Mitchell's Mausers Mitchell\'s Mausers 98k 48 Rifle Instructions Manual

							Owner’s Manual
for the
Care and Use of
The Legendary  .  .  .
Mauser 98k - Model 48 Rifle
in
8mm Mauser Caliber
This Owner’s Manual should always accompany the rifle and be
transferred with it upon change of ownership.  Become thoroughly
knowledgeable with the instructions contained here and review the
entire booklet each time you intend to use your rifle.
This rifle must be thoroughly cleaned before use.
The Crown Jewel of
            Bolt Action Rifles!
Copyright© 1999 by Mitchell Manufacturing Corp.  All rights reserved. 
						

							2
Mauser 98k - Model 48  Parts IdentificationThis illustration is intended to identify all exterior component parts
for easy reference as you go through this owners manual in detail.
Front Sight
HoodCleaning
Rod
Cupped Steel
Butt Plate
Two Stage
Military Trigger
Sling
Slot
Magazine
Floor Plate
Claw
Extractor
Full-length
Teak Stock
Recoil
Lug
Take Down
Lock Pin
Bayonet
Lug
Drift-adjustable
Front Sight
Full-length Teak
Upper Handguard
Range-adjustable
Rear Sight
Gas
Shield
Safety
Lever
Visible Firing Pin
Cocking Indicator
Controlled
Round
Feeding
Curved
Bolt Handle
Fig 1 - Exterior Components
Front
Barrel
Band
Rear
Barrel
Band 
						

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Mauser 98k - Model M48
CONTENTS
A Little Mauser History .......................................................... 4
Characteristics and General Description .............................. 5
Safety .................................................................................... 6
Safety Lever Functions ......................................................... 6
Loading ................................................................................. 8
Sights .................................................................................... 8
The Correct Sight Picture...................................................... 9
Trigger................................................................................... 9
Firing ................................................................................... 10
Government Safety Warnings ............................................. 10
Cleaning Your Rifle
Disassembly ................................................................. 11
Reassembly.................................................................. 16
Original Accessories Included............................................. 17
Modern Optional Accessories ............................................. 19
Specifications ........................................................ Back Cover
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on your purchase of a very special rifle.  The rifle you have is more
than 50 years old and, at the same time, is a like-new .   .   .
                                Collector Grade Rifle!
Your rifle has matching serial numbers on all numbered parts of the
rifle.  This is rare in the history of gun collecting and especially so in
former military rifles.  It is very important in establishing the value of
your rifle (for insurance or perhaps trading purposes).
Your rifle has its front sight hood in place and its standard issue
cleaning rod in place.  Please see also the accessory listing located
near the end of this manual to see just how unique you new rifle re-
ally is!
Your rifle is unique among all Mausers.  It has a teak stock and teak
upper handguard.
Some models come with all accessories that were issued to the soldier
at the time.  Your rifle never saw actual military service, but it was
ready.
You own a great piece of history.
Copyright© 1999 by Mitchell Manufacturing Corp.  All rights reserved. 
						

							4
A Little Mauser History:
Much has been written about the genius of Paul Mauser and his
brother Wilhelm and their invention of the famous Mauser rifle.  It is the
forerunner of virtually every modern bolt action rifle made in the 20th
Century. Many books have been written about Mauser rifles.  Even today,
most bolt action rifles are based on the principles of the Mauser brothers,
regardless of the brand.
Your rifle is a Mauser 98k Model 48 rifle that was built near the end
of W.W.II and, as a result, it never saw actual military service.  It was
manufactured and held in reserve for reserve forces in the event of re-
newed hostilities.  The production of semi-automatic and full-automatic
rifles in Europe then rendered bolt action rifles functionally obsolete for
the main body of an army.   During the last 50 years your rifle was re-
moved from storage, cleaned, tested and restored to storage, every five
years; to insure its combat readiness.  Fortunately, active service was not
necessary for your rifle.
Your rifle is in near-new condition and shows only ‘garrison marks’.
These are handling and storage marks accumulated over the years together
with the preservatives of the day that, in some cases, tended to change the
hue and wear of the bluing.  Over the years the preservative affected the
color of the wood in different ways so that no two rifles are exactly alike.
So, your rifle was recently ‘honorably discharged’ from the military
and is now a civilian!  The Model 48 rifle is a very strong rifle, originally
designed for the rigors of combat.  As such it provides you with an excel-
lent platform for sporterizing or you can use it for hunting just as it is (but
please leave the bayonet at home).  Its 8mm Mauser caliber is ballistically
similar to our .30-06 Springfield.
It is a functionally new rifle.  It has preservative in it and on it.
Before use, it must be thoroughly cleaned and examined by you. 
						

