I got a new Gun!!! Need History!!

[9000S]

Well its in my possession just need to pay the guy for it! Woo Hoo!!! ok I got what appears to be a K98 Turkish Mauser in 8mm (7.9x57) I got the whole kit and caboodle for 200 beans AND it comes with 360 rounds!! try pricing out just the ammo folks its a good deal. Haven't fired it yet as I am trying to dig up some data on the gun. I will describe as best I can what I find on it, my ability to upload pics is kinda no go right now need to get me a digi-camera soon.
1. On left side of receiver has Preduzece 44 (factory 44) and has Mod. 98 closer to the action to the right of that marking. And that font is cleaner and more even than other fonts on the gun.
2.Directly on top of the rifle it has a proof stamp of 2 wings arching around a flame (resembles statue of liberty's torch) and they nearly connect to a start over that torch. with possible numbers on a band on the torch.
3. Opposite of Factory44 marking it has numbers: V 47 96 and they appear a little offset. 4796 also appears on the bolt handle. At the top of the bolt appears 3179 with a 3 above the one and the seven.
4. 4796 is also stamped into the rear right side of the stock, appears another number was removed right below it. One site said Serb-Croats redid german surplas and remarked them.
5. At the top of the barrel right side: K98 German 8MM and above that; cAl. ST. ALB(8?) VT.
6. Bottom side of 5 round internal mag 4796 is still visible at the bottom and 9272 above it. Wood is in very good condition no cracks no dents no splinters. has leather strap in good condition. on left side of bolt face it has two more marking a 97 and what appears to be an iron eagle imprint. approx. 1/8 of an inch long and very small. Any extra data you guys can throw my way would be fantastic!!
Thanks in advance!!!

 

[KMM696]

I'll take the easy one...

5. Century Arms International, St Albans VT - the importer of the rifle.

There is a site called Turkmauser.com. I haven't looked there much - most Mausers are too right handed for me.

 

[USMA-82]

Here's something from an old forum thread:

.... when the Yugoslavs got their army back in operation at the end of WWII, they decided to standardize the small arms.

Up until that point, the Yugoslav forces were using a hodgepodge of German, Czech, Russian, Italian, Austrian, British, Greek, and US arms. Prior to WWII, they had bought rifles from both FN in Belgium, and CZ in Czechoslovakia. The Treaty of Versailles kept the German manufacturers from competing in the world market, so the Czechs and the Belgians happily stepped in.

The Yugoslavs standardized the 7.92x57mm cartridge after WWII, and then set about arsenal remarking all the existing rifles that they had in inventory, including both FN and Czech manufactured vz-24's (which became Mod 24/47's), captured German K98's, and also started building German K98 pattern rifles from parts purchased from CZ right after the war. They also started building their own variation of the 98, the M48, which combines aspects of both the K98 and the vz-24.

So, you will find Czech, Belgian, and German rifles all with the Preduzece 44 stamping. The new government was known as the Second Yugoslav Federal Republic, and was now "communist", so they had to restamp all the rifles used by their armed forces with the new national crest if nothing else. Also, they wanted to put their own stamp on their own rifles.

I've seen Mod. 24/47's come through with the Preduzece 44 stamping over top of a ground off Fabrique Nationale stamping, where you can just make out the "Fa" and the "le" under the Preduzece 44 stamping.

I hope that helps clear it up a little. Collecting Yugo's is so much fun because there are so many damn variations

 

[SKS Ray]

2.Directly on top of the rifle it has a proof stamp of 2 wings arching around a flame (resembles statue of liberty's torch) and they nearly connect to a start over that torch. with possible numbers on a band on the torch.

Definitely a Yugoslavian crest. Sounds like from the description you have a Yugo98 and at a pretty good price too. Check all over after you disassemble it, including on the back of the bolt handle. You may find some Nazi markings.

 

[9000S]

Luftwaffe??

