98k sniper book coming out very soon.

[PvtJoker]

I had one of the Ukraine repros on the first replica sniper I built (a short side rail with one of Igor's SSR repro sets) and I was pretty happy with it. It;s not quite 100% compared to finding an original, but it IS a good scope and goes great on a repro sniper. It just depends on what level of reproduction you are looking to try and put together- a shooter, a Russian capture mismatch, or a rifle that tries to duplicate an original to the point of being almost indistinguishable from the vintage originals (although in that case, it really should be done where at least there is one feature that would prevent it from being passed off AS an original, and thereby crossing the line between "replica" and "fake"). But yes, I would use another Ukraine scope again IF I were building a Russian capture as a shooter on an SSR weapon. I have heard that those scopes have dried up in the marketplace recently, though, so if you are thinking of going that route, you might want to see about getting one before too long.

[CRUSADER]

I am definately putting together a shooter. Here is my plan, LOL .....

Get a K98 with a good, clean laminated stock, cupped butt and good looking receiver. The condition of the bore is not a big deal since I am going to have the rifle rebarreled in 7.62x51, bedded and tuned up by a gunsmith who has some experience in this.

This smith will also install the scope mount & scope that I provide to him.

This is the scope I am considering:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WW2-Zeiss-Zielvier- ... 3146042668

I have chosen the Low Turret system simply because I like the looks of it. The turret systems also appear to be the more stable of the various mounting methods. At least, that is what I am hoping!!

If I am mistaken, someone please correct me!

[CRUSADER]

I had one of the Ukraine repros on the first replica sniper I built (a short side rail with one of Igor's SSR repro sets) and I was pretty happy with it. It;s not quite 100% compared to finding an original, but it IS a good scope and goes great on a repro sniper.

How did the scope perform as far as holding a zero?

How many rounds did you put through the rifle with the scope mounted?

Thanks!

[Kleist]

Crus,

I have a bolt mis-match with a bad bore that might work out great for your project.


Let me know if your interested.


..

[PvtJoker]

The turret system is by far the most stable. But it is also the most involved to put together, as the scope has to be completely stripped down to the tube, so the tube can be soldered in the rings, and then reassembled and the bases then mounted onto the rifle. Not for the faint of heart... If you are going that route, I would REALLY recommend Robert to mount the rings, and as a source for the rings and bases, and maybe even the scope itself.

[Sd.kfz.173]

Have been kicking around the idea of a repro. sniper and have run into a problem..I like the looks of the SSR style and was able to get a compleate mount for a decent price.I have an original Zeil 4X81,and just picked up a BYF 44 at a local gun show for a steal !($125.00)
This is where the problem comes in...The stock has been sporterized,was a good looking laminate, but the barrel and action are in great shape and are # matching,as are ALL other parts of the rifle execpt the bolt; However the bolt numbers all match as well..My delema is : Do I find a correct stock and try to keep the rifle as original as possiable,or, say to heck with it and go ahead with the sniper repro. Granted it's not a 100% bring back,but it's one of the better looking ones I've seen in a while...Any help would be great..

Bill

[Savary]

If your not looking for an exact repo, Zrak make some nice mounts for the M98, several different styles.
I think they were used on some cold war yugo sniper rifles.
Google zrak and their US web page will come up.