Ah, protecting the operator from burns never crossed my mind. Thanks for the info!

What's the best way to get in touch with Branko???

_________________
1942 Mosin Nagant m91/30
Mauser m48
MAS 36
Beretta Px4

Google him, and you will be rewarded. Another member here has a "direct line" to Branko also.

PM me and I can hook you up though just at this moment he is having some 'net work issues.' So if a response isn't quickly forth coming, that's the why of it. He is a gentleman and does his best to respond to questioners unlike some other authors who, once having gotten what they want from us, go away not to be heard from or found again.

I don't know if you are aware of it but, Branko published a book here in 2005, actually a truncated translation of his Serbian book, on Serbian & Yugoslav Mauser rifles. It includes marking info and production tables.

On that note, you stated an error previously...
"M48 rifle (shorter action carbine) was in production in 1948, and the same year adopted as the Main Battle rifle by JNA (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija - Yugoslav Peoples Army). Too bad I don't know how to switch my keyboard to type in Cyrillic, so I can type these markings that can be recognized by the owners out there."
Actually, according to Branko, the design stages of the M48 began in that year and thus the nomenclature. Actual production, and consequent issue of, M48 rifles did not begin until 1950. Years of production were:
M48- all milled- 1950-52
M48A- stamped magazine floor plate- 1952-56
M48B (still stamped M48A) additional stamped parts incorporated- 1956- final year of production is unclear,

I might be off there. (not so schocked)

I was repeating what "they" told us in the academy. I know Branko spent a LOT of time researching this subject (I never did). Why was the Communist government "fudging" the dates, can only be speculated on.

Maybe because 1948 was a very important year in the Communist history? 1948 was the year they broke all ties with Stalin's Russia (infamous Informbiro), arrested (and imprisoned) MANY Russian sympathizers, and told us that the rifle was produced (and adopted into JNA) that same year.

FYI,.....I was born in 1955, entered the academy in 1975 (switched from the "regular university"), and by then this was already in the history books. History "they" wanted to tell, for whatever political agenda at the time. I left YU while they were still in power, and MANY actual truths came to surface once the Communist government fell. So Branko had the benefit of opening of the national achives, and researching through the actual data. I was an officer, and fed the oficial line at that time.


They trained us as elementary school students on M48 (I live fired it for the first time in 1968), and later for two years in the high school (ONO - Opce Narodna Obrana). Once in the academy, M48s were not seen again (by me) in training. Academy training started with M59/66, went on to M70 series, M72, M53, M57, RPG, mortar, recoiless, mines, booby traps, anti armor, parashooting (static, free, HALO), etc.

Next time I encounterd M48, was in Kosovo in 1982 where some Iredenta Muslims used them against us, but in small numbers. They mostly used Italian and British submachineguns. Fast forward few years, and they (M48s) appeared in Bosnia (not so much in Croatia) in the wars of the breakup.

I am sure that if this government survives to govern the next generation (US), the kids will be thought in schools that Sadam had WMDs, and that's why we went to war with Iraq. They (regardles of the ideology behind them) all operate on the same proven principles,....lies and deception, to keep themselves in power, and to justify their actions.

So I apologize if I unknowingly perpetuated Communist propaganda on this forum.

Forget the nonsense about spreading propaganda. That's the "AP"s department. You will find that most here love the country but, may be somewhat less than admiring of it's current politicians...
Hey! We're the same age! I was born in '55 too and served in our army at the same time you served in yours.

Branko was also an officer of the JNA back in the 70s as was a couple other people I am familiar with. You can read a brief recollection of a young Hrvat's service as an enlistedman with the JNA in the 70s here... http://milsurpshooter.net/topic/10116/manufacture-storage-and-user-testimony-of-M48s. I'd be pleased to have you add a few comments about your service there too if you would be so kind. (I am a site mod there.)

Branko is also Zastava's historian as well as a researcher for Belgrade's Military Museum. He has studied very hard and has had much access to info you did not. Is his information flawless? Of course not. But, having done some pretty intensive research myself and with others, I am willing to take his word for things unless I get some authoritative evidence to the contrary. Personal testimony of people who were there does indeed carry weight with me too.

Concerning the date of production vs the M48's nomenclature, it is said to be a question of development. You know what the state of industry was when the Nazis left. Refurbishing rifles in the post war years was no mean feat in itself. But, they knew full well they were going to have to develop and manufacture their own weapons as soon as possible. The Model 1924 with modifications based upon the K98 was a logical choice. The problem stated was development. Machinery, records and technical papers and manuals, experienced people, so much, so many were lost. Of particular difficulty was the science of heat treatment. So supposedly it wasn't until 1950 (his book erroneously gives 1952 as the year) that the problem was finally solved and production went into full gear and even so only 50,000 some rifles were produced in that year.
So that is the reason for the discrepancy between nomenclature and manufacturing. As to why, considering that, it was labeled the M48? Possibly because that was when the project development may have started or because the reasons you give or even ye olde all of the above. I can see the separation from Stalin as being a reason for Tito to tell Kragujevac to "make it happen" just then.

Very interesting and thank yu for the information. I currently own a M24/47... I've been wondering about it's history for a long time. I'll post some pics of it soon enough.

I didn't know that they were made by FNH and later scrubbed and remarked. I thought they were made in Yugoslavia and were marked as such.

I believe you are a bit mixed up there.

If by "FNH" you are referring to Fabrique National in Herstal Belgium, they are the original designers of the short action Mauser model 1924. They provided the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (known as Yugoslavia) and Kingdom of Yugoslavia (became "Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929) with 100,000 M1924 rifles (delivered in three shipments over the years prior to Nazi occupation in 1941), and production equipment and training for Yugoslavia to produce their own Mauser M1924s under license which they did until Nazi occupation in 1941.

After the war, beginning in 1947, the worn model 1924s whether originally manufactured in Belgium or Yugoslavia were refurbished in Kragujevac Yugoslavia (Institute/Enterprise/factory 44) into the Yugoslavian model 24/47 and marked as such.

thanks for all the good info, hope you can help me also. i just picked up my M-48 [ no A after]. the ser # is K95993. it is in very good shape. the wood is very dark. what should i use to just clean and preserve the stock.
how about lemon or orange oil. the bluing is worn and the stock does have many small dings. it is heavy in cosmo. it sure looks like it was in service. even dirty the bore looks bright and strong rifling. i will take it home tonight and clean it . very happy so far.

I have just read this thread for the first time and it was great. Having a long love for the Mauser and recently becoming interested in Yugoslavian history, reading about danielsand's first hand account was reviting to me! Wish I could hear more from him. What a great read!