Restoreing a Mauser Standard action with an Israeli 308 K98 barrel and beech stock?

[D. C. Rosso]

I need some knowledgeable help and direction. Is this a good plan or should I do something different?

Several years ago I picked up a Mauser Standard action (Mauser Logo) in VG condition. The bolt SN is non matching. The bolt may be a DWM bolt in VG condition. The bolt fits perfectly (Not too loose or wobbly) and is very smooth in operation..

I also have a brand new, in the white, Israeli K98, 308 barrel. I traded for a new Israeli K98 beech stock/guard. I purchased a complete new, Israeli rear sight and front sight set. I plan to use a German K98 bayonette lug/pin, a rear/front band with an Israeli band spring. I now have all the parts to make up a rifle.

I have checked with the local gunsmith and he is not interested in soldering on the rear and front site. He will install and headspace the barrel.

I need to find a gunsmith to install/headspace the barrel and is familiar with the soldering of the sights. Any one know of an experienced Mauser gunsmith capable of doing the work to original Mauser specs?

I also had the thought of using JB Weld or some other recommended epoxy, to install the sights myself. Has anyone used a high tensil, heat resistant epoxy to weld the sight bases, instead of using solder? I plan to epoxy coat the weapon in a gunmetal blue that Brownell's sells.

I would prefer to use all German parts for the restore, but this is what I have now.

I have tried to locate a excellant condition, walnut or laminated K98 stock for the project, but the ones I have considered, I felt the sellers wanted to much money for them. I do not think the rifle I want put together will ever be collectable, I am building a shooter. I may add a scope later if the completed rifle shoots well enough. I have a Swarovski Optic ZFM 6X42 (26mm tube) with a post reticule that would look great on the rifle.

I would appreciate your thoughts. Thanks, Doug Rosso

Information

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[tbonesmith]

Soldering on the sight bases is a piece of cake, I wonder why your local guy doesn't want to know?? I'd guess that the next guy you try will have no worries at all doing it.

[Calif-Steve]

I would suggest you find Chuckindenver, he is a milsurp guy and very reasonable. Good luck.

[USMC6094]

Also contact Dean at Deans Gun Restorations, I've had three of his rifles and he'll do right by you. He's personable, knowledgeable and will do all he can to make you happy. I swear by him and recommend him.

[D. C. Rosso]

Any experts out there that has experience with this?

I contacted Chuck in Denver to discuss installing my Mauser K98 barrel/sights for me. Chuck explained to me that the original German sights were mounted with high temp silver solder. He advised that he could install the sights, but just to buy the silver solder would cost around $100.

I questioned Chuck about using some of the modern epoxy's to install the sights and he was not sure if they would take the heat. He mentioned that 3M makes a product called Panel Bond for the auto/body industry. He said that when used for installing body metal panels, the metal would tear, before the Panel Bond would give way. The problem with the Panel bond is it is expensive and only comes in large containers, when compared to a product like JB Weld.

I have quite a bit of use/history with using JB Weld for various projects and wondered if it would take the heat of shooting 308 rounds. I will probably never be using the rifle for combat (I'm 66 years old) but I would still like to make the sight install reliable.

I later contacted JB Weld customer service and was informed that JB Weld maintained its bond up to 600 degrees. When I shoot prairie dogs with my AR's or my Remington bolt guns the barrels get pretty warm, almost to hot to touch. I wonder what the temperatures climb to?

Are there any other silver solder products that will hold better then the epoxies, but not be so expensive?

I will check with Brownell's to see if they offer a product that would be feasible at a more reasonable cost, to installing the sights.

[Patrick Chadwick]

He advised that he could install the sights, but just to buy the silver solder would cost around $100.

I do not understand that statement. Silver solder is used extensively in model engineering ( I mean real live steam stuff - not HO models!). Based on what it costs here, I would guess that a 1 foot length of 1/16 silver solder, with a borax flux sheath, will cost around 10 dollars, not 100. That should be enough to attach a couple of dozen foresights and backsights to any rifle you can lift. But silver soldering (a.k.a. silver brazing) requires that the metal be heated to a dull read heat, so it is death to hardening and any kind of surface finish.

Is there perhaps a misunderstanding somewhere? Maybe Chuck meant a special alloy that melts at a much higher temperature than typical lead/tin solders (melting point approx 180-250 C), but significantly lower than that for silver solder (melting point above 600 C, depending on alloy). Something like the high-temp LM5 silver-cadmium alloy (338-390 C ) which has a strength of 8.4 tons/sq.in at 20C ambient temperature. That would hold a foresight well enough!


Patrick

---------- Post added at 11:03 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:53 PM ----------

If the front sight is not a block soldered on top of the barrel, but one with a ring that fits around the barrel, then all the talk of silver solder is superfluous. A ring can be sweated onto the barrel with ordinary lead-tin eutectic solder as used for electronics. Cost of solder: peanuts. You just have to properly clean and pre-tin the surfaces to be joined.

[gew8805]

You are "restoring" anything, you are re-barreling the gun and the finish you are talking about carries into a rebuild into the sporting category. Why re-barrel and restock? Is the bore completely destroyed? Has the stock been sporterized?

The solder used at the factory was a soft solder and should be easy for anyone with the proper tools and reasonable ability.

[Chuckindenver]

soft solder flows at less the 300Dg, so your statement that they were installed with soft plumbers solder is bogus, if you dunk that rifle in a blue tank the rear sight base will float off, as hot salts blue runs at 290 to 300Dg.
so..again...high temp solder is needed too install a rear sight base correctly...my cost on real high temp is well over 200.00 for a roll of it, then you have to use high temp Silver paste, at 65.00 for small jar,..and enough to to attach a mauser rear sight base would cost about 100.00 not including the paste, and my labor to do so.
for the record..i am against using JB weld, or 3M panel bond..those were options he asked about..
HI-TEMP HI-FORCE 44 SOLDER - Brownells

attached is the type of material used in gunsmithing to attach sights ect...NOT PLUMBERS SOLDER. i dont play a gunsmith on TV i am one.

[Patrick Chadwick]

those were options he asked about.. HI-TEMP HI-FORCE 44 SOLDER - Brownells attached is the type of material used in gunsmithing to attach sights ect...

Thanks Chuck, that is the precisely type of alloy (silver-cadmium) I was referring to in my last post. Much tougher than lead-tin solder, but not requiring the surface-ruining temperature of that which is commonly referred to as silver solder (but which is perhaps more correctly termed silver brazing alloy). Now I just have to find some here...


Patrick

[Patrick Chadwick]

Oh don't you just love bureaucrats and their desire to legislate everything! It turns out that cadmium-bearing solder has been banned in the EU. I found a supplier, and they say they can only export it to outside the EU. Maybe someone tried to eat it and suffered serious indigestion?

Chuck, have you got any other suggestions?