M24/47 vs M48

S

Sailr_2

New member
I just picked up a mauser. It is marked M24/47 on the left side of the receiver/barrel. It has a straight bolt like the M24/47, but has a stock like a M48 with the hole in the stock for the sling. The stock is old and well mated to the barrel and receiver and looks as though it has always been on the weapon. The bolt and receiver have matching serial numbers. I have looked on the internet and found a kinds of variation on the M48 and M24/47. The stock on the gun I have does not have a recessed area for the bent bolt handle. Some of the M48s I see have the recessed area and some do not. None of the M24/47 I've seen has te sling cut out in the stock and does not have the recess in the stock for the bolt. Does any one know if perhaps when the rifles were rearsenaled that they replaced stocks on M24/47 with M48 type stocks. Has anyone seen a rifle such as I described? I thought it may have been bastardized recently, but the fit is too good. I can't see anyone wasting their time to restock as rifle that wouldn't increase the value of the weapon, but there are some strange people out there. Any info anyone can share with me would be greatly appreciated. I can't send a picture right now due to torn rotator cuff.

Thanks
Sailr_2
 
Are there matching #'s in large numbers on the left side of the stock toward the butt plate? What color is the wood? Dark or light? From what I've read (Serbian and Yugoslav Mauser Rifles, by Branko Bogdanovic), when the original M.24's were rearsenaled to the M.24/47 configuration they used whatever parts were available. As you said, years later they may have pulled a M.24/47 from storage, found a cracked stock and replaced it with one from the M.48 line. The first question about the matching numbers on the stock maybe the answer. If they did the rearsenal, they would engrave the stock with the receiver #. I don't have the book in front of me for reference but some M.24/47's had the option for the sling to be mounted either way (for infantry or cavalry use). I'll see if i can find out more.
 
Reply #2. I went home for lunch to look at my M.48 and M.24/47 side by side and to research the book I mentioned earlier. What hit me was the question of the front sling attachment point. Where is yours? The other thing is less obvious. The M.24's and M.24/47's barrel bands were held by two seprate spring clips while the M.48's were held with a single spring that ran from one barrel band to the other. As far as the good fit, that is not unusual for these rifles.
I would have to guess that the work was done by the Yugos when they pulled a stored M.24/47 for inspection (as they did even when they had the M.48's in production), saw a "bad" stock or broke it during the inspection, and replaced it with what was available (M.48 stock). Still "all original" and in keeping with established policy. Enjoy the rifle!
 
S2
Pictures would make it much easier for us and get more definitive answers for you.
It is marked 24/47 so that is what it is and I would guess it has an excellent bore (These were re-barreled unless the original barrel was exceptionally good)
But, there will be additional stampings that will indicate what work shop this was reworked in.
What are the other letters and numbers and where are they (On metal and wood)?
Answers to the above post regarding how the bands are attached will also be needed.
Anything is possible as to how the stock became an oddity but more info and better yet some photos will get you real answers.

Wulfmann
 
Yugoslavian Mausers are quite interesting because the Yugoslavians bought Mauser rifles from just about everyone that made them, Germany (K98K), Belgium M24, Czechoslovakia (VZ24) and later bought the equipment to make their own (M48).

The M24 was made by Belgium and rearsenaled in 1947 which is how they got the name 24/47. Both the 24/47 and thew M48 is built on a intermediate length action and l have seen M24/47 with M48 stocks (usually lighter in color with a rougher finish) with bent bolt handles and M48 with straight bolt handles.

The 24/52C is a rearsenaled Czech VZ24 and the Yugos also rearsenaled captured K98Ks too.
 
Thanks guys for the info. I can't take pictures right now. Ole right wing is messed up so can't hold camera.

barrel bands are held on with one long spring like the M48. the sling attachment is a rectangular portion of the barrel band closest to the receiver on left side of rifle.

the stock serial number is not the same as the receiver/bolt.

foot plate of magazine has a triangle with K and a circle with 8K. on the portion where the locking screws are is a triangle with a K and just under it another triangle with n

stock bolt has square with 1 and a square with K8

stock cutout for sling on left side has a Large 1 in center and a small 2 upper left.

Stock cutout for sling on right side of stock has a large 9 and a smaller 1 in a box

Only other markings are on the receiver on the left side next to the m24/47 is russian?
1st character looks like a large lower case n with a flat top PEAY3ERE 44

Thanks for any info/help you can give.

Sailr_2
 
The letters are Cyrillic (same alphabet the Russians use) and translate "Preduzece 44" which was the main factory/arsenal at Kragujevac.

+1 to what 7677 said. You have a M24/47 receiver with a M48 stock. Not really unusual. Zastava still makes them:

http://www.zastava-arms.co.rs/english/civilni.htm

You have to follow the link to "sporting rifles". They call in the M48/24.
 
Yes, a 24/47 in a M48 stock likely done in the 50's as a repair.

As for the M24 being FN only the first 100,000 were made in Belgium.

The Yugos had set up the capacity to build the Model 24.

The FN rifles were delivered 1926-28 and the Yugo built M24 started October in 1928 and by the end of 1929 only 1860 had been completed before they worked out the bugs in manufacturing these.
By the beginning of 1941 they had made over 600,000 in Yugoslavia before the Germans invaded.

Wulfmann
 
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