Regarding Military Mausers...

I saw on the internet some Model 48 and 48A Yugoslavian Mausers in 8mm, I'm assuming they are the 8x57 mm.

I am wondering what the design and desirability differences are between these Yugo mod 48's and a rifle based on a Vz 24 action.

For that matter, how many different military mausers were based on the Vz 24 action?

Buried somewhere in a mountain of storage boxes is a small publication from the NRA that has a little info on military mausers. Before I risk serious injury by avalance to find this publication it seemed prudent to seek help from those of you who surely have a wealth of knowledge on these old military mausers.

Thanks, Doug

No other military Mausers were based on the Vz24 action. That was the Czechs' 1924-adopted version of the Mauser 98, which they started building as a whole factory for the old long Gew 98 with all parts and unfinished work on hand was transferred to them as war reparations at the end of WWI. They made a few rifles to Gew 98 specs, then basically just changed the sights and came up with the 98/22. They eventually sold nearly all of those to the Turks, and made some more under contract. They followed the lead of the Brits and Americans to a shorter rifle, intermediate between the old long rifles and short carbines, and came up with the Vz23 and Vz24. Vz24s were sold to many other countries. The Germans followed that pattern when they started rearming and came up with the K98k. When the Germans took over Czechoslovakia in WWII, they had the Czechs continue making Vz24s to arm their Romanian allies, and many of the Vz24s currently on the market were Romanian contract rifles. Later the Czechs were put to work making K98ks for the Germans.

The Yugoslavians did rework some Czech-made Vz24s in the 1950s, calling them the M24/52c.

The Yugos also refurbished captured German K98ks, which originally are just marked "Mod. 98" and later "M98/48." They scrubbed off the German markings, more or less completely. Sometimes some of the Waffenampt stampings show up here and there.

The Yugo M48 series are derived from the old Belgian FN M24 Mauser, which was also built by the Yugos under license. After the war, they rebuilt M24s on hand, scrubbed off the old markings and remarked them as a "new" model, the M24/47. When those ran out, they started making new rifles on the M24 pattern with a few minor alterations, and that was the M48 series. They are an "intermediate" action, about 1/4" shorter than the standard 98 Mauser types. The early ones are very roughly finished, because the Germans had stolen most of their gunmaking machinery, and they were produced under wartime urgency as an imminent invasion by the Soviet Union and their Eastern European "allies" was anticipated at any time. The later M48As and M48Bs are smoother. The M48bo rifles are unmarked. They were made or modified for export, mainly to the Middle East. Leaving off markings showing who made them avoided embarrassing diplomatic controversies. All are good sound, serviceable rifles.

The history of them put out by Mitchell's Mausers is a fairy tale.

Thanks for the info. I got a M24/47 just today. The gun is in great condition but the stock is really rough in the since it needs to be sanded. I just shoot them anymore, I do not generally do anything else.

What would be your preference between a M48 and an M48A? Why?

Thanks,

The M-48A was made with some stamped (instead of machined) parts in order to lower production costs. The barrel bands, trigger guards, and floor plates of the M-48A are stamped.

Everything else being equal, the M-48 would be more desirable and usually commands a slightly higher price.

Thanks for your input on my questions. I have a feeling it would take years to sort out all the details. Doug

quote:

the old Belgian FN M24 Mauser,

A most excellent example of the M98 type Mauser!

That's true about the stamped parts in the M48A and B. But those actions are usually more smoothly finished and operate more smoothly than the early M48s. (And the M24/47s are usually the smoothest of all.) I'm skipping over the refurbed K98ks, and the Vz24s rebuilt into M24/52c models. I think you (and I) need at least one of all those, of course!

Indeed, love these old war rifles. Truly are works of art.

Got a 1,000 rounds of non corrosive ammo and off to the range. I see many more in my future.