Yugoslav Mauser M48
Zastava Arms · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1948
Also known as: Zastava M48, Puška M48, Last Mauser
Overview
The Yugoslav Mauser M48 (Zastava M48) is a post-WWII bolt-action rifle built on an intermediate-length Mauser 98 action, chambered in 7.92x57mm Mauser and produced at the Preduzeće 44 / Crvena Zastava plant in Kragujevac using German Kar98k tooling received as war reparations. Shorter than a standard 98, its action and bolt interchange with the Belgian FN M24 series rather than the K98k. Often called the last military Mauser, it was Yugoslavia's standard rifle in the early 1950s before being widely exported.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3900 g (137.6 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1105 mm (43.50") |
| Barrel Length | 597 mm (23.50") |
| Action Type | Bolt Action |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 760 m/s (2493 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 3700 J (2729 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2000 m (2187 yd) |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Rifling Twist | 240 mm (9.45") |
| Number of Grooves | 4 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- 7.92x57mm Mauser · primary — also known as 8mm Mauser, 8x57mm IS, 8x57mm JS, 7.92x57mm
Features
- Firing modes: Repeating
- Feed systems: Stripper Clip, Internal Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Wing Safety, Three Position Safety, Third Locking Lug
- Features: Controlled Round Feed, Intermediate Length Action, Staggered Internal Magazine, Stripper Clip Loading, Hooded Front Sight
Variants
- M48A — Stamped Parts
- M48B — Stamped Parts
- M48BO (Unmarked Export) — Export
- M48/63 Sporter — Sporter
Service history
Operators
- Yugoslav People's Army · adopted 1950 · as M48
- National Liberation Front (Algeria)
- Syrian Armed Forces
Conflicts
- Algerian War of Independence (1954-1962)
- Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001)
Production
Estimated total produced: 1,224,000 · Production years: 1950-1965
Commonly cited as over 1.2 million; most post-1956 production went to export. Many were warehoused under cosmoline and never issued
Origin
Country of origin: Yugoslavia
Designer: Paul Mauser
Discontinued: 1965
Notes
Variant progression added stamped parts: M48A (stamped floorplate), M48B and M48BO (further stampings; BO = 'bez oznake', unmarked for export). Muzzle velocity figures vary by loading.
Background
M48 receivers carry the Yugoslav crest dated 29 November 1943, the anti-fascist republic day; vast numbers were sealed under cosmoline and pulled only on a rotating five-year cleaning cycle, which is why so many surplus M48s reach collectors in near-new condition with all serials matching.