I am thinking about buying a Mosin-Nagant or a Mauser K98, any suggestions?

Question

I like to buy a Mosin-Nagant or a Mauser k98, but dont know which one is better. Mosin Nagant is cheap but I heard is also a good rifle. Mauser k98 is also very nice, but it cost a bit more. I would also like to know which gun got more recoil, b/c i dont want any rifle thats more than 30-06 round.

Answer 1

Well, in my opinion you'll need to get both, but I'm sorta twisted that way.

When new, the Mosin was a good rifle. Do not listen to the guy above, as he's obviously biased and does not offer an objective opinion. Simple, robust, durable and capable of very good accuracy. Perfect for simple Russian peasants who had little mechanical knowledge to operate and maintain.


When it was new, the Mauser was probably the best military bolt-action rifle ever made. These are beautiful in desing and function. Almost every modern hunting bolt action owes it's ancestry to the Mauser 98.

Now, today's condition is a different story.

Most of the k98s you will find are used and used hard. What's on the market today all comes from the former Communist countries. These rifles were in the hands of men who were being overrun by the giant Red Army and they were desperate, knowing surrender was death for them.

Most of the so-called "Russian Capture" K98s were taken by the Russians, disassembled, treated with a black-blue finish, heavily greased for preservation with this stuff called cosmoline and packed in warehouses. None of the parts numbers will match, so they are really refinished 'mixmasters'. DO NOT expect a rare matching highly collectable one. These look good, but the condition under that new finish is the luck of the draw.

On the Mosin side, you can get some nearly pristine, hardly broken in ones for still under $100. I highly recommend a 91/30 if you want to hit targets at 200 yards. The M38s are a handier sized carbine, which sacrifices some range. M38s are almost always well used and even counterbored. M44s can be had new or nearly new, but they have a massively heavy side folding bayonet attached. You can take it off, but doing so affects how it shoots. It looks very cool though.

Also, laminate stocks on the Mosin costs a little more, but look very nice. Expect to spend some time refinishing the cheap red laquer the russians slapped on them at some point. If you get a Mosin, hold out for one in excellent shape.

NOW......get the Mauser FIRST. Ther is plenty of Mosins and will be for years, but Mauser are getting in short supply and prices are climbing.

I got a RC K98k, 1942 date, 'bcm' code from AIM surplus for $209 just last week and I'm very happy. Waffenampts are still all intact. The wood is very greasy from the cosmoline, but I know how to soak that out using my natural desert sunshine.

Also, Classic Arms has some. This is a good dealer for you to use, he handpicks all the best imported rifles himself and you pay a little more but for your first milsurp it's worth it.

Now, as to recoil. Both the 7.62x54r and the 8mm are powerful, military rifle rounds, very similar in nature to the .30-06.

In a carbine Mosin, expect the most kick....far more than say a M1 Garand. In the 91/30 substantial but less. K98 about the same. These are not rifles for wimps to be shooting. These were made for serious firepower and to be used by real men. Recoil will not kill you, get a slip on rubber butt and learn to love the blast as I have!

If you have a Big 5 or Durhams sporting goods store in your area, check them out as they carry a lot of the military surplus rifles.

ALSO.....go to and join the Forums at www.Surplusrifle.com. They have the best old military rifle articles and the best, friendliest folks in the forums who can answer all your questions. Spend an hour there, and you will increase yopur knowledge of these rifles by ten-fold.

Plan on buying ammo online by the can of 400 rounds. Try and get a couple and stock up. This ammo is what they call 'corrosive', but don't let that scare you. all you need to do is swab the bore and bolt after shooting with an ammonia solution. Windex works good. Then dry with a clean patch and clean your bore as usual, then oil it before storage. It takes just a couple of minutes. Remember, these guns all used this kind of ammo in WWII. People today will give you all kinds of misinformation about corrosive ammo, so find out the facts for yourself from experts at the Surplus Rifle website.

Email me via my profile if you need any more help. I have dozens of these rifles and shoot them regularly, sometimes in competitions and have restored over 100 old milsurp rifles.

Answer 2

I am 14 and I have a different model of a K98, it is almost looks like it is sporterized and in 8mm mauser. The military rounds that I shoot out of it kicks just about the same as my 30-06 hunting rounds. I would say the K98 is a better gun, but you have to be willing to pay more. The 8x57mm kicks more than what the Mosin shoots (7.62x54R)

Answer 3

I have a K98 Mauser in 8mm caliber with a 4 Power Weaver scope on it... At 100yds I can cover a 3 shot group with a Fifty cent piece. It has a Bishop gun stock, with a free floating barrel.. Its not what you pay for something that matters, its what you get for what you pay that matters... #1 go with the K98 and you won't regret it...

Answer 4

In my opinion Mosin's are crap. But they are great if you want a rifle to have fun with in the woods and ammo is very cheap. The K98 on the other hand is one of the finest engineered, accurate, and well made battle bolt files of the last century. Also it will have a way higher resale value if you need to sell it. 8mm Mauser ammo is a little hard to come by but someone on this site showed me there is very cheap ammo avaliable online.

Answer 5

the K98 is one of the best bolt action rifles ever.The ammo is starting to dry up though and the mosin nagant is much easier to find parts for.I'm not sure but I think a K98's recoil is just as much as a 30.06 (or pretty close to).

Answer 6

It will be MUCH easier to obtain ammo for the Mauser.
There is a reason the M-N is cheaper....