Mauser "tanker"... practical?

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Mitchell's is offering a shortened version of their yugo mausers, but it is newly produced, not 50 year old surplus. Without getting into whether or not you think Mitchells is over priced or whether yugo mausers are "authentic" or not, what kind of affect will the shortened barrel have on the performance of the rifle. I like the idea of having a big round in a compact package as I do alot of camping/hiking, but if the recoil is ridiculous and the range is pathetic I'd rather stick with what Ive got now.

So, to simplify what I just said, what do ya'll think the effective range would be, and how much muzzle flip? Thanks.
 
I love my FR-8, a Spanish Mauser Mod 98 .308 that has a little CETME barrel on it, and I thought the "Tanker" Yugo 98's in 8mm were really cute.
 
Gotta link? I've been thinking about chopping mine... It's not like we're going to run out anytime soon...

-Colin
 
Over the years, a number of countries used Mauser carbines.
One good example was the FN-made Model 1924/30 as produced for Columbia.

These were originally 7.65mm, and were later converted to 30-06.

These carbines had 17 1/2" barrels.

I used to own one, and while muzzle blast was enhanced, the recoil and blast was not unmanageable.
 
I saw the short little mauser in thed last Issue of American Rifleman. I think its would be a neat rifle to shoot, but for the $~500 Mitchells Gougers price, one could simply cut down a M48 and buy 4 or 5 thousand rounds of ammo easily and be just as happy.
 
Gotta link? I've been thinking about chopping mine... It's not like we're going to run out anytime soon...
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Didnt they used to say this about all those old 1898 Krags, 1903 springfields, garands and vet bring back German mausers and Japanese Arisakas as well as a ton of other imported rifles??.

It is your rifle to do with as you please, but do also remeber that these rifles are not an infinite supply, nor are they still making them(other than the Mitchells chopshop of horrors).

If you want a shorter one, you should buy one so you have a short version with no historical signifigance and a original rifle that was carried by some shmoe trying to protect his country.
 
For $500, I'd do it yourself.

Didnt they used to say this about all those old 1898 Krags, 1903 springfields, garands and vet bring back German mausers and Japanese Arisakas as well as a ton of other imported rifles??.
Click to expand...

Yep. No one would think about hacking up a Krag or Springfield today. I wouldn't be suprised if 40 years down the road, people wern't saying 'wish I hadn't cut up this Yugo'
 
You should look at a Mosin Nagant M38 as another option. Really handy small rifle with excellent power.
 
Maybe it's just me...but $500 for a brand new Mauser in perfect condition doesn't seem THAT bad.

I'd love to find the same deal on an Enfield, for instance...


Larry
 
The Mauser carbines tend to be real collector's items, though I don't know if these guys are or not. Certainly $500 would be a fair price for many other Mauser carbines. I had an Iranian Mauser carbine once--just like the one Saddam used to shoot off for the crowds. I found recoil to be rather intense and accuracy so-so. But there's no denying it made a sweet truck rifle.

Check out this website:

http://www.carbinesforcollectors.com/
 
Maybe it's just me...but $500 for a brand new Mauser in perfect condition doesn't seem THAT bad.
Click to expand...

It does when many other importers offer very, very good examples for $150-$200. Not too bad for a new bolt gun, but looking at the market, it does seem a bit steep.

The Mauser carbines tend to be real collector's items, though I don't know if these guys are or not.
Click to expand...

No doubt, but these are chop-ups done here in America recently. Nothing more than a bubba job that they charge more for.
 
Cracked Butt is right. I've poked into the matter and it appears to be a bit of a scam. These are NOT genuine vintage Mauser short rifles. They are recent production from Zastava in Serbia. That doesn't mean they're no good, but they aren't worth that price. They are modern hack jobs:

------------
ZASTAVA LK M48/24, M48/63

This family of sporting rifles ZASTAVA is made on the basis of refurbished military rifle M48 in two versions M48/24 and M48/63.

http://www.zastava-arms.co.yu/english/civilni.htm
 
I wouldn't be suprised if 40 years down the road, people wern't saying 'wish I hadn't cut up this Yugo'
Click to expand...

