Israeli Mauser 98 - made in Belgium

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A Belgian (FN) made Mauser 98. One of a handful of rifles and shotguns that I own. I'm a big handgunner, but a few have made their way into my gun safe. My father purchased this in 1987 - shortly after the Federal government started to allow importation of milsurp again. This is one of the Israeli Mausers that they converted to 7.62 mm. He purchased a nicer stock for it though he kept the original. Dad passed away a couple of years ago and his collection came to me. I've always enjoyed the "Israeli Mauser" (what he and I called it from the start) since he purchased it. I don't care about collector's value. I'm keeping it. It's one of my favorites.
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Re: Israeli Mauser 98 - made in Belgium

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Just learned this fact about my rifle over on the www.smith-wessonforum.com. Goes to show that there is always something new to learn.

A minor correction:

The Israelis did acquire a large number of original 8mm 98k’s out of German service, and later in the 1940s from Czechoslovakia (Brno production), and most were converted to 7.62 in the 1950s.

Yours, however, recognizable by the large Israeli crest on the receiver, was made by FN as a 7.62 rifle from the start, not a conversion, in the 1950s with new receivers and 7.62 barrels, although they reportedly used up other German components.


I did not know that. All these years I believed it had been converted.
I type therefore I am

Re: Israeli Mauser 98 - made in Belgium

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I picked up a "FrankenMauser" a number of years ago which has an FN made 30-06 stamped receiver, a Colombian military crest, an Israeli stock, and a 7.62mm NATO barrel. I haven't been able to definitively confirm whether it was an actual Israeli military rifle or if it was a parts gun assembled by a half assed gunsmith. Headspace was a bit tight and required a finish reaming to correct, and , ".308" was crudely etched on the barrel, so I assume it was an amateur hack job. I read that while many Israeli issue 98 Mausers have the IDF crest, there are a number of rifles out there with original markings of other origin, and this could perhaps be one of those. The rifle was in truly excellent shape and shoots well, however, so I can overlook the above issues.

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