Israeli Mauser 98 - made in Belgium

[Checkman]

A change of pace for me. I usually post about handguns, but I do have a few rifles and shotguns as well. This is one of my favorites. Belgian made Mauser 98. My father purchased this in 1987 - shortly after the Federal government started to allow importation of milsurp again. This is one of the Israeli Mausers that they converted to 7.62 mm. He purchased a nicer stock for it though he kept the original. Dad passed away a couple of years ago and his collection came to me. I've always enjoyed the "Israeli Mauser" (what he and I called it from the start) since he purchased it. I don't care about collector's value. I'm keeping it. It's one of my favorites.

 

[vonn]

A nice rifle that has earned its place in history. Enjoy and thanks for the show and tell.

 

[Absalom]

.... Belgian made Mauser 98. My father purchased this in 1987 - shortly after the Federal government started to allow importation of milsurp again. This is one of the Israeli Mausers that they converted to 7.62 mm.....

A minor correction:

The Israelis did acquire a large number of original 8mm 98k's out of German service, and later in the 1940s from Czechoslovakia (Brno production), and most were converted to 7.62 in the 1950s.

Yours, however, recognizable by the large Israeli crest on the receiver, was made by FN as a 7.62 rifle from the start, not a conversion, in the 1950s with new receivers and 7.62 barrels, although they reportedly used up other German components.

 

[Checkman]

A minor correction:

The Israelis did acquire a large number of original 8mm 98k's out of German service, and later in the 1940s from Czechoslovakia (Brno production), and most were converted to 7.62 in the 1950s.

Yours, however, recognizable by the large Israeli crest on the receiver, was made by FN as a 7.62 rifle from the start, not a conversion, in the 1950s with new receivers and 7.62 barrels, although they reportedly used up other German components.

I did not know that. All these years I just figured it had been converted. Excellent information. Thanks.

 

[sheepdawg]

Every now and then you'll see some German made Israeli Mausers with the "dirty birds" still intact.

 

[Tony C.]

Check your chamber before you shoot your rifle, Israelis 7.62 marked rifle are most likely chamber for 30.06, (7.62X63), not 7.62X51 (.308 Win.)

I've seen shooters load it with .308 Win, the rifle will fire, due to the case gripped by the extractor claw, upon ejection, 30.06 bottle neck case become a straight wall case!

The surprised look on them are priceless.

 

[Absalom]

Check your chamber before you shoot your rifle, Israelis 7.62 marked rifle are most likely chamber for 30.06, (7.62X63), not 7.62X51 (.308 Win.)

I've seen shooters load it with .308 Win, the rifle will fire, due to the case gripped by the extractor claw, upon ejection, 30.06 bottle neck case become a straight wall case!

The surprised look on them are priceless.

You may not remember those correctly as Israeli rifles. The Israeli Mausers were all either converted or originally chambered for the 7.62mmx51 NATO round, mostly coinciding with Israel's adaption of the FN-FAL in that caliber.

Converting a 98k Mauser action to .30-06/7.62mmx63 is doable, but requires extra work due to the additional length of the cartridge, 63mm vs. the 57mm of the original 8mm Mauser round.

There are a lot of individual sporters done like that, but the Norwegian 98k's are the only documented examples of 98k's officially rechambered to .30-06 that I'm aware of, to supplement the Norwegian Army's M1 Garands, used into the 1960s.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Congratulations. I once sought out a nice shooter Isreali Mauser, but I usually found twisted bits of metal and driftwood, the Isrealis clearly used them. I am glad that there are some in shooting condition still out there. Maybe someday.

 

[Tom K]

They sure didn't skimp when it came to marking the caliber!

 

[federali]

From .323 to .308

Re-chambering an 8mm Mauser, S bore (bore diameter .323) to 7.62 or .308 leaves a bit of slop in the bore. This can't be good for accuracy.

 

[OFT II]

Re-chambering an 8mm Mauser, S bore (bore diameter .323) to 7.62 or .308 leaves a bit of slop in the bore. This can't be good for accuracy.

They were re-barreled.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I had a late K-98 redone by the Chechs. It had Nazi proofs, struckso much only one wingtip was recognizable. It also had a Chech proof, a US Ordnance "Bomb" and the Star of David proof.

