Zastava?

[ian-bradley]

So I’ve seen a ton of zastava commercial 98s for sale at most Cabela’s locations, most are 30-06 or 8x57. Does anyone have experience with the euro commercial zastava m98 rifles? Did anyone get one of these imports? How did it shoot?


Thanks

 

[sestoppelman]

There are threads here about these rifles. I bought three of them, all good shooters. Figure they may need wood repairs/bedding , rough bluing, some freckling, rust spots, stocks probably need refinishing, but bores seem to be good. Gunbroker has lots of them, that's where I got mine.
The 7x64 I got is verrrrry accurate.

 

[Badboymelvin]

l've owned 3.

I had 1 .375 H&H that I later had reamed to .375Wby and 2 .458's.
They are great rifles and both .458's fed perfectly straight from the factory - something I can't say about the 2 CZ550 .458's l owned...
All 3 of my Zastava's had fantastic, deep blueing and all 3 ended up being very reliable in every way.

The only thing I will say about the Zastava's is in the larger cals - especially the .458's, the stocks split. They're also a bit rough..
My first one split before I finished firing a box of factory ammo in it! So if you're thinking of buying one in a bigger caliber an aftermarket stock is on the cards...
But with the smaller cals you should be fine

Cheers,

Russ

 

[Timbo]

I believe there's a lot of confusion with Zastavas and the Interarms Mk.X - and have been told that they are really the same thing - with the actions being manufactured on FN machinery. Generally the quality is very good (my Mk.X even had it's barrel lapped in the factory), with some being real shockers.

For what it's worth, I've got one in .458 Win Mag. After saving up, I frisbee'd the Ramline synthetic stock it came with, and dropped it into a custom walnut stock by Ken Davis, and I've never looked back!! It being both superbly accurate, and a delight to shoot.

 

[JKS]

I bought a new-to-me Zastava imported/sold by Remington about a year ago. They called it the 798 SPS (synthetic stock). I won't lie: I only bought it so I could tell people I had a Mauser style action Remington. The bluing looks fine. The safety was a little stiff at first. The action felt a little gritty. I ran some fine sandpaper over the raceways. Haven't shot it yet. Waiting for nicer weather.

 

[sgt_zim]

I have a Zastava in 9.3x62. Shoots great, but as already mentioned, finish is rough. I'll probably replace the factory stock with a Boyd's at some point down the road.

 

[mark-hunter]

@JKS

Well, for Mauser style Remington, or mauser style zastava, you may add to your story below screenshot:

It is introduction from the book "Serbian and Yugoslav Mauser Rifles", by Branko Bogdanovic.
I researched this a bit, and on internet movie firearms database, they did not say the same....
But below is from verified author and source. Btw remington 798 came later in production... so its not the same rifle,

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Be aware numerous Zastava rifles being offered for sale at Cabela's currently are based on the M48 action, specifically designed for the 8X57mm JS cartridge. This action is also called the intermediate Yugoslavian action here in the US. If purchasing for a donor action, these are pretty much limited to X57mm cartridge maximum lengths (which still leaves X51mm-ish cartridge options available such as the .308 Winchester family). These have the stripper clip thumb cutout in the receiver, and may have non-adjustable triggers.

The Zastava M70 is the commercial Mauser action variant designed to accommodate longer cartridges such as the .30-06 Springfield family and 7X64mm Brenneke for example, as well as X57 and .308 Winchester family cartridges. The M70 actions are D&T at the factory for scope mounting and accommodate standard commercial Mauser action bases. The M70 actions generally come with adjustable singe trigger or dual trigger set trigger systems but always wise IME to inquire about what style single trigger is in any particular single trigger Zastava rifle.

Member @mark-hunter also advised me 8X57mm JS was the only corrosive ammo in the cartridges the M48 & M70 actions used in former Yugoslavia so rifles in calibers other than 8X57mm JS are unlikely to have been used with corrosive ammunition.

There are numerous other Zastava rifles for sale on sites such as Gunbroker.com. Some are preowned and some are factory new. Zastava Arms USA has begun offering factory new Zastava rifles for sale directly on Gunbroker.com now.

I have a factory new Zastava M70 in 9.3X62mm for sale in the AH classifieds if interested drop me a PM.

 

[mark-hunter]

Just minor correction to above:
for rifles, in region of former Yu, there was large qty of mil surp corrosive FMJ ammo in circulation after the war, which civilians used in their private legally owned hunting rifles: 8x57 (in m70) and 7.62x39 (in zastava m85, or PAP m59/66 - which is SKS clone)
So, this should be considered when buying 2nd hand Zastava, to check the condition of bore.

