Syrian Mauser

[Calfed]

I glommed a Syrian Mauser at an online sale recently. There were only a few pictures and a slim description...but nobody was interested so I got it dirt cheap.

http://i.imgur.com/sAfkhX2.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/UtfeOel.jpg

Description advised

SYRIAN MODEL M.48 BOLT ACTION MAUSER RIFLE, 8mm Mauser caliber, 23 1/4" barrel, blued finish, hardwood military stock and hand guard, adjustable rear sight, bayonet lug, metal butt plate, import marked "K98 YUGO 8MM", Syrian crest, serial #V48977

[PhillipM]

Looks good. How much did you pay?

[Calfed]

Looks good. How much did you pay?

$90, plus a 17% "buyer premium"--call it $105

[PhillipM]

Good price! I'm not familiar with these, but it seems you have a rare rifle in the US.
http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?394623-Syrian-Contract-Yugoslavian-M48BO

[Calfed]

Thanks for the link, Phil.

I've been on the lookout for a Syrian for a while now. A few years back I got an Iraqi M48 with the Hashemite crest on it. This is a good companion piece.

http://i.imgur.com/xLCkyL3.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/yku6CBQ.jpg

[jon_norstog]

Man, Syria wasn't even a country until after the Great War, and then it was a French "protectorate." I'm surprised the French let them have guns at all, let alone a non-French arm in a non-French caliber. Is it a VZ?

jn

[Calfed]

It is a Yugo M48

[Fred Pillot]

That wood looks just like the wood on mine. A very oily very hard wood. Mine is known as a Mystery Mauser, no crest and definitley not scrubbed. First seen in Syria during the Syrian crisis.

[Calfed]

That wood looks just like the wood on mine. A very oily very hard wood. Mine is known as a Mystery Mauser, no crest and definitley not scrubbed. First seen in Syria during the Syrian crisis.

How's the bore on yours, Fred?

[mike webb]

That wood looks just like the wood on mine. A very oily very hard wood. Mine is known as a Mystery Mauser, no crest and definitley not scrubbed. First seen in Syria during the Syrian crisis.

Probably a M48BO. They are Yugoslavian pretty much identical to the marked M48 rifles. The BO stands for Bez Ozneke(spelling?) which means "without markings" in Serbo-Croat. Made specifically for export to countries that perhaps they were not supposed to supply arms to.

[Fred Pillot]

Calfed, Bore was really bad but I found an excellent Persian Mauser Barrel at 24 inches rechambered to 8mm-06 Improved so I put that on and sporterized the stock. That's when I found out how hard and oily the stock was. The rasp wanted to skate across the wood.

[PhillipM]

I have a K98 that was scrubbed, according to a dealer at a gun show, and he pointed out the remnants of the German markings are not completely ground off and noted the plumb colored trigger guard. What nomenclature did the Yugo's use for this rifle?

[Calfed]

Probably a M48BO. They are Yugoslavian pretty much identical to the marked M48 rifles. The BO stands for Bez Ozneke(spelling?) which means "without markings" in Serbo-Croat. Made specifically for export to countries that perhaps they were not supposed to supply arms to.

I think you are right about that, Mike. I'm pretty sure that is the same for my Iraqi Mauser



I have a K98 that was scrubbed, according to a dealer at a gun show, and he pointed out the remnants of the German markings are not completely ground off and noted the plumb colored trigger guard. What nomenclature did the Yugo's use for this rifle?

I think Mike pretty much nailed it...M48BO

[Calfed]

Calfed, Bore was really bad but I found an excellent Persian Mauser Barrel at 24 inches rechambered to 8mm-06 Improved so I put that on and sporterized the stock. That's when I found out how hard and oily the stock was. The rasp wanted to skate across the wood.

Sounds like it came out well, Fred. Can you post any pics?

[mike webb]

I have a K98 that was scrubbed, according to a dealer at a gun show, and he pointed out the remnants of the German markings are not completely ground off and noted the plumb colored trigger guard. What nomenclature did the Yugo's use for this rifle?

