Zastava Mauser Sporters...Intermediate Length Actions?

[mrh477]

Hey folks,

Background here--I have a Mexican Mauser project action that I need a trigger guard for. I really like the hinged ones seen on nicer Mauser sporting rifles but finding one in the intermediate length is very difficult and having a custom one made is above my budget. So I got this bright idea to find an old abused Zastava rifle with the trigger guard I want.

I know Zastava made quite a few sporting rifles using Mauser 98 actions, and I know the Yugo M48 was an intermediate length action, which would have the correct trigger guard. I have seen a handful of Zastava M70 rifles from the Yugoslavia era, and I know for a fact that at least one of those rifles had an intermediate length action because I measured it. My question is, were all the old Zastava sporters made with intermediate actions? Or were many of them made with full length actions?

I just want to know if I can buy any old Zastava M70 I see on gunbroker or if I will need to measure the action myself to be sure. I've tried messaging sellers a few times asking if they could measure the action but given the level of precision and knowledge required to tell the difference between a Yugo intermediate and full length Mauser 98 action, I just don't trust most sellers to be able to tell easily.

Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[army_eod]

Mr. Zorg to the white courtesy phone.

We have the M70 you speak of. It is called a big ring Mauser 98 action.

If Mr Zorg shows up he can most likely help you out.

 

[Mr. Zorg]

The Zastava LK (bolt action) M70 action is "full" size accomodating .30-06, 7X64mm, etc cartridge lengths. It has always been a purely civilian use action. When used in shorter cartridges such as .308 Winchester the overall action length remains the same. Safety is a slide 2 position not mounted on the bolt.

The Zastava M48 action was specifically manufactured for the 8X57mmJS cartridge as a military action in the beginning. Civilian hunting rifles designated Zastava M98 have also been manufactured in 8X57mJS as well as other cartridges such as 6.5X57mm, .308 Winchester, and others not longer than ?X57mm. Safety is "wing" style mounted on the bolt.

This may help for actions manufactured outside of Yugoslavia / Serbia.

http://www.hoosiergunworks.com/catalog/mauser_reference.html

 

[Mr. Zorg]

OP,
If your Mexican Mauser action is like the description at the Hoosier Gun Works page, Number 2 / Series V, the screw spacing is 7.620 inches.

The Zastava LK M70 action screw spacing is 7.875 inches, like Number 5 / Series III.

The Zastava M48 (Number 4) and Mauser model 1893-1896 (Number 1 / Series I) actions have screw spacing of 7.620 inches to mate up with your Mexican Mauser action (Number 2 / Series V)

Of course, you should measure your action's center-to-center screw spacing to confirm exactly what you have to begin with, then use the info from the Hoosier Gun Works page for further guidance.

There's some discrepancy in your post where you speak of a Zastava (LK) M70 having an intermediate length action by your measurements. It's likely the measurement you made was either on a Zastava M98 rifle or a sporterized Zastava M48 (or M24, orM47). FWIW, the floorplates on Zastava LK M70 rifles have a hinged magazine floorplate, and the others have a fixed magazine floorplate either milled or stamped construction.

But there's always some examples with individual "customization" to something different than what left the factory. Maybe that's what explains the Zastava LK M70 action you measured?

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...topics/2769555/Hinged_bottom_metal_for_interm

https://www.breachbangclear.com/yugoslavian-m48-mauser/

If your Mexican Mauser has the intermediate length action, there are some parts with hinged magazine floorplate available. Finding the trigger guard to accommodate these parts, or modifying an intermediate length trigger guard to accommodate these parts, is also required.

https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=9229

Or

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1132120

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1133750

Plus

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/50250B

&

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/5620

Maybe? I don't know enough about those Mauser models to do more than guess. The folks at Brownell's ought to be able to help more.

Probably others but these were what I found quickly.

Perhaps this which has a side button release

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1044300

Or this?

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/1855660

This thread briefly discusses changing and / or modifying a 7X57mm Mexican Mauser to a hinged floorplate design, and mentions the Mauser M1893 in that context.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/12651886/1