The last Mauser Rifle (not made from parts or a rebuilt) produced by Yugoslavia at the famed Kragujevac arsenal, the Model 1948 98k Short Rifle or otherwise called the Yugoslavian M48. Based in design on the German 98k Mauser and the Yugoslavian Model FN 30 and 24 Carbines and Rifles.
Yugoslavia produced quite a few of these rifles that now have been brought to the surplus market in New to Like New condition. These 8mm rifles are excellent little shooters that are well made and offer a unique opportunity to the shooter and collector to purchase a Like New variant of the very dependable and well made Mauser 98k. The M48 is a little shorter in overall length in the barrel and the overall length of the rifle in comparison to the original German 98k it is modeled after.
Manufactured all of the way into the 50's they became obsolete with the onset of the Semi-Automatic battle rifle. So they were packed up and stored away for the past 50 years.
The Yugoslav M48 Mauser rifle was manufactured from 1950-65 at the Zavodi Crvena Zastava (Red Banner Works. Zastava was known as "Preduzece 44"--meaning Enterprise 44, from 1945-52. In 1952 it was renamed Red
Banner Works.) The M48 series came in four versions--the M48 (all milled parts) M48A (stamped magazine floorplate) M48B (increased use of stamped parts) and the comparatively rare M48BO
(the BO=bez oznake, meaning "without markings.") The M48BO versions were new manufactured M48s as well as numerous captured, reconditioned and "scrubbed" German Kar 98k rifles (sometimes the latter were called M98/48N, the "N" standing for "Njemac," which is Serbo-Croat for "German.") The M48B/M48BO versions were made chiefly for export--and most of these were sent to Egypt, Iran and Algeria. (contributed by Michael E. Kreca)