The Yugos took a lot of captured German K98k rifles and refurbished them. They scrubbed the German manufacturer codes from the receiver, put new stocks and barrels on many and marked most Preduzece 44 on the side rail. They differ from the 48 as the 48 had an intermediate length action about a 1/4 inch shorter than the K98k.

[Calfed]

I have a K98 that was scrubbed, according to a dealer at a gun show, and he pointed out the remnants of the German markings are not completely ground off and noted the plumb colored trigger guard. What nomenclature did the Yugo's use for this rifle?

Ahh, I misunderstood your question...Like Mike said, the scrubbed K98's were full length 98 actions, the 48's were intermediate length.

I have two of the scrubbed German K98's. Mine have the Yugoslavian crest, the "Preduzece 44" on the left side of the receiver ring and "mod 98" on the left side receiver rail. I've also seen some that have "Mod 98/48".

I believe the Yugoslavian nomenclature for that rifle is the M98/48.

[Calfed]

The Yugoslavians also refurbished a bunch of their M24 rifles, which are also intermediate length. These show up most often as 24/47 Yugoslavian Mausers.

[StockDoc]

So Syrian Crested their own rifles?

[Calfed]

So Syrian Crested their own rifles?

Not sure about that.

[dave]

I have only seen one with a Syrian crest, passed on it because I am not particularly fond of post ww11 rifles. Except for .22 rimfires.

What is a Hashemite?

[Calfed]

I have only seen one with a Syrian crest, passed on it because I am not particularly fond of post ww11 rifles. Except for .22 rimfires.

What is a Hashemite?

The house of Hashim or "Hashemite" was the governing Royal family of Iraq from Iraq's founding until the late 50's, when it was overthrown in a military coup.

[Calfed]

Finally got down to my FFL's and got a chance to see the Syrian Mauser. I'm waiting for a few more guns to arrive to save on the DROS fee, so I didn't start the DROS, but did give the Syrian and a Remington model 40X that I also won at auction a good going over.

The Syrian has a crest that looks like this one(this is not a picture of my rifle)
http://i.imgur.com/4KxnPHg.jpg?1

is all matching (receiver, bolt, floorplate), bore is bright and shiny, with strong lands and a tight muzzle, bluing is somewhat faded...maybe 50-60%, stock is solid with no cracks that I could see.

One odd thing...the trigger guard and floor plate are milled, with I did not expect. I thought the 48BO's had stamped parts.

I think I got my money's worth on this one.

[StockDoc]

M 48 is a Milled Trigger guard and floor plate. The M 48 bo and M48 A are stamped. From what I have read.

[Calfed]

M 48 is a Milled Trigger guard and floor plate. The M 48 bo and M48 A are stamped. From what I have read.

That was my understanding also. But I also thought the Syrian Mauser was a 48BO model.

[Calfed]

I picked up the Syrian Mauser from my FFL today. It does look pretty good, except the bluing is somewhat worn and the stock has a few dents and dings. Everything looks solid, though, and the bore is tight and reasonably shiny.

http://i.imgur.com/z4tJMB4.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/3eTu49w.jpg?1

Has the Syrian crest, but no "jeem"

http://i.imgur.com/q9kY97q.jpg?1

All matching

http://i.imgur.com/PsGBlj0.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/shsIHsx.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/iFg47aC.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/tSZEC83.jpg?1

Had a hard time getting a pic of the bore, but it somewhat shiny and tight. That is a 200 grain 8mm Nosler CC bullet.

http://i.imgur.com/BLjLtfu.jpg?1
http://i.imgur.com/b56PFmD.jpg?1

[DRAGON64]

Beautiful Mauser. I have a M48BO that is in unissued condition. The only marks are the serial number and manufacturer are marks on either side of the receiver. All parts are milled, and rifle is all matching, no mark throughs. For $105 +fees you did real good... hopefully you got as good a deal on the 40X!

[Hecklerusp45]

You did great on that one. Congrats!!