I have one of these that has been converted to 7mm, the M80/07. It is very similar, and the tang at the rear of the receiver is a dead giveaway. It is a Serb M78/80, probably one made for the Mauser collection. Did this come from the sale from their collection?

 

most museum guns were "liberated" in 1945

 

Hello Olaf,
Good to hear from you again. Thank you for these great pictures! Congratulations of finding such an amazing rifle for your collection!

This looks like a trial or developmental rifle that must have been in the Mauser factory collection. I know that a number of these rare rifles have surfaced from French sources amd a well known German collector recently.

I have only seen only one rifle like this, and in picture form only. Do you have a copy of "Mauser-Gewehre und Mauser-Patente"? If so, look at the patent picture of the Serbian 78/80 opposite page 50 and the German Infantry rifle M.71 opposite page 48. I have been studying these pictures and your photos, and your rifle appears to be a combination of the features and configurations of M.71 and the Serbian 78/89 patent pictures. In addition to the features you mentioned, above, the fore stock, rear sights, and muzzle seem to be still in the M.71 configuration, but the caliber (10.15), receiver tang, cocking piece and triggerguard, and both swivels appear to be the Serbian 78/80 configuration except for the shape of the stock wrist and the position of the upper sling swivel.

Have you disassembled it yet? Is it dated anywhere below the stockline?
Best Regards,
John

 

Dear John

thanks for the hint. Will check the details in "Mauser Gewehre und Patente". So far I did not disassemble it, I am a bit afraid to ruin any screw etc.

Nateg513, can you post some pictures? Haven't had any of those converted rifles in my hand yet.

In fact this rifle seems to be from the old Mauser Factory Collection, the history is pretty well documented.

Best regards,
Olaf

 

mauser collector, mine is pictured in Ball's Military Mauser book. I will try to get some better pics. Yours is most definitely different, as John said it seems to be a mix of M71 and M78/80, but the rear tang is certainly Serbian like, perhaps a tool room or prototype piece? Mine does have the screw on the left rear side of the receiver bridge, but it has been modified for the 7mm and all characters are in Cyrillic. Whatever yours turns out to be, it is a fantastic and fascinating piece.

 

mauser collector, mine is pictured in Ball's Military Mauser book. I will try to get some better pics.

Would be great to get your pictures, esp. of the details of the conversion like the bolt head, the magazine ... . I have seen the mauser version of the conversion which was not accepted by the serbian authorities. Might have a chance to take some pictures in a few weeks.

Best regards,
Olaf

 

Thank you, Branko. Did not find this kind of info in any book I have. Even not in yours ;-)

Can you have a look at this threat end of September? I am going post the pictures of the 7mm 78/80 around that date, probably you have seen something similar before.

Best regards, Olaf

 

re



Olaf, also existed a representative rifle M1880 as a reward to the shooting competitions. However, King Milan Obrenovic received a hunting rifle M1880 in calibre 11 mm and his son, prince Alexander Obrenovic, received a M1880 children rifle in caliber 9 mm. In September I can look all.
Best,
Branko

 

Serbian M80/07 pics

Sorry for the poor photographs, my wife has the camera. I took these with the cell phone, will get better pictures when the camera returns. I did get a pic of the bolt head and the addition to the receiver. Hopefully you can see the crest on the receiver and the markings in cyrillic on the rail. Maybe Monday I can get better pictures.

 

Thanks for posting the pictures. The shape of the bolt head is pretty similar to the 7mm Mauser Oberndorf conversion I've seen.

Very nice rifle, never had a chance to buy that version. Congratulations.

Best regards,
Olaf

 

M1880/07

Very nice serbian 7 mm rifle Mauser-Milovanovic-Djuric M1880/1907!
The Serbs of the 1907. to 1911. in factory in Kragujevac adapted 43,000 rifles 10.15 mm Mauser-Milovanovic M1880 in 7 mm five-shot rifles (7 mm Mauser-Milovanovic-Djuric M1880/07). For adaptation is used barrels purchased in OEWG, Steyr. On the left side of receiver is left to Cirilic old inscriptions and on the receiver ring was added the Serbian Coat-of-Arms and name of factory in Kragujevac
Branko

 

Better Pics of M80/07

Here are some better pics, unfortunately it is raining and I cannot go out to photograph. I tried to get some good pics of the magazine and a picture of the rear sight that was replaced during conversion, it looks like a standard 93/95 Mauser sight.

