After WWI, military arms making was a bullish business. With old empires dissolved, new nations created, and colonies freed or under new manqagement, there was a booming business in equipping new armies. The peak hit in 1924. As I understand, years earlier the Liege FN firm had acquired the patents from Mauser for what was known as the Model 1896 (an experimental rifle), while Mauser went on to improve the design as the Model 1898.
FN used the older design, which had a shorter receiver and different breeching, to manufacture their Model [19]24, which they sold on the commercial military market. One major customer was the new nation of Yugoslavia, for which FN set up a factory to make the rifle in-country. So the rifles we call the Model 24 Yugoslav can be either made in Belgium or in Yugoslavia. The Model 24/48 rifles were all made in Yugoslavia in or after 1948. Upgraded and repaired Model 24 rifles were designated as the Model 24/47. All have receivers shorter than the standard Model 98.
Other makers put out "Model 24" rifles also; CZ produced their superb VZ.24, which has a standard Mauser 98 action, and Mauser itself later made a commercial military rifle they named (retroactively) the Model 24, also a standard 98 action.
Jim
