Turkish officer here! I have overseen a lot of ancient mausers being distributed to the village guards or at least was present when they are being discarded/repurposed but this is not one of them. THAT is a weapon I haven't seen and must be very rare. One thing to mention is that the yellowing in the metallic parts and the rear bolt assembly is caused by rust resistant cosmoline wax. And that cosmoline has to stay on the gun for DECADES to have such a potent discolouring effect. I have personally seen M98 rifles were never waxed in that fashion for 70 straight years. Probably because they were always in use some way or the other. At first in the frontlines, then in rear echelons, then in military shools with worn barrels and they would finally be shelved for last resort rifles/militia. Decades of cosmoline is a somewhat polar opposite of that approach. They must have either forgotten them somewhere because these crates were not more than 200 specimens, so they became forgotten like the Ark of Covenant in an Indiana Jones movie , or even more interestingly they were retired from frontline around 1952/55 with NATO with the cavalry branch. Turkish army until that point had always been cavalry centric so perhaps they couldn't retire these as fast as NATO wanted them to. My 2 cents.

Small variants on relatively inexpensive old rifles is what got me started in collecting..when I was younger I didn't have the extra money to buy more in demand weapons. But for $150 bucks I could go to pawn shops or gun shows and bring home a new to me weapon. That made me happy and my collection grew and grew.. most of them have doubled in value.so it's an investment also.. now I'm older and have the money to buy 3 and 4 thousand dollar specimens . But they will Never hold the memories and that proud feeling of being frugal and wheeling and dealing for all the ones that I've held on to for so long.The feel and smell of a been there done that weapon is priceless..

Ian: "I must do a series on Turkish Mausers." Me: "Might there be a book in that?"

This reminds me to kick myself that I ignored a batch of then very nicely priced Persian Mausers that are now changing hands for a king's ransom or three.

Just a small correction! AS FA means "Askeri Fabrikalar" (lit. Military Factories). Conversions were carried out by Çelik ve Kimya Endüstrisi (Steel and Chemistry Industries) but parliament decided to stamp AS FA for simplicity instead. Loves from Turkey, keep up the good work. I'd be personally more than happy to see Greek Mannlicher rifles, those are really cool!

Just one little correction, they do not have numbers in Turkish, as the state of Turkey adopted the latin alphabet (with some help from Swedish linguists, but that's another story) shortly after the fall of the remnants of the Ottoman empire. What they are though is Ottoman script, which is very similar to Arabic script. In fact, the Ottoman script borrowed the numerals directly from Eastern Arabic script.

my great grandfather has 6 pictures from the war, in all of but one of them, he holds a kar98az he had from the german aid when he was sent to eastern front to help austro-hungary till germans arrived, he got to keep that rifle after the liberation war and i still have it. in one of the pictures however, he holds what i think of something similar to this rifle, but bayonet was broken from the middle, and was folded and taped to the gun with a narrow piece of cloth. so much stories, untold.

Turks have a hard-on for german weapons, they later adopted and license prodouced g3-hk33s, now they are making their own modified version of HK 416, 417

I just happen to be on an Ottoman Mauser in C&Rsenal’s primer playlist and now I have extra Ottoman Mausers! What a day!

You know life is hard when your gun needs a switchblade

Look in really good condition.

Thank you Ian. Another interesting gun!

Hey man - If you recall YEARS ago i think it was Century Int'l had a TON of these (one of the Turkish versions) of large ring 98-style for sale for like $20 each and my father bought like ten of them for sale and various projects. I was around 12 or 13 then and built up my FIRST Mauser from one of these in .308, bent the bolt down, Timney trigger, modifed safety, added target sights (always wanted but never got around to real optics), etc. and still have that thing today at my father's house. I SAY my father's house because since then I met, married, and divorced a Turkish woman and I NOW live in Istanbul (had to leave my firearms home, of course). I've been here since around the year of the (most recent) coup but have missed being able to just walk out back and shoot and so I've been checking out your videos a bunch. Thanks by the way and I would LOVE it if you COULD do a series on Turkce Mausers, I think that'd be kickass. P.S. those ones that we had were WEIRD in that they were large ring outer diameter but SMALL RING inner diameter like the older '96 Mausers so while I had bought a blank for a LR '98 back then we had to re-cut the threads for a small ring (at 13 I had help of course). Luckily the base of the large ring thread was basically the crest of the SR thread so it worked out, but that was the only time that we had seen ones like that from what I recall. You brought back a great memory of my time back at home! Anywys thanks for your content and HELLO from the Turkish Republic!!!

I have a 1893/35 Turkish Mauser. I really hope he does a series on Turkish Mausers, as they can be awesome rifles. They just usually need a lot of extra love and care when you first get them.