 

Thanks again for posting the pictures. Very interesting details. In three weeks I'll have a chance to inspect the 7mm Oberndorf conversion, as far as I remember the back sight was very different from the original M78/80.

Best regards,
Olaf

 

M80/07

Olaf, this is serbian modification in Kragujevac Factory - single shoot bolt action 10,15 mm rifle Mauser Milovanovic M1880 adopted to five-shot 7 mm Mauser-Milovanovic-Djuric M1880/1907!

 

Dear all

here it is: The M78/80 in caliber 7x57. Looking at the professional craftsmanship and taking the source of this rifle into account, I ASSUME it could be one of the test rifles which have been produced to participate in the Serbian M78/80 7x57 conversion competition. According to Branko Bogdanovic, Mauser submitted three modified rifles for testing. This one has no box magazine, so probably Mauser just used it for testing the caliber conversion?

If anyone knows more or has seen something similar in any collection, pls. let me know. I would appreciate any additional information.

Best regards,
Olaf

 

M78/80 7x57 Conversion: More pictures

See comment below ... .

 

Olaf,
This is a very interesting piece! One difference that stands out between the two conversions is the lack of the additional locking lug and modified bolt on this one. The rear sights are different, the bolt heads are different, as well as the wood, especially the handguard or lack thereof. I do not see an extractor on the bolt head, although I see the cut-out for it in the receiver/chamber. I believe that you are correct in saying that this is a sample piece or "tool room" example. Thank you for sharing this wonderful piece.

 

Olaf and Nate,
Wonderful old rifles, and so rare and historic! Many thaks for posting these great pictures.

Branko,
Thanks for your information on the conversoions.

So what happened to the 43,000 rifles modified to 7 mm? Aside from Nate's rifle, I know of only one other which appeared in an auction in Germany eight or ten years ago.
Best Regards,
John

 

John, I know of one other here in the US. In addition, the German Kenblatter shows the Serb 78/80 in 10.15. I have no idea what happened to any of them, they were overrun twice in a 30 years, lots of attrition of men and weapons. The Austrians, Germans, Bulgarians, etc all spent time in Serbia, so who knows what happened.

 

John and Olaf,
After WWI Serbia is preserved only about 10,000 7 mm Mauser system rifles of all models (M1899, M1899/07, M1908, M1910 and M1880/1907). It is not known how exactly preserved model M80/07. In December 1937, by decision of the Minister of Army and Navy, all 7 mm M80/07 rifles were given in Sokols Association and another shooting associations for practice and training with live ammo. After the capitulation of Yugoslavia, the Germans seized rifles M80/07 marked as Gewehr 223 (j) - original 10,15 mm M1880 marked as Gewehr 352 (j). Today, in Serbian museums have saved a lot of M80/07 rifles.
Olaf,
It is a WONDERFUL prototype of a 10,15 mm Mauser M1880 adapted in December 1903. to caliber 7 mm!!!! Namely,''Mauser AG'' sent to Belgrade two single-shooting and one 5-round repeating Rifle. The Serbian inspector markings indicate that the weapon was tested in Belgrade.
Branko

 

can anyone help me figure this out

Never seen one like this??

I"m a little befuddled here guy's and wonder if any one could help me ?? I bought a vz24/47 8mm and it seem's all the markings are the original but not been able to find anything close it's got. ZBROJBKA BKM KNOX AS BRUNO VZ24 { ON IT ALSO HAS TGI SERIAL # E22849 i've researched all i can find and got no where , being all original and like new no EP ETCHING i think i feel i did all right at 180.00 plus tax. ect can anybody enlighten me on this one thank you the newbee on here Earthkeeper ?????

 

Dear Branko

Thanks for the additional info regarding the mauser conversion. Do you know the serial numbers of the two single shot mausers which were sent to Serbia? Do you think mine could be one of them? Did the Serbs sent back the test rifles to Oberndorf after the trial finished?

Dear Nateg, John,

I am looking for a serbian converted M80/07 for about 15 years. It's really hard to find them, but one day ... .

Best regards,
Olaf

 

re

Dear Olaf,
This is definitely one of the rifles, which was tested in Kragujevac! All three rifles are after the trial returned to Kragujevac. Unfortunately, the serial numbers are not saved - by a military commission is led by the name of the manufacturer and internal numbers 1, 2 and 3.
Branko.

 

Thanks a lot for your explanations, Branko. Had no idea that Mauser delivered single shot 7mm conversions to Serbia.

Now I only have to find the 5 round repeating rifle ;-)

Best regards,
Olaf