358 Win Mauser? Need help to I.D.

[NyFirefighter357]

I found this rifle in a LGS, I wanted to I.D. it before I bought it but I didn't have time. I went back today & picked it up. I got it for a fair price, the rifling is good & action smooth. Can anyone tell me anything about it from the pics?

[405grain]

You have a nicely sporterized Yugoslavian Mauser. The writing on the side of the receiver with the number 44 basically means "factory # 44" where the rifle was made. I'm a little confused about the 1925 date stamp, as that would mean this was an M24 rifle made by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium and sold to the kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (a precursor to Yugoslavia) after the first world war. But the "factory # 44" marking means that this action was made in Yugoslavia as a Model 1948. Most likely there's a crest of communist Yugoslavia on the receiver ring underneath the scope mount indicating that this was an M48 rifle.
Both the FN and the Yugo M48 are intermediate length actions. This would make them a good choice for sporterizing the actions for cartridges based on the 308 Winchester. The 358 Winchester makes a fine cast bullet cartridge, and is a good choice as a deer rifle out to 200 yards. There is limited collector value to this rifle in it's military form, so contrary to the usual situation with sporterized Mausers, your rifle is probably worth more as a sporting rifle, though it's value is more for it's usefulness than for it's monetary value. I say put a nice sling on it, sight it in, and go hunting.

[LAGS]

That is a good caliber for that action.
I built a couple on 24/47 Yugo actions.
I wanted to do one in a 35 Whelen , but the shorter action on that model would have made it hard.
But 20-06 worked really well.

[cwtebay]

That is a good caliber for that action.
I built a couple on 24/47 Yugo actions.
I wanted to do one in a 35 Whelen , but the shorter action on that model would have made it hard.
But 20-06 worked really well.

I have never actually heard of anyone making a 20-06, only read a bit about the cartridge. Not to hijack the thread - but how does it shoot? Is the barrel erosion as bad as one would imagine?

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[Rapier]

Looks like a decent shorter/conversion. I would return the bore to bright steel, first thing. Foul Out or a bore soak to get all of the old crud out of it. Then prep it for cast shooting. You know it has been shot with jacketed bullets so, de-copper the barrel first, before you shoot cast.

[Texas by God]

The 20-06 is known as the 5x63mm in Europe....

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[444ttd]

the 20-06 is WAY overbore!!!!

[LAGS]

Sorry.
The 20-06 was a typo on my part.
It is a 25-06 built on a 24/47 Yugo action with a stock I built from a Walnut Blank.
I have several more of the Yugos and a couple of 257 Roberts barrels.
I build rifles for myself , and haven't needed to build any other ones recently.
I was going to make the 25-06 into a 25-06 Improved.
But the loaded length with the longer heavier Boolits would have problems feeding.
But the 25-06 with the standard loads feeds great and shoots very flat.
The .358 Winchesters that I built , (one with an F34 barrel profile and the other with a F54 profile) both shot great with jacketed or cast Boolits.

[NyFirefighter357]

You have a nicely sporterized Yugoslavian Mauser. The writing on the side of the receiver with the number 44 basically means "factory # 44" where the rifle was made. I'm a little confused about the 1925 date stamp, as that would mean this was an M24 rifle made by Fabrique Nationale in Belgium and sold to the kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (a precursor to Yugoslavia) after the first world war. But the "factory # 44" marking means that this action was made in Yugoslavia as a Model 1948. Most likely there's a crest of communist Yugoslavia on the receiver ring underneath the scope mount indicating that this was an M48 rifle.
Both the FN and the Yugo M48 are intermediate length actions. This would make them a good choice for sporterizing the actions for cartridges based on the 308 Winchester. The 358 Winchester makes a fine cast bullet cartridge, and is a good choice as a deer rifle out to 200 yards. There is limited collector value to this rifle in it's military form, so contrary to the usual situation with sporterized Mausers, your rifle is probably worth more as a sporting rifle, though it's value is more for it's usefulness than for it's monetary value. I say put a nice sling on it, sight it in, and go hunting.

Thank you 405grain, I suspected it was a Yugo Mauser. My intention is to shoot cast, mostly pistol bullets killing paper using Unique. I have to get dies & decide if I want to make brass or buy some. I'm doing the same with 336 in 35R but figure it's easier to buy/make the brass for the .358W. We can't hunt deer (or anything else during deer season) with a rifle here but would rarely get a shot over 200yrds anyway. I don't hunt much any more anyway. Funny rule here is we can use a rifle for varmint or predators outside of deer season.
My wife saw a 350 Legend and wanted something along those lines. I figure this will fit the bill as well.

My 35R dummy loads

[Uncle Grinch]

You will be very pleased with your rifle. I had an intermediate action, 1922 Brazilian FN, built into a 358 Win about 30 years ago and it’s a please to hunt with. It’s set up with Williams peep sights and has a 20 inch barrel… very handy.

[frkelly74]

I had a couple of the 24-47 Yugos and they all appeared to be new rifles installed into used stocks. They had very smooth actions and were just ideal candidates for making a sporting rifle.

[copperlake]

I take the 1925 as a serial number on the floor plate?

[NyFirefighter357]

I take the 1925 as a serial number on the floor plate?

I don't know it doesn't match the serial * on the receiver.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

It'd be interesting to know the twist rate if you get a chance. The Lee 200 shoots well in my 358 and you get 6 at a time.

[1Hawkeye]

Who ever did the work knew what they were doing. Thats a nice looking setup encluding the knife handle type bolt handle. 44 actions are good strong steel so no worries there. A cast 200gr with around 10.0 grs of unique should be a sweet load for it.

[NyFirefighter357]

I will try to clean the gun up & slug the barrel Sunday.

[NyFirefighter357]

Slugged the barrel tonight two times. .358 but the bullet looks like a have some rough area. They were hard to start in the chamber and free bored about 3" before the muzzle.

[Bigslug]

Interesting markings. I've seen quite a few marked "PREDUZECE 44", but never in Cyrillic or whatever those symbols are.

The Yugo rifles are probably a good field for research if the book hasn't been published already. I've come across a few that are most likely re-stamped German rifles with short K-98 handguards that end at the front of the rear sight, complete with the odd Nazi eagle stamped on the small parts. Hard to say no to free equipment.

[NyFirefighter357]

Turns out the barrel was full of crud near the chamber. I'm still cleaning it but the next 2 slugs came out much nicer. I got 1:13 but I'm guessing it's 1:12 twist.

[LAGS]

Glad to hear your barrel is cleaning up better.