M1 Garand for a Sauer CE K98

[neoisprettycool]

Appreciate the responses. I've opted to give him 800 Cash and hold on to the Garand. I am a pretty avid collector and I personally still see a desirability in mismatched K98s. (Especially if it is just the bolt) I still believe that if this K98 were completely matching it would sell for easily $1500-2000. I couldn't see how a mismatched bolt could justify making it worth half but here we are. Of the several collectors I have befriended locally, most agree with my decision to get it. I am confident that the K98 will be worth significantly more then the Garand in possibly even a year. In my opinion, by keeping the Garand, I am both allowing myself to find better deals for the Garand currently, and investing in the future by purchasing the K98, even at what could see full price now. Plus I think they are a good pair.

[tmaucher]

Personally I would place more collectability on the mauser than the garand. What do I know I sold a completely matching with excellent bore K98/40 at a gun show that I bought on line so covered in filth that you couldn't tell was matching or even servicable till I cleaned it. I have had a terminal case of remorse ever since.

[Aragorn243]

I still believe that if this K98 were completely matching it would sell for easily $1500-2000. I couldn't see how a mismatched bolt could justify making it worth half but here we are.

The reason for the huge price difference is simple, completely matching K98's are all tied up in someone's collection and are quite rare on the open market. It takes that kind of money to get the collectors to part with them. Mismatched rifles on the other hand are not as sought after, nor as rare on the open market. In gun collecting, you can't just say something makes no sense because it's just one part, or a bolt, it is what it is. People pay premium for the best, they don't pay the premium if it isn't the best.

$800 seems fair but still a bit high in my opinion but you're the one making the deal and if you're happy with it, go for it. If it isn't worth quite that much today it will be very soon.

[M100C]

I am a pretty avid collector and I personally still see a desirability in mismatched K98s. (Especially if it is just the bolt)

I think there can be a distinction here, and this can apply to other military rifles. If the gun is numbers matching, with a mismatched bolt, but the bolt itself is matching (sear, safety, bolt handle, firing pin, etc), then it is possible the gun was captured (and not arsenaled).

I was friends with a man who served in WWII. He said that towards the end of the war, US troops would surround (superior numbers of) German troops, and they'd just surrender. They had no will to even fight. His CO said, after a rather large group of German troops surrendered (and, I am paraphrasing):

If any of you f***ers want to sleep tonight, you'll get these Krauts to put they're guns in one pile, and leave the bolts with us.

There would be piles of k98s with no bolts. Some would be taken, but no one spent time sorting bolts to make a matching rifle. There is no question an all matching gun is more desirable and valuable, but I do see value in guns with mismatched bolts (that themselves are matching), just for this reason.