peashooter85:The Zastava Model 98/48During World War II Yugoslavia was the only nation that was able
peashooter85:The Zastava Model 98/48During World War II Yugoslavia was the only nation that was able to oust the Nazi’s without outside help. Perhaps the reason why were the millions of partisan fighters. Marshal Tito alone commanded around 800,000 men. After World War II, the newly formed Yugoslavian Army had the dilemma that they had no standardized weapons and equipment. However, Yugoslavia had enormous stocks of German K98k Mauser bolt action rifles captured from the German Army. In 1946, the Yugoslavian Government began a program to refurbish and re-arsenal these rifles. Designated the Model 98/48, it was little different from a German K98k rifle. Repairs were made, the stocks were refinished, and damaged parts were replaced. All of the German markings were ground off and re-stamped with Yugoslav markings. On the side of the receiver was stamped “PREDUZECE 44” which stands for the Zastava factory “Institute 44”. It is not uncommon for these rifles not to have matching serial numbers, as many were pieced together from spare parts. Other than markings, the only noticeable different between the M98/48 was a ringed or barrel banded front sight.Conversions continued up to the 1950’s, but tapered off after 1948 when Yugoslavia adopted the Model 48, which was a domestically produced bolt action Mauser rifles based on the Belgian M24 series. Most were sold as military surplus to the United States. -- source link