Mauser guys please help

[280man]

What am I looking at here?

Chambered in 30/06
Slick barrel not drilled and taped for sights
Floor seems like it should open but I can’t figure it out. Maybe it’s missing a piece?

Please help if you can

 

[Adam in WI]

My guess is a Czech action by the stamp on the receiver. The floor plate opens by pressing the button at the rear of it with a bullet or something pointed, and sliding it to the rear a little bit. It isn't hinged, and will come out of the rifle completely. It's not really meant to be opened like we typically think of unloading a bolt rifle magazine.

 

[Kurz]

At the end of ww2 Yugoslavia got many German left over weapon, those were reworked and put into service. All correct

44 is just the name of factory Preduzece 44 means "Factory 44"

Being a military model Mauser, these were fed by stripper clips from the top. Note the thumb notch. They didn't use scopes on many original Mausers as they got in the way of charging the rifle.

This rifle has been rebarreled using a more modern contour and the .30-06 Springfield chamber.

 

[Laurie]

............. and restocked too, plus a replacement (or maybe modified original) bolt-shroud and low safety lever (to accommodate a riflescope).

This will most likely have been a 7.92X57mm KAR98k or variation thereof originally, although with so many military Mausers having spread through central Europe between the wars, it might have been one of several variations from various arsenals or even an older long barrel model. In any event, 7.92X57mm was the near universal military rifle cartridge in that part of Europe between Germany and the Soviet borders until 1945.

Lots of surplus Czech and Yugo versions of the KAR98k rifle ended up on the surplus arms market in their original form from the late 1950s on as countries upgraded to self-loading and assault rifles. (A large consignment of Yugo M48s in good to mint condition came into Germany and the UK as recently as around 15-20 years ago, likely the US too). In the post-WW2 period many were rebuilt in the USA (and western Europe to a lesser extent) as sporting rifles with new stocks and barrels, a practice that largely died out towards the end of the last century as new sporting rifles became cheaper and gave better value. The practice still continues in a small way by home workshop hobby gunsmiths using their own time.

 

[280man]

Thanks for all the information guys.

This rifle appears to be professionally built and knowing the gentleman’s estate it came from it is a fine rifle. I would guess late 60s or 70s by the looks of the scope setup. I will verify twist rate and number of grooves on the barrel and hopefully figure out more on it once I take it out of the stock.

 

[David Milisock]

I used to buy the standard military rifles and some in various stages of sporterization for under $100. The Yugoslavian Mausers have all been great for me.

 

[jds holler]

There was a few decades after WWII when a huge part of the gunsmithing business consisted of building rifles with these actions. There were also a few commercial outfits such as Golden State Arms who pumped out some fairly decent sporterized Mausers, and I think Enfields from surplus rifles.

I had a Golden State 30-06 similar to yours, and currently have a 303 that has very minimal modifications, actually using the military stock and barrel. It is marked Sante Fe Arms.

I am currently working with a friends college built rifle that is based on a Mauser K98 action, Douglas barrel, and his own sycamore stock. His barrel is 6Rem.jd

 

[jds holler]

Parker Hale was the other company I was trying to think of who may have commercially marketed rifles like these.

Here is an "Allied" version of sporter that I acquired. I'm not sure if it was commercially done or not, but it's pretty good with it's original but modified stock. It's even still got the two land military barrel on it.
The front sight is marked Parker Hale, back sight is a nice Williams peep. Action is a #4 Mark I Enfield. jd

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

Brownell's sold, MANY, Douglas Premium, "Short Chambered" .06 Bolt Face sized, barrels and Buehler Safeties for, 98 Mausers.
I had, Finish Reamers ( and a Set of, Go / No Go, Gages ) for,. .25-06, .270 Win., .280 Rem and .30-06 ( Same Bolt Face & same, Gages ).
Would send out to, have Bolt Handle, Cut / Welded ( New handle ) for, Low Bolt, Scope Fit, then Install Safeties, Timney Triggers, Put Barrel on Action, SLOWLY, Hand Ream them to, "Perfection" ( Minimum, Headspace ), Glass Bed, Polish and Blue Steel, Checker, the Fajen Stock, Test Shoot Rifle with, Rem. Factory Ammo ( Always, Sub, 1 MOA or, DIDN'T go, Out the Door ) = the Custom Rifle of, the Day !
Sold them for, $1500 to, $3,000 Dollars, Nice Wood Grain and Fancy Checkering, = more $$$'s, in the mid 1970's to Late 1980's. They were, "Spec Builds" in My, .. "spare Time" and Fun Project's when, NOT too Busy with,..
general Gunsmithing

 

[jds holler]

Brownell's sold, MANY, Douglas Premium, "Short Chambered" .06 Bolt Face sized, barrels and Buehler Safeties for, 98 Mausers.
I had, Finish Reamers ( and a Set of, Go / No Go, Gages ) for,. .25-06, .270 Win., .280 Rem and .30-06 ( Same Bolt Face & same, Gages ).
Would send out to, have Bolt Handle, Cut / Welded ( New handle ) for, Low Bolt, Scope Fit, then Install Safeties, Timney Triggers, Put Barrel on Action, SLOWLY, Hand Ream them to, "Perfection" ( Minimum, Headspace ), Glass Bed, Polish and Blue Steel, Checker, the Fajen Stock, Test Shoot Rifle with, Rem. Factory Ammo ( Always, Sub, 1 MOA or, DIDN'T go, Out the Door ) = the Custom Rifle of, the Day !
Sold them for, $1500 to, $3,000 Dollars, Nice Wood Grain and Fancy Checkering, = more $$$'s, in the mid 1970's to Late 1980's. They were, "Spec Builds" in My, .. "spare Time" and Fun Project's when, NOT too Busy with,..
general Gunsmithing

I'd say that this is probably exactly the process my friend completed with that Mauser above. He was in a two year (Associate Degree) gunsmithing program in 1974. I did the same in 1976. Neither he or I ever went into the business, and he never even shot this rifle. I'm gonna do that for him, and load him some ammo to take with him when he moves. jd

 

[762plinker]

when parker hale went out of business, they had to dissassemble rifles and sell as parts. i picked up two 308 bbls for chump chnge, one new one used. both screwed on to mausers within .001 of spec headspace. i love 308s.( palma gun bbls one was a 12 and the other a 13 twist)

 

[p-man]

There should be a recessed button in that hole in front of the trigger guard bow that takes something pointed (like the business end of full metal jacketed bullet, medium phillips screwdriver bit, etc.) that you push in and at the same time push the floorplate rearward - this allows the floorplate with follow & spring attached to fall out. These are NOT hinged floorplates and are a pain-in-the-ass. Best thing is get an aftermarket or orginal 08/09 series or similar bottom metal that has the release button in trigger guard bow. As is the best thing is to use like any other "ADL" rifle.