I'm heavy into C&R's and spend most of my time over at the Curio and Relic forum on guns net. I know a bit about them, but do not know exactly what the numbers are that I reference sometimes (like exactly how many were made).
The Persians were made by the BRNO factory in Czechoslovakia. The mausers from the BRNO factory are regarded as some of the best. The craftsmanship is very, very high. Compare one of those BRNO rifles to one of your modern Howa, Winchester, etc and you will see they compare very favorably, or better. The Swedish Mausers are very excellent rifles of awesome craftsmanship, and many regard them as the best overall Mauser. But these reputations will vary from person to person. The Persian mauser is often regarded by many as the best "8mm Mauser" rifle. Personally, I regard the Swedes slightly higher than the Persians. Anyway, the Persian mausers were ordered by the Shah, as he was most impressed by the rifle (I'm not exactly sure of the year). The rifles were never used in an all-out war, many were only used for carry and show by the Persian soldiers, so the net effect is that most of these rifles are in simply outstanding condition for a surplus rifle. The BRNO factory made about 90,000 of these, if I remember correctly.
Samco in Miami has these rifles, and one that is in excellent or near-excellent condition can be had for about $200. Unissued ones run about $500, and lower grade ones cost less than $200. They are not exactly "rare" or hard to find yet, because the wholesaler is still selling them strong. I have one and I like it very much. It has about 97% blue, a mint, MINT bore, and an action that feels as though it has never been used. It had 2 or 3 scratches on the wood, but the original laquer finish is still intact. In all, the rifle was about 98% and was a steal for $212 shipped. I have a Curio and Relic license, so I had it shipped to my door, eschewing the rediculous transfer and fee at my local FFL.
Many have described the Persian as having a "buttery smooth" action, but mine doesn't. It is possible that after I fire a few thousand rounds it will smooth out. But it feels like it has never been shot before. The action is very strong and tight. I should mention that the bayonetes for these rifles are incredible. They are about 3 or 4 feet long, shiny as anything. They are like small swords. Samco sells those for about $70 each. I don't have one yet.
If you are a non-FFL holder, then $250 out the door for a truly excellent condition Persian sounds right. They are very nice rifles, and they are plentiful now, but since about 90,000 were made, they won't be around forever and will go the way of the Swedish Mauser, Hakim, FN-49, into obscurity and rarity.
