I found the S&K Mauser (#2680) mount a solid and robust device that really worked well in doing the things it was suppose to do, those being:

• Mounts without changing the configuration of the rifle permanently
• Does not require any sort of gunsmithing or special tools
• Solid and non drifting sight, however it has built in adjustments giving it great leeway and flexibility of scope adaptation
• Only about $50

The installation process was simple enough.  The hardest thing to do was to remove the rear sight from the barrel on the 98K.  Obviously the rear sight is designed to stay on and not be removed for regular cleaning, so there could be (was) a lot of crud underneath.

To remove the rear sight parts, first you have to push down on the rear sight leaf and pull it backwards (toward the butt stock) to get it out.  This is not something with the average hand strength can easily accomplish, especially as this part probably has not been removed in some time.  I found that putting something on top of the leaf (like a metal rod) gave me more leverage to push down comfortably and remove the leaf.  The rod needs to be narrower than the width of the leaf so that it fits between the two sides of the rear sight base. 

Figures 2 & 3 By placing something (this is a clevis pin) on top of the sight leaf, it is easier on the hand to push down and pull back to remove the leaf from the sight base.

After removing the leaf, the next step is to remove the rear sight base, complete with flat spring.  Again, given these items probably have never been removed, you may need to tap on the parts lightly with a rubber mallet to knock them loose.  Once they are off, you can remove the flat spring and clean under it and inside the groove where it seats.  Put these parts (along with the leaf) aside, you will not be needing them for the scout mount.

Figure 4.  Once you get the leaf out, the flat spring band base will come out.  You may need some gentle taps with a mallet to knock loose the dried grease.

Figure 5.  I used a hooked pick to get the crud out of the edges of the sight base.  It’s probably been decades since this part of the rifle has seen any daylight.

Figure 6.  While you have the sights taken apart, you may as well remove the flat spring to clean under it.

The S&K mount is ingenious because it uses 3 points to tighten it down to the rifle.  First, there are the two 6-32 screws on the sides that thread through the holes where the leaf normally sits.  Second, there are two allen set screws that come from the top of the mount so that you can place tightening tension against the barrel. And finally, there is a bottom “foot” on the mount that fits into the undercut at the back of the rear sight base.

Figure 7 & 8.  In the left photo, you can see how the “foot” of the mount slides under the notch at the rear of the sight.  Use a rubber mallet to gradually make it fit.

To finish installing the mount, angle the mount as you place it into the rear sight base, so that the “foot” goes under the undercut on the sight base.  You may need to use a rubber mallet to gently tap it into position or square it to the sight base.  Next, you insert the two 6-32 screws into their holes on the sides of the mount and thread them into the mount.  Use a 5/64” allen wrench to tighten them.  Lastly, insert the two 10-32 set screws into the top holes on the scope mount and tighten them against the barrel using a 3/32” allen wrench.  Done.  It is rock solid.  By the way, if you end up needing more windage adjustment, you can loosen the screws and gently tap the back of the mount to either side to get that extra windage.

Figure 9 & 10. Using a 5/64” allen wrench, you can tighten up the two front screws.  From the top (see second photo) you use a 3/32 wrench to access and tighten the two set screws.

I mounted a Target Sports 2-7x32 (#TAR15) LER (long eye relief) scope onto the Weaver notches on the mount.  I had used this scope before on my SMLE with good results.

Figure 11.  The scout type mounting of the scope allows the use of either bent or straight bolts.

I headed out to the range to try the rifle/scope/mount combo out.  I took along some Turkish 1933 as well as some 1953 Yugo 8mm surplus ammo.  I did a quick bore sight using a borrowed Bushnell bore sight set and proceeded to shoot at 100 yards.  The first two shots showed some promise as they formed a tight 2” group high to the left.  After that, I could have been using a shotgun.  The holes were more for a patterning effect.

The first thing I checked, of course, was the tightness of the mount.  It was rock solid.  Nothing moved on it, even after about 40 rounds of full mil surp ammo.  The scope checked out also, no loose parts.  The problem, it turns out, was the rifle.

After I got home, I slugged the barrel and sure enough, that was the problem.  A normal 7.92mm barrel should be .323”.  Mine came out to .326” consistently.  So, in effect, I was spitting bullets down range.  The rifle will have to be shot with oversized cast bullets to give any sort of accuracy to it, but I am hopeful.  You see, it’s a parts gun, a Mauser that I picked up from a going out of business sale that came in a VZ24 stock and the barrel in the most dismal of shape.  It took a lot of bore and copper cleaner to get all the crud out of the barrel.  The action was nice and crisp, with new trigger parts installed.  I am confident that the rifle will shoot with the proper bullet size.

The S&K scout mount for the 98K turned out to be a great, easy to install, inexpensive and rock solid mount.  Even though it is a fairly hefty chunk of aluminum, it does not add a whole lot of weight to the rifle (weighing in at about 3oz).  And, of course, being a scout mount, you do not have to worry about bent or straight bolt handles, either will work.