This is very close to a to an old Turkish rifle I've been trying to identify in my father's collection. The biggest physical differences I notice is that ours is longer, has an internal magazine that extends out the bottom, and there is a round hole in the stock instead of a rectangular one. From what I can tell ours is a Turkish Gew 88 1930's conversion commision rifle. Love to see one on your channel and learn more about it!

The first gun I ever purchased was an M38 Turkish Mauser in 8mm. Complete with bayonet and cleaning rod. She has one of the best triggers I’ve ever experienced. So please, do a series on the Turkish guns, I would be so grateful!

Just been bingeing forgotten weapons videoed for the past week

Nice rifle. Not a fan of the folding bayonet. Pointed end sticking back into your support hand might lead to some interesting injuries.

Thank you , Ian .

You definitely need to do more on Turkish Mausers especially the M38s

7:18 It's entirely reasonable. You don't need to fend off cavalry charges post-WW1, and, to quote Matt Easton of Schola Gladiatoria, 'six inches of penetration is enough, and we don't want overpenetration'.

I would absolutely love to see that video on all the Turkish mauser variations!

That phone comparison for Turkish Mauser purchasing patterns was hilarious 😂 Ian sure knows how to put a smile on my face.

I cant wait for that video on the progression of Turkish mausers

I know that nobogy would care, but im very happy, some years ago i lost the all bolt accion piece of a k98 Mauser i put it aoart for some reason, and i gave that for lost, until i found the bolt piece today, i will get a bayonet fot it latter. Greatings

You aren't joking when you say the Turks had a huge mishmash of various Mausers and updated versions. Dad has a Turkish Mauser that I wondered about for many years because it seemed to be so unique. Full length 30" barrel in 7.92mm with 1930s Turkish proof marks... ...but built on a Gewehr EIGHTY-EIGHT action! Looks like nothing I've seen elsewhere even compared to other Turk rifles I've seen. I thought for years it was probably a rebuild made with random surplus parts as this pattern did not appear in any military reference books we have, but finally found a reference to this gun recently after a lot of net searches so is in fact a legit Turkish pattern rifle. These old guns have some amazing history and longevity. 140yr old gun that was in service with Ottomans for about 70 of those years.

Interesting as always!

One of the finest collections of weapons in the world, the museum was made inside an ancient fortress in Switzerland. best regards from Switzerland

Very informative

Yes please on the Turkish Mauser series!

I love the term short rifle. Especially when you look at modern firearms that are naturally short, and look at these "short rifles" and your amazed and boggled. These rifles be long as hell.

such a great video and I love my Turkish Mauser

Anyone else getting some weird visual glitches around 0:43?

Great video! It would be amazing if you could make a video about the Turkish "M38" Mauser. Specially the "Ankara K.Kale" rifles. Many people have this type of Mauser, but there is really not much information about them online, or anywhere. They are really interesting and somewhat "mysterious" rifles.

my first rifle was one of these conversions and i bought it for 100 , wish i still had it

I was really hoping for a switchblade bayonet when I saw that thing

As Korean War would attest, we Turkish really enjoy our bayonets.

My father gave me a turkish Mauser with a straight bolt handle and says Ankara like this one. He said my mom bought it at a garage sale for 25 bucks in the early 90s

Looks almost exactly like mine except for that cute little bayonet. Got it for $99 at a rural pawn shop a few years ago.

Whenever I hear Ottoman Empire I always imagine a country with a crap ton of La-Z-boys everywhere. Yea I didn't do so good at school...

The bayonet probably only locks backwards with one lug for ease of release, it could get snagged between two when trying to rapidly deploy.

"short" rifles lol. Wonder what theyd think if they saw modern SBRs and rifle caliber pistols

Ian, is there a possibility to get ahold of and do a video on a M39 Mosin? I have tried doing some basic research and haven't gotten far...

We want the Mauser lineage. Please make it happen!

Full back story of Turkish Mausers? Oh yes please

Interesting this didn't get a stock disc, my Turkish Gewehr 88/05/35 has one, and it's not even a true Mauser like this.

Man this is the best thing to go with breakfast ever!

Little gun fact (I made a word play there): There are old Turkish songs about the great war which even talks about mauser (In the songs its often called "mavzer").

I would really like a Turkish Mauser series, and I'm sure a lot of other people would too.

Does there exist a switch blade style Bayonet? possibly one built into the rifle its self?

The bayonet may have been more effive than you imagine. Seen as something sharp a prisoner would be easily controlled by such a weapon. It might not do for heavy fighting, but for crown control or less lethal functions, it would do.

Can't seem to find it if you already have, but if you haven't. Would you consider doing a video on the Remington new model army conversion model, as in the from the factory .45lc new model army. Not the conversion cylinders. Great work nonetheless! 😁

Unique bayonet

Price increased by 1000% based on this video

That little bayonet guy is every bit of 8”. Ahemm, yeah.

I have a 1940 Pattern Turkish Mauser and I have been trying to find a bayonet for the whole time I have had it. Anyone know what bayonet it takes?

