What is a Turkish Mauser
and Why do you want one ???
If
you have already read this page, you may want to go here:
Bedding Part 1 - Making the
Pillar
Bedding Part 2 - Installing
the Pillar
Bedding Part 3 - Front
Ring/Barrel
Removing the Front Band and Floorplate
The mainstays of the custom
rifle builders of the 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's were 1903 Springfields
and Mauser 98's. (Unless you were a bit strange and
used the SMLE) Springfields have gotten sort of
expensive and, if in good condition, are better left unmodified. Mauser 98's are about the same.
Most of the Turkish Mausers now on sale for $40-50 are a version of the Model
98, made in Turkey in the early 40's. These rifles are (at this time) plentiful
and cheap, and as of yet have no historical value. This means that they are
perfect raw material for the amateur gunsmith or tinkerer.
This text deals with those long
rifles, chambered in 8 x 57, marked K.KALE
194?. Other rifles sold as Turkish Mausers
are versions of pre-98 rifles or Model 98,s or SMLE's
that have been modified to Turkish standards.
The K.Kale receivers are identical to the Mauser Model of 1898 (known as the Large Ring Mauser) with two exceptions:
- The
"ring" of the receiver is about 3/16 of an inch LONGER than a
Model 98,
- The
"ring" is threaded to receive a barrel shank threaded to the
"small ring standard".
This shows the reason that the
"ring" is longer than standard. The Turks allowed the front to extend
ahead to secure the upper stock piece. If this extension is removed, either by
filing or by a lathe cut, the receiver will externally be identical to the
Model of 1898.
Here we have two Turks, the
upper is uncut, while the lower has had the extension removed.
This is a view of the cut
"ring", that is, the extension has been removed.
These are all Mauser barrels. The top barrel is a "large ring"
standard thread, below it is a barrel removed from a Turk, the bottom is an
1896 Swedish in 6.5x55. Note that the lower two have smaller diameter threads.
These small threads are "small ring" standard.
The two small ring barrels have
headspace gauges extending from the chambers. Note that they appear (and are)
identical. The easiest way to rebarrel a Turk is to
screw a Swedish barrel onto the receiver and put the wood back on. Long Swedish
barrels are available from SAMCO (blued, new, with no sights) or Springfield Sporters (used, with sights).
Steve Wagner
Bellwood PA
SteveWag@aol.com