K98 Shootin' high

[Pretzel City]

Just got back from the range shooting a K98 Mauser. Rifle producing promissing groups at 50 yds., but shooting about 8" high. I've been through the routine with changing front sight blades on my 1903A3, and Swedish Mausers. Don't recall seeing any discussions regarding same issue with a K98. Any assistance greatly appreciated.

[kcw]

Just got back from the range shooting a K98 Mauser. Rifle producing promissing groups at 50 yds., but shooting about 8" high. I've been through the routine with changing front sight blades on my 1903A3, and Swedish Mausers. Don't recall seeing any discussions regarding same issue with a K98. Any assistance greatly appreciated.

A friend of mine has one of those M48 Yugo's that had the same problem.
He bought a replacement sight from Brownell's which fit fine, just had to file down the blade to where he wanted the rifle to hit at 100yds. I believe that it should work on the 98k too.
Of course it's not an "original" sight blade...but it works.

[Patrick Chadwick]

I know k98s are supposed to be zeroed at 100 meters, but we haven't got the original ammo and can't always shoot at 100 meters or above. You should be able to get a 9mm blade somewhere - they are catalog items here, because most military Mausers were zeroed at 200-300 meters, according to type and country, so this is a standard problem - and that will give you room for adjustment. It is worth while getting it right at 50 meters/yards first, otherwise you may well be completely off the target at 100.

Just one thought: are you using a 6 o'clock hold? (You should be).
If you do, and adjust your sights so the POI is centered at 50 with the typical ISSF pistol target, with an 8-inch black, then when you move the target back to 100 you are in fact lifting the sight a bit relative to the center, because the reduction in apparent size of the black means that the bottom of the black now appears higher. This helps to compensate for the extra drop, so you should still be well in the black at 100.

Patrick

[Pretzel City]

Thanks KCW. I'll take alook at Brownell's.

Patrick, I'm shooting at a B-2, 50 ft. slowfire pistol target which has about a 3" dia. black, using a 6 o'clock hold. The bullets are hitting about an inch from the top of the target, so closer to 5-6" high rather than the 8" high stated before. I find that zero-ing that target at 50 yds. puts me just about where I want to be on an SR-1 target at 100 yds.

[Patrick Chadwick]

That's clear then, you are using the 6 o'clock hold and two independent anwers say get a higher blade. I shall have to alter my registration so that it shows I am in Germany, which is why I could not recommend a source that would be useful for you.

Patrick

[Bill H]

Same as the 03, most if not all mausers shoot high. One of the parts people were selling extra high front sights with the idea you filed it until the point of impact was what you wanted.

I bought one, but it was not a good fit, had to modify it a lot before it fit the dovetail. Have also modified a blade by adding metal and then filing that. Works ok, but time consuming.

[joem]

Try a 150 gr bullet and see if that doesn't help.

[Calif-Steve]

The common German round of WWII was a 198 gr. boattail. It moved out at around 2500 fps. You handload to recreate this load. I think some of the S&B ammo is quite close to the loading. American ammo is not going to help. Good luck.

[slamfire1]

I bedded these rifles, tried lighter bullets, but in the end, you are not going to get an elevation reduction of eight inches at 50 yards by trying them.

You are going to have to get a taller front sight.

Remember to take a file with you to the range. Don't be to aggressive on filing the front sight down, or you will have to get another.

I try to file the sight to point of aim, with the ladder a slot or two above the lowest setting. That way, I have some margin.

[mongo]

Brownells worked for me. I Spent an enjoyable day at the range last summer zeroing 4 rifles with the replacement front post. Fit them on your rifle at home and be sure to bring a brass drift to adjust the windage. Just take your time and file a little at a time. The sight is a little pricey for what it is but it is the highest one i was able to find. Point of aim is point of impact at 100 yds. with mine. Good luck, Tom

[Art]

I'm going to start off by saying that I believe your groups are higher than average for the rifle you are using if you are using ammunition its sights were calibrated for. A higher front sight may be useful in your case.

BUT; Military rifles were built to shoot people in combat, not targets. With that in mind the sights were set up for the longest possible "point blank" range. That does not mean what most assume it does. In this case "point blank" means the longest range at which a center hold will hit some point of a human being at every point along the trajectory. For that reason military rifles, especially rifles with the rather crude V notch and pyramyd sights of most Mausers are going to shoot high at most "normal" shooting ranges with the ammo they are designed for.

I have a Yugoslav M48. The lowest sight setting is 200 meters (220 yards more or less) with the 196 Gr heavy ball it's designed for. With this ammunition it is about 5-6" high for me at 100 yards which should put it a few inches high at 200 meters and with a center mass hold would produce a hit on some part of a standing man out past 250 meters. This was exactly what the designers had in mind.

This dosen't affect me much because I hardly ever vountarily shoot my military rifles at ranges under 200 yards, especially my bolt actions.