MilsurpDan
Ultimate Member
Long read guys, but bear with me...
Bought this on Saturday from a walk in at Chantilly for $325. I'm not typically big on Turkish stuff, unless it has a connection to World War One (i.e. None of the 1930's converted stuff).
Original M1893 Mausers (or any pre/WW1 era Turkish rifles) are extremely rare to find in the wild, most were converted in the 1930's to 7.92mm which are commonly seen today.
This one was different though, it has all/most of the original markings, it's original straight M1893 stock with no added takedown washer, and it still has its original cut-off with the switch intact. The Ottoman "Tughra" is even still partly visible. And to top it all off, its Duffle-Cut under the rear band!
It has a notch in the receiver which means it was still converted to 7.92mm though, but I bought it thinking it was the closest I'd get to getting an original M1893 Turkish Mauser. I was a little stumped however, seeing that it's in "short rifle" configuration. The Turkish conversions are longer.
Come to find out last night after I posted pictures of it on Gunboards, it turns out that it is actually a particularly rare Post-WWI Yugoslavian conversion of Turkish Mausers acquired during the Pre-WWI Balkan wars, or Reparations acquired after WWI ended. Quite similar to the Yugo conversions of Steyr M95 rifles to 7.92x57mm (M95M), the Yugo's converted Turkish Mauser M1890 (M90T), M1893 (M93T) and M1903 (03T) to 7.92mm. I had known about the M90T and 03T rifles, but had no knowledge of the M93T.
Quite a storied history though, used by Ottoman Turkey, acquired, converted and used by Yugoslavia, possibly captured/used by the Germans, and duffle-cut and brought back by somebody.
Oh, and you'll have to excuse Roscoe. He always tries to mark the stuff that he likes
Bought this on Saturday from a walk in at Chantilly for $325. I'm not typically big on Turkish stuff, unless it has a connection to World War One (i.e. None of the 1930's converted stuff).
Original M1893 Mausers (or any pre/WW1 era Turkish rifles) are extremely rare to find in the wild, most were converted in the 1930's to 7.92mm which are commonly seen today.
This one was different though, it has all/most of the original markings, it's original straight M1893 stock with no added takedown washer, and it still has its original cut-off with the switch intact. The Ottoman "Tughra" is even still partly visible. And to top it all off, its Duffle-Cut under the rear band!
It has a notch in the receiver which means it was still converted to 7.92mm though, but I bought it thinking it was the closest I'd get to getting an original M1893 Turkish Mauser. I was a little stumped however, seeing that it's in "short rifle" configuration. The Turkish conversions are longer.
Come to find out last night after I posted pictures of it on Gunboards, it turns out that it is actually a particularly rare Post-WWI Yugoslavian conversion of Turkish Mausers acquired during the Pre-WWI Balkan wars, or Reparations acquired after WWI ended. Quite similar to the Yugo conversions of Steyr M95 rifles to 7.92x57mm (M95M), the Yugo's converted Turkish Mauser M1890 (M90T), M1893 (M93T) and M1903 (03T) to 7.92mm. I had known about the M90T and 03T rifles, but had no knowledge of the M93T.
Quite a storied history though, used by Ottoman Turkey, acquired, converted and used by Yugoslavia, possibly captured/used by the Germans, and duffle-cut and brought back by somebody.
Oh, and you'll have to excuse Roscoe. He always tries to mark the stuff that he likes