So because it's a 1903 conversion rifle, what bolt(s) would work for this rifle? A K98, turk 38, or only the 1903?

Ahh the cell phone analogy.

Can you make a video about new turkish rifles like MPT? i would like an objective analysis about those

I just got a Turkish Mauser last month. Unfortunately it has a huge crack in the stock and a weak firing pin spring. It’s a great project though.

I would imagine that they tried this bayonet design as a way of enabling cavalry to be able to fix bayonets without having something loose that they could drop, if it was any longer they'd probably risk accidentally stabbing themselves or the horse if they tried to manipulate it on horseback

What is the build quality and craftsman of the Turkish Mauser? I hear all kinds of things.

Fun trivia: the "Turkish serial numbers" are in fact the actual Arabic numerals as opposed to "the Arabic numerals", one could call them the "Arabic Arabic numerals" if he were to disregard the fact that these (the ones at 4:53) are the original Arabic numerals. The reason you call 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Arabic numerals is that it was the Arabs that invented the system (some attribute it to an indian astronomer) where digits are notated with unique characters and numbers are positionally notated unlike the Roman system. The "transliteration" of what you see at 4:53 is 4774. Transliteration is actually not the right word to use here since these are not letters but numbers so I should have gone with something like "transdigitation" LOL. Directionality is kind of messy here. The Arabic script is dextrosinistral (dexter=right, sinister=left) but numbers are sinistrodextral (fun, right?) so the directionality of our numbers has nothing to do with the directionality of our scripts. From now on when someone mentions "arabic numbers" you will always remember that they are not the actual arabic numbers but mere translations of sorts. Tell them about this, their minds will be blown too.

I have a 1948 dated Turk mauser. Does that mean it was converted to 8mm in 1948

got my Ottoman mauser in 8mm at a cabela's for $260, there was still cosmoline down the barrel!

AS FA Stands for Askeri (military) Fabrika (factory)

can the scoped bayonet be used as a digging tool?

Thanks Ian. I am looking forward for the Turkish/Ottoman Mauser story. It shall be a 19 century history of a nation and the Middle East.

Plot twist: Turkish numerals are Arabic, Arabic numbers are Western, Western numbers are Hindu-Arabic, all are read from left to right. The answer is always 42

so there are some in the US that don't come with that bayonet ?? because there is one for sale at PROXIBID under "TURKISH MAUSER M1903 RIFLE"

Reminds me of the M-44 mosin, not a ideal length for that cartridge.

Please do!! My first mil surp is a Turkish Mauser and id looooove to know more

Do you know when your book will be back in stock?

I have a good question for your Q&A: I'm not sure if you'll see it since I can't afford your patreon, but I was wondering what your least favorite videogame depiction of a gun is.

Over 7,000 views in less than 45 minutes. I thought it was just me.

The parable of the Turkish rifles.

Damn Ian, I love your videos but it seems like every old rifle you show triples in price immediately after your video posts. Well I guess if it wasn’t for you I probably wouldn’t get to see so many of these cool rifles.

Ian how to contakt u i have somepthing intresting for you

Five inches of steel stuck in your enemy is just as lethal as twelve.

Lived in Ankara for 2 years, 74,75.

Please tell me that the arsenal museum is not selling stuff.

As it pronounced in modern Turkish: MAVZER

Good morning people

I don’t know there is some Mauser variant made in Turkey

I recently bought a kar98 bayonet, what guns would that fit?

What are you thoughts on doing an episode on the "K-Sports Sks?" I have one in OD green and its a pretty good shooting rifle.

I enjoy the history, collectability not important...

Carrying that over your back must of been fun with that bayonet hanging out and sticking you somewhere in your body. What killed him ? Oh , his own bayonet.

after WW2 what did they replace their Mausers with?

Recently visited the Arms Museum in Oberndorf, here is a slideshow of the interior: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/l5lypZSd2JvVeXk.html

Yes, very interesting. Is the 7.65 the same cartridge as the Argentine? I can't remember off the top of my head. The variations of Mausers are almost endless, and it looks like the Turks accounted for more than their share. Great video as always. Thank you

I'm sorry, but did you say the numbers they have at RIA are "Forty Six & 2"?

320 views huh? this is the earliest I've ever viewed a Forgotten Weapons video... Broken analytics aside, this is a really fascinating pattern of Mauser

The next book - The Turkish Mauser

Some cracks in that stock. Better replace it with one of those polymer scout rifle stocks. Cerkote it in desert camo🤠

Ha. Don't tea cup that one, bayonet folded. I still want it.

We love you Ian aka gun Jesus stay awesome and stay healthy greetings from sLOVEnia east europe

Neat!

Uuuuggghhhh... Noice vid as usual

Loving yours videos but just for kicks, actually, the older numbers are not Turkish but "Eastern Arabic" numerals, the usual numerals are called "Western Arabic" :)