Zastava M 98/48
The Zastava M98/48 (often called Mod.98/48, Model. 98/48, Yugo K98k) was a refurbished bolt-action rifle, chambered for the 7.92×57mm Mauser, a cartridge that was temporary adopted in the years after World War II by the Yugoslav People's Army. This design was a refurbished Mauser Kar98k rifle that had been left-over by Germans or captured by partisans during World War II.
| Zastava M98/48 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Bolt-action rifle |
| Place of origin | Yugoslavia |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1946–present |
| Used by | Yugoslavia Croatia Bosnia |
| Wars | Yugoslav Wars |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1935 |
| Manufacturer | Mauser, Zastava Arms |
| Produced | 1946-early 1950s |
| No. built | Unknown |
| Variants | Mod.98/48 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.7 kg (8.2 lb) – 4.1 kg (9.0 lb) |
| Length | 1,110 mm (43.70 in) |
| Barrel length | 610 mm (24.02 in) |
| Cartridge | 8×57mm IS |
| Action | Bolt action |
| Muzzle velocity | 860 m/s (2,822 ft/s) |
| Effective firing range | 500 m (550 yd) with iron sights 1000+ m (1093.6+ yd) with telescopic sight |
| Feed system | 5-round stripper clip, internal magazine |
| Sights | Iron sights or telescopic sight. |
History
Soon after World War II, the new formed Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was trying to re-arm its military forces. The main problem that the Yugoslav government had to face was the lack of funds and the fear of an imminent conflict. A temporary solution was found in refurbishing the rifles that were captured or left over by the Germans. They were noted for their reliability, great accuracy, effective range and would not require a new mass production plant - thanks to the fact that all the components of the rifles were already available. These rifles were never used extensively until they were replaced, in 1948, by the Yugoslav-made Zastava M48. Some of these rifles were used in a sniper rifle role during the Yugoslav Wars of 1990s. The rifles have been adapted, through machining, to accept new locally-made telescopic sights-the ZRAK series.
Design details
These rifles are actually Karabiner 98k rifles that were left over by Germany or captured by Marshal Tito's partisan army, or Liberation Army. Despite the name of the rifles (which may lead to misunderstandings), the only difference between a Nazi German K98k and a Zastava M98/48 consists of the markings and the front barrel band. They are virtually identical to each other, since they are still the same rifles at their core.
Markings
The original German markings were scrubbed and replaced by the Yugoslav ones. The most noticeable markings are the Yugoslav Crest and the "Preduzece 44"(It refers to the site where it was refurbished; for example "Preduzece 44" stands for "Institute 44"-Kragujevac, Serbia-the current location of Zastava Arms) present on the receiver's ring. Another noticeable marking is the one present on the left side of the receiver, the "Mod. 98/48". The "/48" is absent on all the rifles that have been refurbished before 1950.