Day 6: The M48 Mauser

The M48 Mauser is the first rifle I ever owned and is by far, one of my favorites. First, before I get into why I love this rifle so much, let me give you a little history about it. The M48 Mauser is a bolt-action rifle that was produced in Yugoslavia and based on the German Mauser K98 used during WWII. The Yugoslavian Mausers were developed in 1948, with production beginning in 1950 and going until 1965. By the time these rifles were being produced they were already becoming obsolete, with semi-automatic battle rifles taking their place. Consequently, this led to most of the rifles being put into storage shortly after they were manufactured. Today, these rifles can generally be found in great condition. This is due to a Yugoslavian maintenance program that consisted of cleaning and inspecting the rifles every 5 years right up until that nation dissolved.
My love with this rifle goes beyond the simple fact that it was the first rifle I ever purchased. It is a great entry firearm for someone just getting into shooting or for someone looking for a little piece of history. You can pick one of these rifles up almost anywhere and for the price, it’s a great bargain. Of all the assorted firearms I now own, the Mauser is by far the rifle I can shoot most accurately with. Just being able to lay down with this rifle and drill holes into a target 100 yards away, with nothing but the original iron sights, is a thrill like no other. It is a great piece of history that won’t let you down and will hit whatever you point it at.