1938 (K. KALE) Model 8mm Turkish Mauser

lamarw · June 12, 2015, 02:57 PM

I have limited knowledge of this rifle but I took a small leap of faith on one at an auction this past weekend. It was inexpensive and in relatively decent condition.

Attached are a few pictures.

I did buy 60 rounds of PPU from Midway along with reloading dies. It seems brass is hard to find. Powder Valley had the necessary 170 grain bullets, and I already have IMR 3031 powder. A Forster Go/NoGo gauge revealed the old rifle was good to go as to headspace.

Not sure whether $130.00 was a decent price or not. It certainly did not bother the old wallet and gave me some pleasure disassembling and cleaning it up. The barrel and action have the same serial number. I am not sure about the bolt, and I know the magazine plate does not have a matching serial number.

Tidewater_Kid · June 12, 2015, 08:20 PM

I think you did well for $130. Looks like a nice shooter. My M38 Turkish Mauser is a fun and accurate rifle to shoot. I too have bought the Priv 8mm ammo and dies. I fired the ammo, but I have not reloaded the brass as I still have over 1000 rounds of various surplus.

TK

DennisCA · June 12, 2015, 10:58 PM

Well? I say did REALLY well!!!

vkeith · June 14, 2015, 05:20 PM

These days, $130 for a decent condition Turkish Mauser is a good price. I picked one up several years ago when they were being dumped at gun shows for $90-100, and haven't seen those prices since. When that batch of surplus was gone, the prices for them quickly jumped to $150-200, depending on condition.

kilimanjaro · June 14, 2015, 07:59 PM

You did good, $150 here gets you a total dog, $200 for a nice shooter.

Remember, the Kirikkale arsenal made these with German tooling, but not with German steel, if you should make your own loads for 8mm.

James K · June 14, 2015, 11:21 PM

The Kirikkale Arsenal didn't make those rifles out of anything; the Turks never had the tooling to manufacture Mauser receivers. All those "Turkish" rifles actually originated in Europe, Germany, Belgium, or Czechoslovakia. When Turkey decided to upgrade their hodgepodge of weaponry in 1938, they scrubbed most of the markings on the old guns and re-marked them with Turkish markings as shown.

Jim

lamarw · June 15, 2015, 11:06 PM

Thanks All for your thoughts and additional information.

June 14, 2015, 05:20 PM	#4
vkeith Senior Member Join Date: October 17, 2012 Posts: 108	These days, $130 for a decent condition Turkish Mauser is a good price. I picked one up several years ago when they were being dumped at gun shows for $90-100, and haven't seen those prices since. When that batch of surplus was gone, the prices for them quickly jumped to $150-200, depending on condition. __________________ An armed man is a citizen. An unarmed man is a subject.

June 12, 2015, 08:20 PM	#2
Tidewater_Kid Senior Member Join Date: July 3, 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 925	I think you did well for $130. Looks like a nice shooter. My M38 Turkish Mauser is a fun and accurate rifle to shoot. I too have bought the Priv 8mm ammo and dies. I fired the ammo, but I have not reloaded the brass as I still have over 1000 rounds of various surplus. TK

June 12, 2015, 10:58 PM	#3
DennisCA Senior Member Join Date: June 3, 2012 Location: Union City CA (a.k.a. Poople's Republik of CA) Posts: 451	Well? I say did REALLY well!!!

June 14, 2015, 07:59 PM	#5
kilimanjaro Senior Member Join Date: November 23, 2009 Posts: 3,963	You did good, $150 here gets you a total dog, $200 for a nice shooter. Remember, the Kirikkale arsenal made these with German tooling, but not with German steel, if you should make your own loads for 8mm.

June 14, 2015, 11:21 PM	#6
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	The Kirikkale Arsenal didn't make those rifles out of anything; the Turks never had the tooling to manufacture Mauser receivers. All those "Turkish" rifles actually originated in Europe, Germany, Belgium, or Czechoslovakia. When Turkey decided to upgrade their hodgepodge of weaponry in 1938, they scrubbed most of the markings on the old guns and re-marked them with Turkish markings as shown. Jim

June 15, 2015, 11:06 PM	#7
lamarw Senior Member Join Date: April 12, 2010 Location: Lake Martin, AL Posts: 3,311	Thanks All for your thoughts and additional information.