My Turkish Mauser

[JBlaisdell]

I haven't been around these forums or the range much lately. I finally got out to shoot some today.

Even though I love lever guns, something about old military rifles just draws me. A couple months ago, I bought my first bolt action, a Turkish Mauser, at a tiny local gun show. It started life as an 1893 Spanish Mauser, made for the Ottoman Empire in 1894/95, 7.62mm. In the late 1930s, Turkey took their various models of Mauser and rearsenaled them to 8mm (7.92x57), styled M38, which is what this one is now.

I wanted to sight it in using a laser bore sight, but the cheapie ebay laser I bought just wouldn't work right, so I did it the old fashioned way, pulling the bolt and looking through the barrel.

Shooting at both 50 and 100yds, I shot several rounds of factory ammo, followed by a few reloads. The factory ammo is 198gn soft points, the reloads are 150gn Spitzers over 41.5gn of IMR 3031 powder. All shooting was done on a rest. Most of my efforts were primarily figuring out the sight picture (using a flat rear blade with a small notch is a bit different from a semi buckhorn or peep.) The results are below. I somehow even managed a couple "bullseyes."

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I'm happy. It's not great, but this was my first real attempt. (I had the rifle out on July 4 just to test it out.) It's obvious the rifle is more accurate than I am, and it appears my reloads are sufficient. A wonderful, fun piece of history! Here it is on the 50yd bench.

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[PT7]

Very cool history you shared about your bolt action. And complete with a bayonet! I understand what it means about being drawn; have enjoyed that with the 1874 Russian I just acquired. The old stuff is fun to work with, and learn about its origins.

For bore sighting the rifle, and using an unfamiliar rear sight, you shot excellently landing those bulls. I'd definitely keep your targets to put up against the ones when you cluster the POIs on top of each other!!

Have some Qs, and a favor to ask. What is the metal piece in the stock? Can't figure it, and haven't seen that before.
Second, I think I'd like the type of rear sight you said is on the rifle. Could you post a couple of closeups -- of both the rear and front sights? I'm interested what they look like with the Mauser....thanks.

Liked your Range Report, especially that "you're happy"....thanks.
PT7

...something about old military rifles just draws me. A wonderful, fun piece of history!
…..I somehow even managed a couple "bullseyes."

[Henry88]

To me that is A LOT cooler than some black tactical gun.

[North Country Gal]

Thank you for posting about the Mauser 98. The 98 has influenced more bolt guns designs than any other bolt gun in history, by far. In the U.S. we love to talk about John Browning and all of his famous designs, but the basic bolt gun design of Paul Mauser goes down in history as the most influential centerfire rifle design of all time. For instance, every time I shoot my CZ 527, aka mini mauser 223, I'm reminded of its pedigree. Those old 98s are real shooters, too, as you have shown so well.

[Les]

That's one sweet looking Mauser - nice find!

[ESquared]

Great shooting and thanks for sharing the story.

And, congrats on posting about a firearm that North Country Gal doesn't already own! It's a small circle!

[North Country Gal]

Great shooting and thanks for sharing the story.

And, congrats on posting about a firearm that North Country Gal doesn't already own! It's a small circle!

... own yet.

[JBlaisdell]

Very cool history you shared about your bolt action. And complete with a bayonet! I understand what it means about being drawn; have enjoyed that with the 1874 Russian I just acquired. The old stuff is fun to work with, and learn about its origins.

For bore sighting the rifle, and using an unfamiliar rear sight, you shot excellently landing those bulls. I'd definitely keep your targets to put up against the ones when you cluster the POIs on top of each other!!

Thanks!

Have some Qs, and a favor to ask. What is the metal piece in the stock? Can't figure it, and haven't seen that before.
Second, I think I'd like the type of rear sight you said is on the rifle. Could you post a couple of closeups -- of both the rear and front sights? I'm interested what they look like with the Mauser....thanks.

The metal piece in the stock is to facilitate taking the bolt apart. I'm not sure exactly how, but it involves compressing it against the hole.

I'll post sight pictures below.

Liked your Range Report, especially that "you're happy"....thanks.
PT7

...something about old military rifles just draws me. A wonderful, fun piece of history!
…..I somehow even managed a couple "bullseyes."

Rear sight

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The rear sight, with both a wide and narrow notch.

Sight picture

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The groove in the hand guard is a bit offset, making it a bit more difficult to see.

Notches

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Sliding the crossbar forward raises the sight. I need to learn how to use the wider notch for close range.

Front sight

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The front sight. These did not have front hoods or protective wings.

[PT7]

Interesting rear sight. Good photos, especially of the sight radius. And that elevation adjustment is very similar to a Henry buckhorn.

If that narrow notch just had a tad more height on both sides (more distinct "posts"), the front blade could more easily be acquired. I'm including the one photo I have of the sight radius on the 6-1/2" barrel of my new revolver (a replica of an 1874 Schofield). From a very good evaluation that I read about the rear sight, the only issue a couple of shooters had was that the rear sight was too small. That was almost a deal-breaker for me on whether or not to get it. But with the fixed rear sight coming up on each side as seen, I have no problem at all easily getting on the front blade.

Anyway, it looks to be a really fun challenge to learn how to handle this Mauser's sights. Thanks for adding those good photos! And again, just enjoy your rifle.
PT7

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[JBlaisdell]

Thank you for posting about the Mauser 98. The 98 has influenced more bolt guns designs than any other bolt gun in history, by far. In the U.S. we love to talk about John Browning and all of his famous designs, but the basic bolt gun design of Paul Mauser goes down in history as the most influential centerfire rifle design of all time. For instance, every time I shoot my CZ 527, aka mini mauser 223, I'm reminded of its pedigree. Those old 98s are real shooters, too, as you have shown so well.

It's not a 98, but an earlier version. The 98s use 3 locking lugs on the bolt and are a much stronger action. The 1893 only has 2, limiting its power. Spain was a big customer of the 93s, and the Ottoman Empire put in an order when they saw them. Interestingly, the 93 was the only model Mauser with a magazine cutoff, to keep the magazine in reserve and use it as a single shot. Turkey removed the cutoffs when upgrading them, but the hole in the receiver is still there under the stock.

What I find interesting is how smokeless powder changed battle weapons. Bullet impact is a factor of mass and speed. Black powder burned slower, pushing bullets at a lower speed, requiring a larger bullet for impact, such as the US Army's 45-70. After smokeless was introduced, most everyone adopted something in the .30 cal range. Smaller but faster, a 150 grain bullet travels faster, farther, and flatter than the 405 graind of a 45-70. At almost 1/3 the weight, soldiers could carry more ammo. And of course, Browning adapted it to lever guns with his Winchester 1894 in 30-30. (Those bullets are .308 cal, 160 grain, over, 30 grains powder, my Mauser reloads are 150 grain, .323 cal, over 41.5 grains of IMR 3031, just as a comparison. ) Plus smokeless allows you to still see your target after pulling the trigger!

[ESquared]

Awesome history lesson, thanks. You are well-schooled on this whole subject, that's very clear. The learning that can be had on this site is fantastic. Thanks again for sharing!

[North Country Gal]

Note that the rear sight with the sliding bar you slide up and down to choose the index ranges is called a tangent sight. It's my favorite open sight, by far. I have tangents on some of my CZ rimfires and love them. In fact, I bought several CZ rimfires just for those sights and won't use them with any other type of sight, peep included. That early military rifle pedigree lives on in CZ models with this sight.