This is a Yugoslavian Mauser M24/47, used by a Bosnian Muslim in the Bosnian War.
After WWII, Yugoslavia refurbished the various Mausers it had on hand. These were over time stored in warehouses and occasionally taken out to shoot a few rounds. While the Bosnian War was underway, an arms embargo was levied against Yugoslavia. The need for weapons brought a number of older types out of storage, and conveniently the 8mm Mauser round was still in use by the Yugoslav army.
The Bosnians ended up being the worst equipped group, but the "tandzara" could still serve a number of uses: being modified and used as a sniper rifle, used for guard duty or self protection, and so on. Perhaps some even saw frontline use?
This rifle is in good condition, though only the barrel/receiver and mag floorplate match; the bolt is from a Yugoslavian M48 rifle. The barrel has good rifling.
Someone from Serbia had this to say:
I did a lot of fighting. I lasted 30 days before I got hit pretty hard and had to find my way out; an unpleasant experience that I still can't remember most of. I have nightmares, etc. I was left for dead in a house in central Bosnia, and when I came to, had to walk 15 kilometers out, without knowing whether I was going to live or die or what, carrying an old M48 with 5 rounds in it, with a paper icon of St. Mikhal taped to the stock.
After WWII, Yugoslavia refurbished the various Mausers it had on hand. These were over time stored in warehouses and occasionally taken out to shoot a few rounds. While the Bosnian War was underway, an arms embargo was levied against Yugoslavia. The need for weapons brought a number of older types out of storage, and conveniently the 8mm Mauser round was still in use by the Yugoslav army.
The Bosnians ended up being the worst equipped group, but the "tandzara" could still serve a number of uses: being modified and used as a sniper rifle, used for guard duty or self protection, and so on. Perhaps some even saw frontline use?
This rifle is in good condition, though only the barrel/receiver and mag floorplate match; the bolt is from a Yugoslavian M48 rifle. The barrel has good rifling.
Someone from Serbia had this to say:
I did a lot of fighting. I lasted 30 days before I got hit pretty hard and had to find my way out; an unpleasant experience that I still can't remember most of. I have nightmares, etc. I was left for dead in a house in central Bosnia, and when I came to, had to walk 15 kilometers out, without knowing whether I was going to live or die or what, carrying an old M48 with 5 rounds in it, with a paper icon of St. Mikhal taped to the stock.