Persian Mauser carbine.

While scouring the pawn shops today for that one hidden treasure, I found a Persian Mauser sitting in the corner of one of them. The guys running the place had no idea what it was. In fact, I was scratching my head about it as well. It is, in fact, from what I can tell, a genuine carbine that has been put into a Romanian VZ24 stock, and as a result, it looks like a really short stubby SMLE. Apparently it's a bring back (at least that's the story) from Iraq or Afghanistan. Good lion crest, great bore. In the process now of trying to decipher the Farsi on it. Rear sight looks like the genuine article, but oddly the numbers are Arabic (western). And crudely done at that. Will have some pics when Photobucket decides it wants to be a team player again. Really unusual piece!

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

It is, in fact, from what I can tell, a genuine carbine that has been put into a Romanian VZ24 stock, and as a result, it looks like a really short stubby SMLE.

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Could be. The Persians purchased both short rifles and carbines from the Czechs. But it could also be a VZ24 that as been shortened because of a muzzle defect. Only the pics will tell.

---------- Post added at 02:25 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:22 PM ----------

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

but oddly the numbers are Arabic (western). And crudely done at that.

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That sounds like Bubba. A Persian would have no need to scrub the original numbers and replace them by Western-style numbers.

During the Iran-Iraq war, the Iranian Army opened the Mauser factory and re-started Mauser 98 production. The rifles went to Border Guards. This rifle could date from that run. Pictures will tell.

Little update on this rifle, and sorry there are no pics yet. Hopefully very soon. This is in fact a Persian M49 carbine. The bolt is from a Czech manufactured Persian carbine. The rear sight is correct as well. The Iranian manufactured M49s for some odd reason sported Western numerals. The Romanian stock it's been fitted into is actually a really good fit, as I said, it resembles a really stubby SMLE. Hope to have some pics up for you guys soon.

Ok, finally able to get a few pics up..enjoy!https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3639-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3640-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3643-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3644-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3645-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3646-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3647-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3653-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3654-1.jpghttp://i1051.photobucket.com/albums/...3/IMG_3657.jpg[/IMG]https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3659-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3824-1.jpgAnd a strange cartouche right under the script on the wood, no idea what it is..https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3825-1.jpg

Rest of the pics..https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3664-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3668-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3669-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3670-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3672-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3678-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3679-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3749-1.jpg

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Originally Posted by Anzac15

And a strange cartouche right under the script on the wood, no idea what it is..

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I have seen these marks on other Mausers that have never been anywhere near Iran. I know it looks reminiscent of a Turkish "Tughra", but it is quite simply a pressure indentation mark caused by the milled grooves on the backsight slider (the bit you squeeze to adjust a Mauser-style backsight) of another rifle when the rifles were disposed of by the military, and stacked on a pallet.

BTW: excellent close-ups!

Thanks. This camera can work pretty good when it wants to. In regards to the mystery cartouche, are you referring to the scratches? Look right under the Farsi date on the wood. It looks like a leaf? Flame? With a definite character of some sort inside it, along with either a '1' or an arrow under it. I have taken a ridiculous amounts of photos of it, looked at it til all hours of the night..it's no doubt a marking of sorts. I'll try to get some better pics of it on later.

Here is another shot of the mystery cartouche, plus some markings under the buttstock at the buttplate. The cartouche is pretty worn, and the flash keeps washing it out. But you can see it pretty good under a light. I've included a drawing of it, its close to one of these, but that is definitely the character in the middle of it.https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3848-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3851-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3852-1.jpghttps://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...IMG_3853-1.jpg

Oops,sorry, I was indeed looking at the scratches. Now I see what you mean, but I do not know what it is, so I shall put my imagination on standby until you can make a photo that shows the mystery object a bit more clearly. I think it might be useful to experiment with altering the direction of the lighting.

Just a guess, mind you. But Iranian border guard rifle? Very likely a capture rifle out the Iran-Iraq War. Very unusual and a very nice find.

I'd buy that explanation over what the seller told me, Steve. There's no way this rifle could have been brought back legally under the current idiotic rules regarding 'war trophies' .
Oops! I said 'war trophies'..can't say that either, apparently!

As best as I understand it the War Trophy rules have changed 2-3 times in recent years. May well have been Ok to bring in a few years back.