Thinking I'd like an Israeli....

[WILCO]

Mauser in .308.

Not willing to pay kwazy prices though.

Anyone here have experience with them?

[Winger Ed.]

Hmmm. Reminds me of the Garands in .308, and the $50. Army Jeep I saw advertised in Field & Stream
all through the 50s and into the 70s.

I'd heard about them, but never actually saw one.

[WILCO]

I'd heard about them, but never actually saw one.

That makes two of us.

I once bought an M48A that was supposed to be an Israeli K98 in 7.62.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Quite possible. After WW II the Israelis adopted the K98k as standard because Europe was awash with them from the defeat of the Nazis, and many who had immigrated to Israel from Europe were familiar with them. An excellent choice, at the time.

The value of the K98k pattern was recognized by others well before the war, as witnessed by the CZ-24 which the Czechs sold commercially around the world including arming their own forces with it. The Yugos used captured German K98ks, but produced their own with production equipment they had captured. When shopping for military rifles the Israelis bought them if they had a close resemblance to the German model and if they were in 8x57mm.

When they began being imported here as Israeli surplus a buddy of mine had one with the IDF markings, but the crest on the receiver was Syrian. The fact that some of the Arab nations were also using the K98k pattern rifles was of benefit to the Israelis, who put captured rifles into use.

As they modernized their equipment the Israelis thought it wise to change to 7.62mm for ammunition compatibility and military aid from the U.S. and NATO countries and had thousands of K98k pattern rifles produced specifically for them at FN in Belgium. I have one of these with the Israeli crest on the receiver ring and 7.62 deeply burned into the bottom of the butt stock.

DG

[405grain]

A buddy of mine has an Israeli Mauser, and I have a VZ24 that I converted to 7.62x51 by installing an Israeli barrel. Israel converted tons of WW2 Mausers to NATO standard by rebarreling them. They didn't do any modifications to the feed rails or feed ramps, and didn't install any spacers to the back on the magazine wells. Basically all they did was a barrel swap and stamp on a new receiver crest. Because of this Israeli mausers are hit or miss when it comes to feeding. Some rifles feed like greased glass while other's are jamtastic. It's just the luck of the draw when it comes to getting one. My buddy's rifle feeds kinda OK, but mine required some serous gunsmithing to get it to feed correctly.

[Sig556r]

Hmmm. Reminds me of the Garands in .308, and the $50. Army Jeep I saw advertised in Field & Stream
all through the 50s and into the 70s.

I'd heard about them, but never actually saw one.

CMP now sells Garands Expert Grade in .308.
Wish they did before I got my Service Grade converted by CMP using their criterion barrel

[oconeedan]

It is not Israeli, but I have a Spanish FR-8 Mauser, it is one of my favorites.
There is an Israeli Mauser for sale in the Atlanta for around 900 bucks. PM me if you are interested in a link privately, I don't want to break any rules by putting a link here.

[Eddie1971]

I have one and in the past a couple of others that I kick myself for getting rid of. They shoot pretty good and are cheaper to feed than 8 mm K98's as of late. They do shoot good. Just slug that bore if you want to shoot cast because some are more worn than others like most milsurps.

[Good Cheer]

In the 1980's some of the Yugoslav 8x57's were given interesting .310" groove diameter (10" twist) 7.62x51 chambered barrels. I'm not positive where they were done. Back then I thought Israel.

[Dutchman]

Some Swedish 98 Mausers in 8x63 were sent to Israel and rebarreled to 7.62 Nato. Then, many years after giving yeoman service in Israel they ended up in Central America via Colonel Oliver North for contra use. When they got imported into USofA they were, for the most part, pretty beat but functional. They can be identified by the inspector initials on the left side rail as S.S. for the Swedish military inspector.

Only Israeli Mauser I owned was made by FN and was not a K98k but a m/1924 configuration with full handguard back to the receiver. It was marked 7.62 on the rear bridge. As I recall it also had an Israeli sling with a couple Hebrew characters on the brass buckle.

Dutch

[Rapidrob]

I have one converted in the early 60's, the rifle is like new. The butt stock is deeply branded with 7.62x51 as well as the receiver ring marked 7.62.
The rifle is a great shooter and is very accurate at 800 yards with 196 grain ball ammo.

[Bigslug]

A buddy of mine has an Israeli Mauser, and I have a VZ24 that I converted to 7.62x51 by installing an Israeli barrel. Israel converted tons of WW2 Mausers to NATO standard by rebarreling them. They didn't do any modifications to the feed rails or feed ramps, and didn't install any spacers to the back on the magazine wells. Basically all they did was a barrel swap and stamp on a new receiver crest. Because of this Israeli mausers are hit or miss when it comes to feeding. Some rifles feed like greased glass while other's are jamtastic. It's just the luck of the draw when it comes to getting one. My buddy's rifle feeds kinda OK, but mine required some serous gunsmithing to get it to feed correctly.

I purchased a 1980's Fed Ord attempt at the conversion that doesn't feed worth a damn and has been on the "Round Tuit" pile for years (the more recently acquired Ruger Scout that works will likely ensure that it stays there).

I also gave a 7.62 Indian Ishapore 2A1 Lee Enfield a try. . .only to find that while the chambers may headspace OK, the WIDTH of those chambers is such that the brass gets blown out fat to the point of rendering reloading it impractical, and those cases neck-sized only no longer feed.

Thus my fevered dreams of a functional milsurp .308 bolt gun remain unrealized.

[WILCO]

Thus my fevered dreams of a functional milsurp .308 bolt gun remain unrealized.

1916 Spanish Mauser in 7.62 should fit the bill.

[Cessnapilot89]

I have a stunning bring back one that my barber gave me before he passed. What a fantastic rifle. If you ever find one not at crazy prices, jump on it. The ones with the Czech lion are some of the earliest.

[30calflash]

I think that at this point in time it isn't that the prices are crazy but that the dollar has dropped much lower in worth the past few years. There isn't much in the way of good used anything for less than $500 at the LGS and if something has a following, as Mausers usually do, the prices go upwards fast.

Go for quality if you can afford it and acquire it, if it's something you really want. Cheaping out on a poor example of a rather desirable and uncommon variant won't keep you happy very long.

Check GB for sold prices, you'll get a decent idea on current numbers.