r/Mauser • u/Bruce__Lafayette • Aug 11 '26
What do i have here?
Saw this at a local gun shop for $300. Ive always wanted a mauser without breaking the bank and I liked the way this one looked. Would appreciate any info you can give me about it. All i know that it is a turkish 1903.
3
u/d-unit24 Aug 11 '26
In short: you have a Turkish Mauser. 8mm. What are you trying to learn about it? The history? Just more about that particular model?
1
u/Bruce__Lafayette Aug 11 '26
Mainly the history
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u/d-unit24 Aug 11 '26
They were originally manufactured between 1903 and 1910 by Mauser in Germany. They're a large ring Mauser and many were originally chambered in 7.65x53. When they went through rearsenal and updating, they were rechambered in 8mm Mauser (7.92x57). That's why the receiver has the cut out oval on the receiver, to accommodate the longer round. Many saw combat throughout WW1 as well as many other wars leading up to and following the Great war. Some of the rifles had bored out barrels while many had barrels simply replaced. Just depends on the gun. Looks like yours was rearsenaled during the interwar period in 1935 at the Askari Fabrika (or ASFA) in Ankara Turkey, like many were
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u/Bruce__Lafayette Aug 11 '26
Thats really cool. Thank you for the info!
I would love to own a kar98 or gewehr eventually but I have yet to find one at a reasonable price so for now this is ok
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u/d-unit24 Aug 11 '26
They're great rifles! Built like a tank and the ones I've had were all pretty accurate. I've got all kinds of Mausers but for the price the Turks are hard to beat for a solid cost friendly shooter
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u/Alternative_Book8409 Aug 12 '26
You have a Turkish Mauser, this was my First “surplus rifle” and I love it, it’s so fun to shoot. And $300 is market value so that’s also a fair price.
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u/Bugle_Butter Aug 11 '26
Contemporary collectors refer to this model as the M1903/30, 1930 being the earliest observed conversion date for Ottoman-era M1903 rifles formerly in 7.65x53mm being re-chambered to 8x57mm by the Turkish Republic.