That's why you buy 10 and only chop up one or two... :)
 
This is done by the factory? So, how can it be Bubbad, if buit by the original arsenal? This isn't a Century hack and smash, nor is it a true one-of-a-kind Bubba basement mutiliation, but a build on original reciever at the arsenal, similar to Finns using Izzy and Sesty recievers to build M39 Mosins, or the Russians reusing 1891 recievers to build Dragoons, to 91/30s, and later 91/59s.
The price is high, to those of us used to $125 Mauser. Compared to other NEW production bolt actions, the price doesn't seem so crazy.
If you want an original piece of history that isn't chopped, get a Russian capture K98 Mauser and a Mosin M38, for about $200 for both. But, if you like short rifles, have money, then go for it. Bubba didn't do it.
 
It isn't a military carbine. It's chopped at the factory, which did produce the originals, but is taking the original late 1940's early 1950's rifles and chopping them down today. The carbine remains a sporter and not a military rifle and as such, it will be valued in that realm down the road. If Izmash started chopping 91/30s into sporters, they would be done at the factory that produced the originals. Yet, the rifle would remain nothing more than a sporter. These carbines are fundamentally no different that what Golden State Arms did years back to Enfields, except Golden didn't produce the rifles.

Mitchell's is a scam that lies to its customers. They imply the Yugoslav rifles are made in 1944 because that is the date on the crest. The fact remains, that is the date the Yugoslav peoples republic came into being, not when the rifle was produced. They know this is true, and yet sell the rifles at high prices implying they are WWII Mausers just like the Nazi's carried. The fact is that the very same rifles can be had from other importers who don't lie about their provenance and sell them for much, much, much less.

These chopped rifles may not be quite bubba, but they are not military carbines. An M38 or M44 is a legitimate carbine, as would an 1894 Swiss or any other true carbine. For the price, these carbines, in my opinion, are nowhere near worth it. Buy a Yugo from Aim, SOG, or some other company and save the money.
 
The only way I'm paying that price is if its offered in a package as issued to the officers of the secret, and till now, unkown Croat S.S. division. It should come in a genuine velvet lined wooden box with 'Mitchell's Mausers' and 'K98' woodburned in the box in Germanic script. There should also be included a genuine Iron Cross medal that is serial numbered to the rifle, and to the box, so that there could be no question of the package's authenticity. :D
 
I think they are cool. Perfect woods carbine built on a great action shooting a versatile cartridge. BUT, there is no way I'd pay $500 bucks for one of these. If they were orginals, maybe they'd be worth the price. Though I own several Mausers, I bought an M38 to have a light and handy carbine.

For a new gun, look at the CZ carbines in 7.62x39.

tjg
 
Back in the sixties I "semi-sporterized" a Mauser.

NEVER AGAIN.

Even the most beat up old military rifle if anywhere near
issue configuartion no matter how beat up is a piece of
history and should never, ever be bubbaized.

If already "bubbaized" they do make great shooters, but
more has been lost than has been gained.
 
Wasn't there a "camel carbine" sawed-off 8mm Iranian or Egyptian? rings a bell...the idea is a good one, though. Like an M38 with a smoother bolt. 8mm is still .10 a round and will be for a while.

And yeah, the tanker is way overpriced. That thing about the serialized Iron Cross cracked me up, though. Maybe Mitchells should wood-burn SS runes on 'em to scotch all the doubting Thomases.

Someday a perfect Yugo Mauser with all accessories will be worth $300, but not for a while.
 
This isn't a chopped Mauser, its a NEW gun!

Seems pretty cool to me, a brand new Mauser, in 4 different US calibers to choose from, only 37.2" long, rugged, reliable, all steel and wood, iron sights, for $495. There aren't many other new, short carbines with all that in such calibers as .30-06 or .308 and a five round magazine. I think one in .308 would be nice. The CZ's MSRP is $600 and 7.62x39 is the largest caliber its offered in.
 
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