Hi all. Just bought my FIRST Mauser today. I have always liked them. I was looking in some local pawn shops. The first one I hit said they didn't sell firearms, and told me to go to another down the street that does. So I go in, and ask the lady if they have any 1911 style pistols, which they didn't, which was what I was looking for originally. I was about to walk out right away and something caught my eye on the wall. It was an M44 Mosin. Checked it out, and another. Then looked at 2 Mausers. I asked her if the $125 price tag is negotiable on the second Mauser, and she said there was a 25%off sale on it. So she did up the discount and after paperwork and taxes, I was out the door only down $101.and change.
So I had some questions. Not knowing anything about Mausers, first off, what kind/type of Mauser is it? The tag that was on the gun said Mauser Model 98 8mm. After taking it down, taking off the stock and wiping it all down in the cleaning process, I found some other info. Stamped very lightly near the muzzle on the barrel on the right side, is "M1938 German 8MM". Above that stamp (also on the right side of the barrel), which is stamped more thoroughly, is what appears to say "C.A.I. S.I. ALB VI" with the dots as I see them on the barrel.
The receiver and sight aperture have matching #s, but the mag and trigger guard assembly and bolt are all different. The bore looks decent. Not what appears to be any pitting either. The grooves look what I think is pretty good for a rifle stamped in 1940. There wasn't much cosmoline either to clean out. Just in some nooks and crannies. It would appear a previous owner(s), (according to the woman I spoke with, brought it in for a loan or something, and never came back for the gun) kept it in pretty good shape.
The stock looks pretty good. Its a nice deep color and decent glossy finish to it. There is a chunk that has been cut out on the butt of the stock under the buttplate and replaced. It looks like its supposed to be there. No numbers visible on the wood stock to my untrained Mauser eye, unless there are hiding places I overlooked. (Or any other numbers or stampings for that matter)
Stamped on the receiver is a Crescent moon with the two points pointing towards the muzzle, and the star in front of that. To the left of that at about a 45 degree angle is the letter T. To the right at the same angle is a C. Under the T on the left is stamped AF. To the right under the C is stamped FA. Below that stamped on the left is AMK. To the right is stamped ARA. Then at the bottom the date: 1940 centered. Hopefully this will be visible in the picture well enough to make it out according to the description. I included other various pictures from different angles. There is included a cleaning rod. It is brass. Don't know if that is or was standard issue with them.
I am not sure what other info to add. I guess the most important thing, the stamp on the receiver is there and legible. Based on what little research I have pulled up on the net, I suppose I could do measurements of things if need be. There is also a small hole at the fore end of the trigger guard. My research has designated that a sling hole? The whole thing is held together by two big screws on the bottom by the mag plate and trigger guard. They are held in place by two smaller locking screws. It has a straight bolt handle design like a Mosin. Has a bayonet Lug. If anyone knows of any good websites for doing research I'd be happy to know of them. And based on the pics and description, is $100 decent for this? Thanks for the info.
You have a turkish 8mm mauser and a $100 ain't bad, and the hole in the front of the trigger guard is not a sling hole but a hole to attach a winter trigger for use in the dead of winter when the troops would be wearing gloves their fingers would not fit inside the trigger guard. hope that helps a little.
steve
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The vendor stamping is actually 'CAI St.Albans Vt' Century Arms International imported it via their St. Albans facility in Vermont.
The rifle was made at the Turkish arsenal in Ankara, Turkey.
The Turkish rifles are generally good, but they really used them - many are well-worn. Some have rough wood - like they weren't final-finished. Others are quite nice!
Early M-38s were converted to the M1938 Standard from earlier Mauser models - so some differences can occur between individual rifles.
Try the Turk 8mm ammo if you can find it. I've found that the sights of military Mausers are regulated for the ammo of their own nation - Turk 8mm tends to be a bit 'hotter' than other 8mm. It shoots high in many non-Turk Mausers.
Hey guys thanks for the info. AWESOME!! Keep it coming. And Swede you can have the gold one, then maybe I would outrank someone in this forum Thanks guys, I really appreciate the time and info!!
I picked up a 1938 turkish mauser last month. I also picked up a couple hundred rounds of 1942 turkish ammo for 20 cents a round and the stuff shoots wonderful. I did not have any misfires or split casings and the gun grouped 1.25 inches at 50 yards dead center.
I buy it local in Reno. If you want to pay for shipping, it cost me $18.00 after tax for 70 rounds ( he rose his price a few bucks on Monday ) and I will send it to you for the same price. I know that he had 700 rnds last week.
I just ran across the thread regarding your Turkish Mauser. I picked up some WWII Turkish Mauser 8mm (7.92 x 57mm) ammo in bandoliers at a local estate auction. The bandoliers are blue fabric with seven pouches each containing 2 five round stripper clips. There are 3 of these bandoliers (210 rounds) plus 1 loose 5 round stripper clip (215 rounds total). The head stamps on all the ammo is 1942/FS/7.9/T (Crescent Moon & Star) C. All the ammo is clean. Would you be interested in purchasing this ammunition?
Great looking Turkish Mauser 98. It's basically an improved version of the same Model 98 used by the Imperial German Army and the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Their Austrian allies used Styer 95's. The ammo is the same 7.92x57mm (German 8mm or 8x57) used by most Model 98's and later k98's in Europe. If you use corrosive ammo, clean it up real good. Non-corrosive ammo should be easy to get too but cost a little more.
I just want to add that most Mauser clients, Turkish military included, received high quality rifles until World War II got really hot and heavy; around late 1940/41 when exports stopped. Further, though the Nazi's had gone to the shorter K-98 Mauser for their own armies in 1935; essentially a shorter version of what you have for more mechanized warfare, most Mauser client countries continued to order the longer Model 98's like yours until the exigencies of war time production ended the luxury of weapons exports.
My turkish mauser was the first vintage bolt gun i bought. I purchased mine about 8 years ago at Dunhams for like 79.00 bucks. It's decent but more importantly it's the fun to shoot and relatively accurate. I love it.
Good fine Iron_Colonel
Have fun with that one.
It's beat up pretty good.
I put a 30-06 Danish machine gun barrel on one Turk action and scoped. Bent the bolt and put it in a $5.00 stock. It's the best shooter I have for the least amount of $.
Picked up another at College Station Tx pawn shop 4 years ago. Some bubba covered it with camo duct tape
But it shoots good even with Romainian steel cased ammo
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Last edited by Full MeTal Jack; 02-02-2009 at 11:08 PM.
These rifles have large ring demensions but are smallring threaded,got three, one was a keeper bought mine for $39.00 apiece two are ready for rebarreling,one in .358 WIN. the other in a Parker Hale .308 that needs threaded to small ring,give $30.00 for the 26" Parker barrel if you got one with a shot out barrel many made what they called a Tweed ,and that is where all of Samco's 6.5x55 Sweed barrels went.They are strong actions with all that extra metal around the barrel,but not for Magnum cartridges because of small ring,this action has two lugs up front and the safety lug in the rear.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the time and info!!
!!!!!! I am fricken stoked about this gun!