I had a few thousand rounds of 1973 German surplus 7.62x51, in that rifle they shot around 1" groups with the iron sights @ 100 yards. Other military rifles may have been that accurate, but I never got that kind of groups with Ball ammo (only my hand loads!)

The rifle itself had been assembled by the Chechs with the dream list of war production parts. It was in carbine (k) length with a late model laminated stock, a stamped large trigger guard (for gloved hands), and the magazine furniture was all milled!
It had a balance and medium weight to make it a breeze to shoot moving targets (I shot a number of wild dogs on my and dad's farms at 75 to 125+ yards almost as easily as shooting still groundhogs at the same distances)

When I got an HK-91 and was sure I liked it, I sold off the Israeli Mauser. About one month later I came into some money and went to buy it back. But it was long gone and the were running 3 times what I got for mine, for very worn models!

Ivan

 

[mauser9]

Great keepsake from your dad for sure! Glad he hung onto the older stock as these can be quite valuable in themselves. Reminds me to post a pic of my dad's 98k bringback from WW 2. As far as I can tell milsurps seem to be climbing in interest and price these days. Thanks for showing.

 

[Checkman]

Great keepsake from your dad for sure! Glad he hung onto the older stock as these can be quite valuable in themselves. Reminds me to post a pic of my dad's 98k bringback from WW 2. As far as I can tell milsurps seem to be climbing in interest and price these days. Thanks for showing.

I remember shortly after he got it he told me that they wouldn't last long which is why he jumped when they were released for sale. It's a very solid rifle.

 

[Drm50]

A friend of mine has a Isralei 98. That was rechambered to 30/06
it was a German 8mm before. He also has a 30/06 98 from the
Chinese Nationalist. I don't know if it was a rechambered from
Axis powers after Commie take over or actual issue rifle. He got
this rifle from a guy who was in Navy when they pulled out the
Nationalist Army.

 

[2152hq]

I don't think I've ever seen one with the Israeli crest roll marked on it like that, only the converted& re-bbl'd rifles of indifferent hertitage & parts.
7.62 NATO caliber is what I always figured, but I never had one to check over.

I do have a post WW2 FN made Model 1950 Model 98 made for the Belgian Gov't and they were made in cal 30-06.
They have the bullet nose cut in the ring for loading the longer round, but again were mfg'rd in 30-06. A couple of contracts for the Belgian Army & Navy in ;50 and ;51.
I think Columbia bought some of these 30-06 orig chambered FN produced rifles too as well as a couple of other small S/A countries.

It was on it's way to be chopped up to be used as another sporter when I bought it.,,Like there aren't enough already sporterized Mauser actions and rifles around to play with.

 

[TheHobbyist]

Ivan, my friend, it is Czech not Chechs...not a big deal but just trying to inform. Hence the name CZ. No biggie. I Have Czech ancestry and it is all good; just clarifying a point.

 

[Absalom]

I had a late K-98 redone by the Chechs. It had Nazi proofs, struckso much only one wingtip was recognizable. It also had a Chech proof, a US Ordnance "Bomb" and the Star of David proof.
.......
The rifle itself had been assembled by the Chechs with the dream list of war production parts. It was in carbine (k) length with a late model laminated stock, a stamped large trigger guard (for gloved hands), and the magazine furniture was all milled!

You seem to have had an interesting transitional example.

According to the article linked below, one of the best summaries of the Israeli 98k story, the winter trigger guards were a feature of the later vz.98N variant newly-made at Brno for the Israeli government contract. Sounds like you got one on an early refurbished war-time gun.

German 98k rifle in Israeli service – wwiiafterwwii

 

[Andyd]

Israel started to convert the K98k's after they adopted the FAL in 7.62. Israel also had a contract with La Coruna for 7.62 rifles in the 1950s and the Spanish had started to built the rifles when the contract was cancelled. The rifles showed up - unused - in the 1980 in both 7.62 and 8x57IS.

I had an Israeli in 7.62 that was a converted WWII from Waffenwerke Brünn, it had excellent accuracy. Israel had used FN barrels for the conversion and new stocks, most easily recognized by the finger grooves on the lower fore end of the stock.