Strange Mark X

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Ozzieman

New member
Friend, several weeks ago picked this Interarms Mark X 308 at an auction. The gun, set of dies and 200 cases and several boxes of new. From what I can find it’s a Manchester England manufactured gun since it has a B at the start of the SN. B456XXV
Several odd things about the gun.
First the barrel was marked 308 but next to it Norma Mag was stamped at a later date. The dies and ammo are 308 Norma mag. The gun has been checked out and he’s shot 30+ rounds through it and the thing is a shooter. I saw him shoot 4, 3 round groups and none of them were bigger than a quarter.
He brought it over last night and wanted help taking the action off the wood. That’s where we ran into problems. You can see from the photos attached, the one marked “Safety” best I can tell is that the original safety was removed (red dot and opening in wood) and another one was added behind the action.
Next was the trigger. When I first saw the gun (I haven’t fired it) I thought it had a trigger shoe giving it a much wider trigger. But when I tried to take it apart the trigger as you can see from the photo is not a shoe but a safety device that works just like a Glocks trigger. You can see the marking on the trigger of the manufacture? I’ve had no luck finding anything on the marking.
It’s not an easy part to take apart so I gave up.
Any experts in Mark X that can give me any idea on the history of this gun or is it a gunsmiths “Look what I did”.
If it is, he did do a very nice job
Thanks for any info
 
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It is a gunsmith job. I have not seen an add on tang safety like that.

The trigger is a Canjar single set.
If it is in good condition, you set it by pushing the shoe forward with the tip of your thumb. The little inset blade pops out. A few ounces on the blade will fire the gun.
It will also shoot unset at a normal single pull, weight depending on sear engagement.
 
Thank you Jim, so it’s not a safety. I noticed that you can push it forward but I didn’t have the bolt in it to feel the difference.
Thanks
 
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IIRC, the Anderson Gun Shop in Yakima, WA used to install custom top tang safeties like yours, in the 50-s - a bit early for your Mark X.

I have a Remington autoloading shotgun with one installed; and when I took the buttstock off my gun, the entire safety stayed attached to the rear of the action.

I'd WAG that if the Mark X's stock was removed normally, the safety would come out of the stock along with the barreled action.


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The Interarms MKX has been has sold by several companies. My father bought one in 1965. 30-06, was '98 pattern. I don't believe that your rifle was made in Manchester, but rather, was made by Zastava,in modern Serbia. They have been offered under various names, most recently as the Reminton MDL 798. I can't remember what the English vendors name was.

It may have been rechambered to 308 Norma, this was fairly popular in '60's-'70's. A 2.5" 30 cal magnum, comparable to 300WM.

Someone on this forum should remember the name of the English vendor.

I was 12 yoa and learned to shoot centerfire with this rifle. It was never scoped, but would bust a sheetrock bucket everytime at 200yds.

The MKX was then considered an economy rifle. They are a solid consumer version of the Mauser '98.
 
That's a Canjar single set trigger with tang safety. I've got the exact trigger sitting in a box at the house. Nice little trigger if you have a varmint or target rifle. I took apart a commercial small ring 98 HVA rifle that had one on it. Sold the barrel and stock off, going to build a .257 Bob someday on the action, but I won't reuse the trigger. I just don't want it on a hunting rifle, and I'll go with a M70 style safety instead of the tang.

P1000610.jpg
 
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IIRC... I have 10-20 used 308 Norma Mag cases in my gunshow sell stuff box that were mixed in with some other belted magnum used bulk cases I bought a while back, if you're going to keep it & are interested, I can pull them out & see what I have... all have been wet tumbled, & look new
 
Magnum Wheel Man
I will talk to the owner as soon as I can and let you know, thanks for the info.

Thank you all for the great info.
That’s what I like about this forum.
 
Normally these are fine actions. The tang safety does look professionally done. Google Norma & find some their fine brass & have at it. I wouldn't hold my breath for much factory ammo & if you can find it expect it to be pricey. I have that action in .308 and it is a great shooter, even in a full length wood stock.
 
An "advanced" reloader can easily produce useable 308 Norma brass by necking 338 Win mag down and thinning/evening the neck thickness. Over the years, I've had 2 custom 308 NM, one of which was extremely accurate.
 
.308 Norma Magnum Ammo-New factory loads

MidwayUSA.com recently offered brand new .308 Norma Magnum 20 Rd boxes and I have bought four of them. I also happen to be the owner of the above discussed Interarms Mark X in .308Norma Magnum. NORMAUSA website may still have some product if anyone is interested besides me. And, Nostler also is producing their own .308 Norma Magnum loads. I love this weapon and the Canjar set trigger and safety. It is surely a custom built gun for a very particular owner. Accuracy is amazing, report (noise level) is also impressive. Norma offers new factory brass(no primer) for re-loaders. Still have 34 older original factory rounds found at country gun shops and gun shows. Thanks fo OZZIEMAN for starting this thread on my gun. Someday maybe he will have the nerve to shoulder the thing and really know why I love it so much.
 
Whitworth in Manchester England bought barreled actions from the Yugoslav military gun works Crvena Zastava (Red Banner) in Kragujevac Serbia, polished the rough actions, and added stocks bought in Italy. The same as Interarms in Alexandria VA did but the Whitworths were better finished.

Oneb
 
Were ANY MK Xs ever manufactured anywhere except Yugoslavia/Serbia?

I have seen the roll mark on the receiver that says Alex, VA - Manchester, England. But these were the locations of Interarms business offices.
 
A local gunsmith actually worked in the Interarms plant where they assembled Mark Xs. They brought in some Whitworths for their higher grade rifles and those were also roll marked Whitworth. Whitworth assembled others in Manchester for the European market which also had their roll mark.

I have a Mannlicher 7x47 Mark X with the Whitworth roll mark and it probably was assembled here in Alexandria.

After Interarms shut down, Charles Daly, Remington and others marketed Mark Xs and did much the same thing but noone put the effort into them that Whitworth did AFAIK.

By the way, Crevena Zvezda also made min-Mausers in 223 and 22 Hornet which were assembled here.

Oneb
 
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