So yeah saw that those ones are pretty good as a collectors item, price wise I think I am up to 5 visible birds on this thing! Lotsa little proof stamps everywhere on this gun, I think there may be more under neath I need to take notes where they all are. I think they quickly rehashed it and didn't really look for where the markings were. The stock WAS sanded done in re-manufacture, (not by me) and so any possible L's there are missing, but... I do have some on the underside of the receiver and action, that may be promising. To the left of pred.44 theres either a 7 or an L on it and there appears to be an x on the rear sight. There's more markings underneath it as well... I just took it back apart lets see whats on the undeside again. top front stock of wood has a N 223 on the underbell with the N backwards, and the numbers 5008 pressed into the wood. As for the metal, on the underside directly north of the top receiver bolt is a capital B about 2inches up from that and a little the left appears an L and 4 inches up from that in line with the B though is a 7. The 7 is 180 degrees from where the top of the rear sight is. ok odd markings below the "B" theres the screw hole thing, (so articulate I know!) and then a drop notch down to a flat plane. This has wierd shit there. ok with the barrel being 12 oclock, there is a E being a little offset of 12 (12:02?) to the left around 9 o clock is a A but its sideways with the tip facing towards 3 Ok if you shift the clock, make what was 12, 3 o'clock, there are 6 dots in the middle facing in a v like pattern. 3 leaning down and towards 3 oclock and 2 down sloping towards the new 9 oclock. and one connecting them in the middle slightly lower center. Towards the new 3 oclock there appears to be an x.
Ok on the trigger system, theres the trigger and a "rocker plate" thats spring loaded that its attached to above the connecting pin that attaches the plate to the gun we got 14 on one side and another eagle on the other I think its up to 7 now total for all the birds on this thing. Yep, milsurps, we got one under the bent handle, and 2 on one one side of the receiver, one under the rear sight, one on the side of the rear site, one on the front of the front site, and one more good one on the take down lever for the bolt. The last one has number 97 on it. I think I will need to catalogue the numbers of this thing.... gah.
Well thats all I got for now. I am going to go shoot this thing and hope it doesn't blow up in my face! The barrel wasn't very clean.... but it is now ! Thanks alot guys keep the info coming I really wanna figure out the details of this bad boy!

 

[USMA-82]

Wow! That post is proof that a picture is worth a thousand words! Sorry - I fell asleep after the 12th line...

 

[SKS Ray]

Yeah I got a little lost there too.

Glad to hear you have a rifle with some markings and I hate to do this but...

Also, you'll probably have better luck getting some input with this being posted in the Mil Surp section.

 

[9000S]

Tsssch Pffft...

Last time I share my exciting find with you guys! yeah yeah i know, I need a Digital camera.... I think first I am going to get a drop in style synthetic stock and a scope. The damn thing is like zeroed at 200m. Cant see shit that far out! Perhaps I will borrow a friends so I can just get em online quick sorry for the fricking war and peace version of it... doah Ill get some pics up as soon as I can

Oh to a Mod then, if it may get more press move as needed to the Milsurp section.

 

[9000S]

Flickr!!!

Ok guys as we speak things are loading up on flickr and the link will be posted below. inserting photos I got no clue so you may have to go there...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10448595@N08/sets/72157606791112928/

ok now you can stop mocking me and my long oratorial descriptions! ha!

All sizes zooms it up good!

 

[SKS Ray]

Great looking Yugo 98!

Looks like you have the capture screws too. If you didn't get a sling for it, Yugo K98 slings can be found on E Bay for cheap money.

Enjoy that rifle. Finding them in that kind of condition without paying a premium is difficult these days.

 

[9000S]

Sporterize?

yeah i got a new stock and scope coming already for it. I dont want to do anything permanent to change it at all now so I think getting a system set up where its got integral rails so i dont need to tap is good. Just a drop in stock, so no changes to the wood or the metal of the gun. I really am tempted to clean up the bolt though and polish that out to a nice finish... would that be a bad thing ya think in terms of value removing the already damaged bluing from this area? Thanks guys sorry bout the long novel prior to pictures... you should see the shoulder after 60 rounds and not tucking it in good... it kicked my ass! lesson learned there for sure! really gotta tuck in tight. Also any recomendations for polishing up the metal if its not a terribly bad thing to do?
Thanks for the feedback all!

 

[USMA-82]

Great pictures - worth the wait.

Bottom line is - it's your gun, so do whatever you want to with it. But, yes, you do subtract collector value anytime you do anything to change it from the original state. I think the gun is beautiful as is, and don't understand why you'd want to change anything.

But if you do change something, you would be wise to make it a "non-permanent" change as you have mentioned.

And as far as firing that bad boy - grab yourself a shoulder pad from Wal-Mart and fire away!

 

[9000S]

Taken to heart...

USMA-82, why mess with it if it aint broke? just for aesthetics... eh I'll hold off. That being said, with the crest I figured it was a yugo remake likely from serbia. But as to its original markings... anyone got any ideas as to factory in germany year that kinda thing? I'm really big into the minutia so the more data the better. It has the trap secure screws which were rarer during the production ramp up period. But its also got the stamped floorplate for the internal magazine, which is higher speed production era. It has oval or oblong slots in the bolt which is NOT from the higher speed production line, but from pre-war guns usually so I read somewhere... Im really confused because its sending me mixed signals on its origins. Could it really be a piecemeal job out of the yugo factory? every other part is from a different gun? It also has a barrel hood and not sure what time frame those are in... appreciate all the intel so far guys! A little more to pin this thing down would be great!

 

[BillK]

Gotta love those chickens!