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Mauser 98k - Model M48
You must assure that the rifle is clean, complete and normally func-
tional as described in this manual.  Please pay particular attention to the
section on cleaning your rifle.
As an owner, that responsibility rests with you.
Characteristics and General Description of your Rifle:
The Mauser 98k Model M48 is a shoulder mounted, trigger actuated,
striker fired, magazine fed, bolt action rifle.  It is designed to be fired from
the shoulder only; not in any other position, whether standing, sitting or
prone.
The rifle is equipped with features that were standard for the time and
are still considered ‘advanced’ today.  It has, for example, ‘controlled
round feeding’, a long, heavy claw extractor, two heavy-duty front lock-
ing lugs and an additional safety lug built into the rear of the bolt.  It also
has a superb gas shield.  The long claw extractor serves as a bolt guide
along with a built-in bolt guide that is built into the body of the bolt.  The
bolt body has gas escape ports to handle cartridge failure.  It is generally
accepted that it has the best safety mechanism ever designed.  Your rifle is
quite possibly the strongest bolt action rifle ever built.
Your rifle is now a ‘civilian’ and, as such, is perfect for collecting, tar-
get shooting, big game hunting, or sporterizing.  It is a rarity because of
its like-new condition for its age.
Note:  Some rifle models come with the original leather ac-
cessories including a sling, ammunition pouch and belt
hanger for the bayonet scabbard.  The leather is 50 years old
and has varying degrees of color and age marks.  You can
easily make it look like brand new with any good commercial
leather cleaner, shoe polish or leather preservative.
Some models of your rifle come equipped with an original bayonet
and scabbard and an original military field cleaning kit.  Your rifle was
once a complete battle ready ‘soldier’; it is now a ‘civilian’ and the bayo-
net and scabbard are purely decorative items for display purposes and
attest to the authenticity of your rifle. 
						

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Safety:
Safety is your responsibility and your primary concern.  Of course,
you know the basic handling rules governing the use of any firearm.  Nev-
ertheless, we repeat them here:
1. Never point this rifle at anything you are not willing to destroy, even
if it is not loaded.  This rifle fires the powerful 8mm Mauser cartridge.
You must know what you’re doing.
2. Don’t load or fire this rifle until you are thoroughly familiar with it
and all of its handling characteristics.  If you don’t understand some-
thing or need to ask a question, please call us.
3. Don’t handle or clean this rifle without assuring yourself and those
around you that the rifle is empty and safe.
4. Don’t load it or shoot it until you have examined it completely and
know that it is clean, complete, safe and fully functional.
5. Don’t put or keep a live round in the chamber unless the safety is on.
6. If you have been drinking or have been using any drugs, prescription
or not, put the rifle away and come back another day.  You won’t per-
form to the standard of the rifle, you could get in trouble or, worse
yet, hurt yourself or someone near you.
This Rifle is NOT a Toy.   Be Careful.
Safety Lever Functions:
Your rifle has one of the most advanced safety mechanisms in exis-
tence, even today.  It is generally recognized that no other rifle safety is as
good, no matter the brand or the cost.
The safety lever is located on the top rear of the bolt.  It has three po-
sitions; full left, middle and full right. 
						

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Mauser 98k - Model M48
1.Fully safe position:  Same as the ‘full
right’ position.  With the lever easily
swung over to the full right position, the
rifle cannot be fired, and the bolt cannot
be opened.  The rifle is fully safe.
2.Safe-unload position:  Same as
‘vertical’ or ‘middle’ position.  With the
lever standing straight up, the rifle cannot
be fired but the bolt can be opened for un-
loading.  If you change your mind and
choose not to shoot, you can safely unload
you rifle without putting it in the fire posi-
tion (unlike many newer designs).  If you
attempted to fire your rifle in the ‘safe-
unload’ position, you would quickly see
that the vertically standing safety lever
would interfere with the sights and at the
same time, the trigger is disabled!  You
have an advanced hunting rifle, even by
today’s standards!
3.Fire position:  Same as ‘full left’ posi-
tion.  With the safety lever in the full left
position, the rifle is ready to fire.  It will
fire if the trigger is pulled.
As an added feature, you can tell if your
rifle is ‘cocked’ by just looking at it; without
even picking it up!  Just look at the rear of the
bolt and see how far the firing pin base pro-
trudes rearward from the gas shield.  If it pro-
trudes about a half inch, you know it is
cocked, so be extra careful.  If it protrudes
only one quarter inch, you know it is not
cocked.  The difference is easy to see or even
feel, in the dark.
Caution:   A decocked rifle with a live round in the chamber is NOT
a safe condition.  An accidental blow could fire the rifle.  Always
use the safety lever
1.  Right: Safe & Locked
2.  Vertical: Safe & Unlocked
3.  Full Left: Fire 
						

