Turkish Mauser

[tjtM38]

I haven't posted anything in a while, but will post this, as it is only the second Mauser I have owned. I picked it up yesterday at a local pawn shop. The excellent condition of the bore caught my eye as well as the well-preserved nature (ton of cosmoline) indicating it had not been fired since import.

I did the best I could with cleanup, but was hampered by the worn/staked screw on the barrel band preventing (at least for now) the complete disassembly of the weapon. I managed to get all the grease out of the magazine, barrel, chamber and bolt, but I am sure there is a ton of it on the bottom side of the action. I was unfamiliar with bolt disassembly, so had to do some research and was successful in completely disassembling the bolt to get all the grease out of the body, striker, and other parts.

This looks as if it will be a good shooter despite the non-matching bolt. I believe it started it's life as a German GE 98, as there are some German characteristics like locking screws to hold the action bolts in place and a hole in the trigger guard for a sling swivel. I've also seen some markings that appear to be a crown which I don't think are Turkish.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Remember to check that headspace, these rifles have a tendency to have headspace issues both from the mismatched bolts and the Turkish hot 8mm ammo. You will need a No/Go, and Field gauge as it will be more likely to pass using the field. Good part is that if it fails it's a lot easier to find GEW98 bolts than it is for some of the other Turk Mauser actions. This uses the same bolt body as every German GEW98m K98k, and so on. Bolt body swapping will not always correct the problem, but it has saved a couple of my Turk Mauser's from the non shooting rack. Stuck action screw? Kroil, or lacking that get a quart of automatic transmission fluid and some acetone, mix up a 50/50 solution and try it. Works wonders on rusty car parts when I run out of spray can oils.

[desdem12]

Nice one. Barrel is a beauty

[TulaTom]

[fintowin]

One of the nicer Turks I have seen. Nice bore.

[Vad321]

After viewing the pictures, I immediately voiced in my head Junk Yard Dog's thoughts. Check the headspace.

Why? Because it looks so nice that I'd want to shoot it. ;)

[Longcolt44]

Nice. That is the newest date I have seen on a Turk.

[dou44]

nice turk and do check the head space be cause I have saw a lot that would fail. back in the 90'S I was buying bolts from from century arms 10 at a time because they were cheap. aim and sog were selling the turks for $35-$39 each and I had to do a lot of bolt swaping to get good head space .i sent one back because it would not head space .I tried around 20 different bolts and it would fall shut on the field guage.

[Rongo]

Very Nice!

[Junk Yard Dog]

nice turk and do check the head space be cause I have saw a lot that would fail. back in the 90'S I was buying bolts from from century arms 10 at a time because they were cheap. aim and sog were selling the turks for $35-$39 each and I had to do a lot of bolt swaping to get good head space .i sent one back because it would not head space .I tried around 20 different bolts and it would fall shut on the field guage.

I have that rifle today! For obvious reasons it's in my non shooting collection

[tjtM38]

This one won't be a wall hanger. I know it's probably breaking all the sanity rules, but I didn't consider it a big risk to take this one out and put some Sellier and Bellot commercial ammo (196 Grain SP) through it. I shot twenty rounds and had no malfunctions as well as no signs of headspace issues. The cases were not bulged at the base and all primer strikes were solid; no misfires. The rifle shot about 4 inches left at 75 yards; easy enough to fix by drifting the front sight a bit left and checking it with my bore sighter at home. Today after cleaning, I'm putting it in the 80 degree Mississippi sun to bleed some of the cosmo out of the stock. Think it's a keeper with a really nice piece of wood.

[dou44]

I only have one left and I should have kept the others but at the time they were so cheap.

[tjtM38]

Very nice rifle, dou44! I notice yours has the retention spring for the front barrel band (like a Mosin Nagant). Does it also have a bolt that goes all the way through the stock to ensure band retention? Mine only has a bolt/long machine screw and is so worn and staked on the thread side that there is no getting it out.

[dou44]

my band does not have any thing through it ,only the band spring holds it in place.