Iraqi Mauser?

[EricTheBarbarian]

Recently, as we took over for the old unit, I saw a rifle hanging on the wall apparently some sort of trophy. I recognized it immediately as a Mauser. Unfortunately, our Commander didn't like it so it was turned in to be destroyed before I got to look at it up close.
It looked like it could have been a turkish mauser, but does anyone know if Iraq ever used Mausers? The country is littered with ordnance and weapons from various times, but I wasn't aware of Iraq ever using Mausers. Once again, I didn't get to look up close but I assumed it was 8mm. If anyone knows anything about Iraqi use of Mausers, it would be interesting to hear what you know.

 

[Smith357]

Yugoslavian M48s were made for the Iraqi and Syiran governments after WWII, they are similar to the K98s except they are short action.

 

[kBob]

There was a piece on TV early in the build up that was an Iraqi news piece about an attack helo being downed by an Iraqi farmer. The man shown had a K98 style rifle.

Next door over in Iran the government adopted a Mauser in 1930 (1309) as a short rifle and later in 1938 (1317)as a carbine. The original guns were Czech but the Iranians began production on their own sometime during or immediately after WWII. The adopted a locally manufactured model in 1949 (1328) which had the side mounted sling and pierced stock as the K98k rather than the swivels under the barrel and between the butt and pistol grip on the belly of the stock.

Things found on oneside of that boarder can often be found on the otherside as well.

Remember that Mausers were very cheap after WWII and even the poorest governments could afford them and parts were no problem.

I would have been surprised if Mausers hadn't shown show up in Iran.

-kBob

 

[Mr_Pale_Horse]

Yugoslavia made around 350,000 M48(bo - bez oznake(without markings)) rifles in 1958 to export to various middle eastern countries and north african countries in the wake of the Suez Crisis and war. These will constitute the last large influx of M98 variants into the middle east of new manufacture. Many more mausers of various origins found there way there from before WWI to the late Sadam era.

Some Iraqi marked models will have a will have a triangular mark on the receiver ring.

 

[Float Pilot]

I acquired an unmarked example of an M48 in prestine condition. Nothing but a serial number.

The M-48s are an intermediate length Mauser action. Not the short Mauser action.

During another active duty tour we ran across an old guy going about his business with a very nice Persian contract Bruno (Czech) made Mauser. So those things are spread all over the place.

Oddly enough I once found a Columbian Contract 30-06 FN Mauser in super bad shape in the Balkans. Or at least it had the big .30 stamped onto the front receiver ring. It was nothing but rust. Wonder how the heck it got there...

 

[mitchg233]

I have a a BNZ 1941 mauser which was rebarreled in Czechoslovakia and exported to Iraq where the Jeem was added to barrel and receiver. It also has the winter triggerguard:

 

[Jeremy2171]

Likely Persian.....

I had a ton of them while I was there in '07.

See this thread....
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=475711

Couple minty ones but most were junk...that and a bunch of 30's dated "Persian" ammo...

most of which still fired..only a few were duds. Best shooting stuff was the '80s Yugo Ball and even some '85 dated yugo Tracer.

 

[JImbothefiveth]

Could be a Khyber Pass replica?

 

[JimmAr]

I have a bnz steyr with handloads seems accurate for a k98..if you can get ahold of one highly recommended.

I have put this out 75 yards from my home bench poa little red house,fired a total of 7 didnt think I would even hit it.

200gr sierra matchking
52.4gr H4350

 

[Slamfire]

German K98, Russian capture. Swastika's punched out during Russian rebuild. (I guess they had some hard feelings towards the Nazi's) Sold to the Iraqi's and has their "Jeem" on receiver and barrel.

Sold to Federal Ordnance in the 1980's.









I also have a Czech export M48 made for Iraqi. Sorry, no pictures on it.

 

[mitchg233]

Interesting that slamfires was made by steyr as was mine (they changed code to bnz from 660 in 1941).

 

[jobu07]

Where about in Iraq did you just take over?