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Loading:
There are two ways to load your rifle.  Put the safety lever in the
straight up (middle) position before you do anything.
1.The fastest way to load is to have ammunition on ‘stripper’ clips.  No-
tice that there is a cut-out in the top rear receiver ring designed specif-
ically for stripper clip loading.  With the bolt open, simply fit the
loaded clip into the cut-out and then smartly ‘strip’ the cartridges into
the empty magazine as far as you can push them.  There is a cutout
provision in the left rear of the receiver to allow room for your thumb
to push the cartridges down into the magazine. The stripper clip will
then be standing empty.  You can lift it out by hand or when you close
the bolt, it will be pushed up and out of the rifle.
2. The simplest way is to simply open the bolt and push cartridges into
the magazine, one at a time.  Simple, fairly quick, and very easy.
You should practice with the safety lever until you are comfortable
and sure of its three positions and how the different positions affect the
rifle.  When Paul Mauser designed the rifle, he successfully designed it to
be soldier proof  (which really means combat-ready).  You are holding
one of the most copied designs in the firearms world!  Your rifle is ex-
traordinarily rugged, very accurate, and a joy to own..
Sights:
The sights of the rifle are adjustable from one hundred meters all the
way out to 2,000 meters!  In one hundred meter increments.  At its rear-
most setting the sight is set for one hundred meters.  This is an ideal set-
ting for hunting with open sights.  For longer ranges, the sight can be ad-
justed simply by squeezing the two locking lugs together and sliding the
sight up its ramp to the desired distance.  At ranges beyond 200 yards, the
rifle and the cartridge will perform admirably well, but you won’t.  The
human eye just can’t cut it for game animals or silhouette shooting with-
out optical assistance at that distance.
The front sight provides you with windage adjustment.  In reality
youll use Kentucky windage once you set the front and rear sights in
the way you like them for the particular style and weight of hunting bullet
you are using.  To adjust the front sight you must first remove the front
sight hood. (Before that, take the bolt out of the rifle.)  The hood can only
come off by pulling it forward because it rides in two grooves in the front 
						

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Mauser 98k - Model M48
sight base.  With the hood removed, the drift adjustable sight is exposed.
Lay the rifle down on its side and support the front sight base securely be-
cause you will be tapping on the sight alone; to move it in its groove.  It
is a dove tailed friction fit and it will not move easily.  However, not much
movement will be required to make even large adjustments.  Movement of
the sight should only be done by using a small brass tool(rod) and tap the
rod with a hammer using only light blows.  Be sure of what you are do-
ing.  Do not scar or damage your rifle.
To move the impact point to the left, move the front sight to the right.
To move the impact point to the right, move the front sight to the left.  Just
remember that slight movement of the sight means a lot of movement of
the impact point out at 100 meters.  Your rifle will be very accurate right
out of the box.  Do not adjust windage unless really necessary.
We suggest you limit yourself to what is comfortable for your eyes as
far as distance is concerned.  If you’re tired, boozy or distracted, forget
about shooting.  Come back when you’re alert, focused and ready to per-
form up to the ability designed into your rifle.
The Correct Sight Picture:
The rear sight has a ‘V’ notch, and the front
sight has an inverted ‘V’ post.  Simply match them
up and make sure they are level and centered; the
front in the rear and level.  That forms the correct
sight picture.  The inverted ‘V’ post centered in the
rear ‘V’ notch of the rear sight is the correct (and
only) sight picture you should use.
Trigger:
Your rifle has a two stage ‘military’ trigger designed for safety and
reliability.  It requires that you practice with it to know it well.  Its first
‘stage’ is simply a take-up stage and the second stage is the firing stage.
You’ll feel the trigger come to a definite firmness after you take-up the
first stage and as you feel the firmness, you feel the trigger ‘break’, firing
the rifle.  To be as accurate as the rifle, you must learn the trigger and
know when it will fire.  It is simple and easy to learn but it does require
practice.  If you shoot for group size, trigger control is paramount.  Your
rifle will perform, but only as well as you are able to hold it. 
						

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Firing:
Your rifle is designed to fire only the 8mm Mauser cartridge.  It is
readily available and can be purchased where you bought the rifle.
Your rifle is a shoulder fired rifle and requires the use of two hands.
It should not be fired in any other way.  Grasp the semi-pistol grip in your
right hand, and with your left hand, grasp the rifle as far forward as is
comfortable for you.  Bring the buttstock firmly to your shoulder and as
high as is comfortable.  You want to get a secure ‘weld’ between the stock
and your cheekbone. In this way you have full control of the rifle and will
be the most accurate.  Remember, control is everything.
You must be certain of your target before you shoot.  You must
know where your bullet will go before you shoot; even if you miss, be-
cause you can’t call it back.  Your bullet is very powerful and, depending
on the type you choose to use, can have very high penetrating characteris-
tics.  You must be sure of the backstop for your bullet because you may
shoot right through your target and hit something you weren’t intending to
hit.
Hit or miss, the responsibility is yours.  Be sure of what you are doing.
Government Safety Warnings:
WARNING
Discharging firearms in poorly ventilated areas,
cleaning firearms, or handling ammunition may
result in exposures to lead and other substances
known to the State of California to cause birth
defects, reproductive harm, and other serious
physical injury.  Have adequate ventilation at all
times.  Wash hands thoroughly after exposure.
NOTICE
If you leave a loaded firearm where a child
obtains and improperly uses it, you may be
fined or sent to prison or both.
In light of everything contained in this manual, keep three things in mind:
1.  Be safe!      2.  Be careful!      3.  Have fun!