Restoration of a Mauser G98

Mega Challenge…WW1 G 98 that was captured in WW2 but has since been involved in a house fire. This one may be more than I can handle but I’m going to do everything I can. The patients on the table, let’s get into it. The Doctor Is In!

All of the metal inner workings were removed so that we could polish them and then coat them with Durablue™.

The bore has had a metal rod welded into it. This is historically accurate for the time period and a way that was used to make this a non-functioning rifle.

Finished! Scars are cool! You can see where a burning piece of debris laid on the stock and I opted to leave the mark. “Historically conscious” restoration, we are not trying to make a new gun, rather trying to preserve an item to its best possible condition. Rifle has beautiful stock and unit markings through out (after soot was removed). This weapon was “demilled” possibly as a requirement of the Treaty of Versailles and hence can not fire a round with out replacement of the barrel, which is possible. However the customer opted not to attempt to do this as this was how his grandfather got it from a military training ground over taken in WW2. Weapon is now very visually appealing, and condition has been stabilized.

For this customer restoration of this project was not in anyway for monetary purposes. He valued family and his family connection. This restoration project was a labor of love.