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Identifying a Turk mauser

11K views 5 replies 3 participants last post by  AndrewCarr 
#1 · (Edited)
I picked this mauser up from Gunbroker and the seller didn't really provide much information.

The serial numbers are:
receiver: 6763 marked TC ASFA ANKARA 1938
bolt: 8852 (also has Z8 on another part with a couple other Z's in circles in various locations)
barrel - 791
sight - 6763
bolt release - 97
magazine cover - 1162


It has a straight bolt, and the tip is not teardrop shaped. The barrel measured 29" or so. The trigger guard does not have the hole that I've seen on other Gew 98 turked rifles. One of the smaller pieces of the bolt has what looks like a rook stamped into it. Not sure what that is. There isn't a locking screw on the bottom magazine plate either.

I've looked at turkmauser.com without much luck.
Their serial numbers page (http://www.turkmauser.com/serialNumbers.aspx) doesn't help much. It looks like it could be a lower numbered Gew 98 than what they have as the serial # range(although it is missing some features like the trigger guard hole and no Gew 98 imprint on the side of the receiver), or it falls within the range of a turked gew 88, but it doesn't have the external magazine well that one of those would have.

Any help with this would be appreciated. It seems like maybe it's just a hodgepodge of random bits, but I'd kinda like to know what model it's closest to. I can also post more images if that would be helpful.


 
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#4 ·
Wrong identification.

What you have is a M1898/37 Refurbished Gew98, ( second series) fitted with a CZ Vz98/22 Bolt. First series covers 1937 dated examples, second series( from 1938 to 1948.... Nothing to do with the Czech assisted "All Turkish" rifles made at Kirikkale from late 1939 to 1946.
ASFA Ankara is the Military Factories Administration (HQ Ankara) which controlled all the Turkish Ordnance Plants and Workshops ( 1923-1949), and it is unknown which Workshop actually did the refurbishment ( Ankara, Istanbul or others through out Turkey.) The differences in Type styles used on different rifles would indicate different Facilities.

Receiver is Gew98 standard in this example...Large ring receiver and Large shank barrel.

"791" is the usual Turkish Calibre Bore marking (7,91mm ) for armourer gauging of wear.
Go to Parallax Curio and Relic Forum, Turkish Board, and look up the Sticky "DocAV Turkish Serial Survey". For more details and Links.

...Usually the bolt is mismatched, but everything else matches (more or less). Turkish practice was to remove bolts during storage and whilst off duty...hence the common mismatches. Turk Armourers incessantly re-barrelled rifles as well, so barrel mismatches are not uncommon, but the rear sight number indicates this is a matching barrel.

As to the Lower number than the extremes shown on the survey, I haven't upgraded the limits for some several years ( Sloth on my part, and illness), so if you could register the number at the Survey on Parallax, I will include it in the next upgrade.

Thanks and regards,
Doc AV
AV Ballistics.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Wow, that's a lot of very helpful information. I was hoping it'd turn out to be a Gew 98 refurb(went by the serial # range on your website when buying), and I guess it's turned out to be one. I just submitted the info using the survey form.

Would it make sense to replace the upper band with a German one, if possible? I think I prefer the look of the solid trigger guard vs the version with the hole in it, but I prefer the band on the german Gew 98's and k98k's.

I'll probably post some more pictures when I finish cleaning it. I'm planning on sanding(180,220, and 320 grit as suggested elsewhere) and waxing the stock.

One thing odd I've run into though is this yellowish substance on the metal parts. There's a little bit of cosmoline as well, but someone else already cleaned off the majority of it. But this yellowish stuff reminds me of paint(it's soft and can be chipped off with a fingernail), but it's in random spots on the metal, as if something was leftover and dried up. Any ideas what that might be? I think I'll just chip it off with a plastic scraper, but it's kinda of an odd thing that's been bugging me.

Overall though I'm amazed by this thing. I kept reading about your guys' mausers and it kept me interested, but you kinda have to see it to fully understand it all I guess.

Interesting, just took apart the stock and there's a metal crossbar inside that's labeled with "? - Gusstahl".
 
#6 · (Edited)
Just cleaned it up a few weeks ago using 000 steel wool followed by 220 and 320 sandpaper and then a couple coats of carnauba wax and a buffing wheel.

Not sure how well it shoots since I didn't use the iron sights very well, but it does shoot. Also found a very faded G from Gew 98 on the left side of the receiver when I was cleaning it. I guess it was scrubbed.

Here's some pics of how it turned out:

http://www.imagechicken.com/uploads/1238914460029305500.jpg
http://www.imagechicken.com/uploads/1238914481052889100.jpg
http://www.imagechicken.com/uploads/1238914509041186500.jpg

http://www.imagechicken.com/uploads/1238914396019660500.jpg

 
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