Is this 8mm or 7.65?

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KriegHund

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I just realised something-

i have a turkish mauser. Someone mentioned that turks had masuers in 7.65. I always though mine ws 8mm (7.92)

Comparing the case from my turk to a 30-06 case, the turk case is significantly bigger- i dont think .02mm would be that much bigger,

Nonetheless i am now curious. I have been shotting the turk ammo that came with the gun, so i havent shot any decidedly 8mm ammo through it.

The case rime says
LIT (Crescent and star symbol) Ci 1935 7,91 F S

From the (7,91) im guessing it IS in fact 8mm.

Now that im here, im gonna request some info if anyone can provide it, for the sake of cuiriosity.

My mauser has the following markings.

On the butt of the stock, in yellow "84"
On the reciever "AS" (Crescent, with a 'TC' over it) "FA"
Under that- "ANK" "ARA"
Under that- "K-Kale" 1943

All the serial numbers match except for the bolt.

On the left side of the reciever in very small lettring under the S number it says-
Co.Ridgefield.Nj

Thats all :)

Google search found this

NA CO
NA CO RIDGEFIELD NJ
NAC RIDGEFIELD NJ
NAC RDGFLD NJ

Navy Arms Co.
689 Bergan Blvd.
Rigefield, NJ 07657
Voice:(201)-945-2500
 
The Turkish Mauser from WWII takes what's lazily called "8mm" ammo. It's really 7.92mm, but who's quibbling? I think some of the earlier Mausers sold to Argentian and other South American countries were 7.65mm. Perhaps a Mauser specialist will weigh in on that.
 
The typical turks models out there - 1938, 1903, and 1893 turks are all 8mm (7.92). Yours is likely a model 1938, its definately 8mm. If there is a small cutout on the front receiver ring and the stripper guide is taller than a typical mauser 98, then its a 1903.
Th markings say it was made or reworked at Kirrikale near Ankara, Turkey .

If its a 1903 or or 1893 rifle, there's a chance that it was originally a 7.65 or 7mm rifle, but very unlikely to be anything other than an 8mm in its present form.
 
I'm not an expert on Mausers but I believe that all the early (up to the model 1903) Turk Mausers were chambered in 7.65, these were supposedly all converted to 8x57 starting in the 20's and early 30's. In any event I have not heard of any K.Kale marked Mausers in anything but 8x57, which is normally indicated by the caliber stamp of 7.92.
 
Some of the 8x57S converted 88 mausers were on sale in the mid 70s and I got one of the German pattern and my friend bought a turkish version. The Turkish gun didn't have the barrel shroud, but otherwise had the same Manlicher style split rear ring receiver. The Model 98s won't have this split rear receiver ring. These were .323 bore conversions, not the earlier Js with the .318 bore.

I've still got mine, though I never shoot the thing. I gave $37.50 for it in NRA very good condition.
 
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