Post war Yugoslavian Zastava M48

[Jim]

Nice snag, especially for under $300!
Some info for you; First of all, it's stamped M48A. But, the Serbs have kept the M48A rifles to themselves as last-ditch and training arms, considering them the best of the M48 series. The fly in the swill is that when they made changes to create the M48B they decided not to change the receiver stamp.
The manufacture ran thus;
M48-all milled- 1950-52
M48A stamped magazine floor-plate only 1952-56
M48B Stamped parts included besides the floor-plate; H-band, magazine follower, and the tell- trigger guard and magazine well, machined from a solid steel billet on the previous two models, became a stamped and welded assembly. This is revealed by a raised rib running around both sides of the trigger guard.

I couldn't get a good look at your trigger guard in the pictures, but, in all probability, your rifle is a model B. In over a decade of looking, I have never found a rifle stamped "M48A" to be other than a model B.

For more info on the remaining M48 series model, the M48bo, you can find it on the thread about a guy's M48bo elsewhere in Mauser rifles.
Here's an image showing the identifiable difference in the three models.
Attachment 90886 Attachment 90887

Information

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[usabaker]

I couldn't get a good look at your trigger guard in the pictures, but, in all probability, your rifle is a model B. In over a decade of looking, I have never found a rifle stamped "M48A" to be other than a model B.

Jim, Thanks for the info! you know I completely ignored the "A" I've been so busy with school, why at 58 I decided to go back is beyond me, that I haven't take the time to go through the last batch of rifles I've bought. I am chomping at the bit to take this and the Spanish Air Force Mauser out. But I still need to get an 8MM No-Go gauge first.

I just pulled the rifle out of my overstuffed safe and yes it has the ribbed trigger guard. I was going to buy the Mauser Military Rifles of the World book to get a bit of knowledge on them, I have amassed a number of them already.

Thanks again for the information, I really appreciate it.

Bill

[usabaker]

M48-all milled- 1950-52

Hey Jim, I just came back from the gun store where I put the Model of 1917 on Lay-A-Way and look what I found.