Turkish Mausers?

[landsknechte]

From my casual meanderings about the internet, it seems that there isn't a whole lot of concrete information out there concerning the Turkish M1938 Mausers. Is anyone here in forumland familiar with their history?

--Chris

[dragon25]

This info is from “Mauser Military Rifles of the World” by Robert W. D. Ball.
Turkish Model 38 short Rifle
In the late 1930’s, in order to standardize in some fashion, the Turks took the many different varieties of weapons in their armories and had many of them arsenals reworked to a more convenient style, namely a short rifle configuration. Many different weapons, such as the G98, Czech 98/22, Model 1903, and Model 1893, were altered in some manner or other at these time, mainly to make them appear similar to the model 1903 rifle.
The G 98AZ Carbine was the main weapon to fall under the Model 38 guidelines, with the short rifle retaining a pistol grip stock and an upper hand guard that extends from the front of the receiver ring to just beyond the lower barrel band. There is a swivel under the lower barrel band and another under the buttstock: a sling slot in the German fashion is also cut through the buttstock. The front sight protectors are retained, but the simple nose cap now incorporates a bayonet lug on the bottom to accommodate the older bayonets still available.

[landsknechte]

This info is from “Mauser Military Rifles of the World” by Robert W. D. Ball.
Turkish Model 38 short Rifle
In the late 1930’s, in order to standardize in some fashion, the Turks took the many different varieties of weapons in their armories and had many of them arsenals reworked to a more convenient style, namely a short rifle configuration. Many different weapons, such as the G98, Czech 98/22, Model 1903, and Model 1893, were altered in some manner or other at these time, mainly to make them appear similar to the model 1903 rifle.
The G 98AZ Carbine was the main weapon to fall under the Model 38 guidelines, with the short rifle retaining a pistol grip stock and an upper hand guard that extends from the front of the receiver ring to just beyond the lower barrel band. There is a swivel under the lower barrel band and another under the buttstock: a sling slot in the German fashion is also cut through the buttstock. The front sight protectors are retained, but the simple nose cap now incorporates a bayonet lug on the bottom to accommodate the older bayonets still available.

I shudder at the thought of what they'd call a "long" rifle, if the telephone pole that I've got at home is a "short" version. (Offhand, I think it's about 48"-50" long.) The pic is a generic image of the model that I've got, not my specific weapon:



The big question, I suppose, is there any way to tell what model it was before being rearsenaled?

Thanks,
--Chris

[dragon25]

It looks like the pic of the Turkish Model 1903 Rifle. The specs are;
Length: 49"
Weight: 9.2lbs.
Barrel: 29.13
Caliber: 7.65 x 53mm later rechambered for 7.92 x 57mm

Also from the book;
The model 1903 Rifle has had a long and varied life with the Turkish Army, having been used in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-1912, the Frist and Second Balkan wars, the First World War on all Turkish battle fronts, the Greco-Turkish War 1920-1922, and finally serving out the second World War as one of the many standard rifles in the Turkish Army.

Christian

[landsknechte]

It looks like the pic of the Turkish Model 1903 Rifle. The specs are;
Length: 49"
Weight: 9.2lbs.
Barrel: 29.13
Caliber: 7.65 x 53mm later rechambered for 7.92 x 57mm

Also from the book;
The model 1903 Rifle has had a long and varied life with the Turkish Army, having been used in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911-1912, the Frist and Second Balkan wars, the First World War on all Turkish battle fronts, the Greco-Turkish War 1920-1922, and finally serving out the second World War as one of the many standard rifles in the Turkish Army.

Christian

Here's a slightly better generic photo, this time from the other side of the rifle:



7.92 x 57mm and dated 1944 on the receiver.

Thanks,
--Chris

[dragon25]

If the stamp looks like;

TC
AS FA
ANK ARA
K.KALE
1944

There is a star between the AS FA
and a cresent moon between the ANK ARA
it is a 1903 converted in 1944 at the Kirri Kale arsenal in Ankara.
Christian

[landsknechte]

If the stamp looks like;

TC
AS FA
ANK ARA
K.KALE
1944

There is a star between the AS FA
and a cresent moon between the ANK ARA
it is a 1903 converted in 1944 at the Kirri Kale arsenal in Ankara.
Christian

Yup... That's precisely what it looks like. Thanks

--Chris

[johnrtse]

Fyi....

Here is a link to a great discussion board specifically for Turkish Mauser rifles. I found it while searching for info on the several Turkish Mauser bayonets I own.

http://pub113.ezboard.com/fparallaxs...rmsforumsfrm13

John