In case of purchasing new rifles, this, of course to be disregarded.

 

[Rob404]

I own Whitworth 375HH a Zastava m70 in 7-08, both are great shooters

 

[Quaticman]

Here is my Zastava M70 chambered in .458 Winchester Magnum. It's a fully functional big game rifle based on the Mauser 98 action. The M70 is an affordable option for those people looking to own a big bore rifle.

 

[Badboymelvin]

Here is my Zastava M70 chambered in .458 Winchester Magnum. It's a fully functional big game rifle based on the Mauser 98 action. The M70 is an affordable option for those people looking to own a big bore rifle. View attachment 337321 View attachment 337324 View attachment 337325

I own the exact same rifle and I agree with everything you say.
Great rifle.
I've fitted mine with a Hogue stock with the full aluminium-bedding block in it. Really soaks up recoil and is very comfortable.
I will say that I haven't been able to fault my Zastava in any way. Feeds perfect, ejects perfect, magazine works perfect... Just a great rifle

 

[mark-hunter]

Question to american DG rifle owners:
Why is there so many DG rifles, which generally are meant to be used at short ranges hunting DG, are so often without iron sights?

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Good question Marko. My guess is by the time many hunters can afford to participate in hunting dangerous game for sport, our eyesight no longer has the acuity of our youth. And confidence in our marksmanship with iron sights may be significantly reduced at that point (I am most certainly speaking from my personal experience, I hope others jump in with alternate reasons).

Thanks for the correction. My paradigm still has a blind spot for 7.62X39 as a hunting cartridge. I have a brand new never fired still in cosmoline Chinese (Norinco?) SKS my friends talked me into purchasing in the late 1980's or early 1990's (that dimmer pre-wife period of my life) as a good buy that I could always resell later.

Maybe next week I'll post a set of photos of my Zastava manufactured firearms. I have a Zastava M70 pistol chambered in 9mm Kurz (.380 ACP) currently awaiting pickup. It was the first of these I'd ever seen not chambered for 7.65mm Browning (.32 ACP).

 

[mark-hunter]

Yes, 7.62x39 may be used as hunting cartridge, but to my knowledge choice of factory ammo is very modest. There are soft points from PPU and Sellier Bellot. Not sure for other makers.
In my place, legally allowed for the game up to size of roe deer, not larger.

 

[Dwight Beagle]

Question to american DG rifle owners:
Why is there so many DG rifles, which generally are meant to be used at short ranges hunting DG, are so often without iron sights?

I’ve never in person seen a DG rifle without iron sights and off the top of my head don’t recall seeing a photo of one either. Do Blaser rifles chambered for DG cartridges have iron sights?

I could be wrong but seem to recall Finn Aagaard believing scopes are better than iron sights on DG rifles even when the action is up close and personal. I’ll be 61 in a couple of weeks and my eyes no longer get along with iron sights. I’d still have them on a DG rifle though

 

[sgt_zim]

I’ve never in person seen a DG rifle without iron sights and off the top of my head don’t recall seeing a photo of one either. Do Blaser rifles chambered for DG cartridges have iron sights?

I could be wrong but seem to recall Finn Aagaard believing scopes are better than iron sights on DG rifles even when the action is up close and personal. I’ll be 61 in a couple of weeks and my eyes no longer get along with iron sights. I’d still have them on a DG rifle though

There's a picture of one 3 or 4 posts above yours.

 

[mark-hunter]

When a rifle of (mostly) European factory has word "american" in model name or designation, often it indicates a model without iron sights.
Example is CZ rimfires , or Zastava m70 american etc etc..

 

[Mr. Zorg]

Yes, 7.62x39 may be used as hunting cartridge, but to my knowledge choice of factory ammo is very modest. There are soft points from PPU and Sellier Bellot. Not sure for other makers.
In my place, legally allowed for the game up to size of roe deer, not larger.

Federal Power-Shock ammunition offers 7.62X39mm PSP, and Federal Fusion offers 7.62X39mm bonded protected point boat tail factory ammunition here in the US. I've seen PPU 7.62X39mm PSP & RNSP ammunition available for sale in the US before the COVID-19 pandemic pandemonium. Also S&B PSP as you mentioned and now Herter's PSP (the hose brand for Bass Pro Shops). Plus a couple of boutique brands with various varmant bullets, PSP, and lead free monolithic copper HP bullets.

I honestly don't personally know anyone who hunts any game using 7.62X39mm ammunition but I've seen plenty of posts elsewhere by people who do, at least for feral hogs. I've always mentally categorized it as an antipersonnel cartridge and not also as a hunting cartridge but that's just my personal paradigm. Same as the Underwood M1 carbine I had even further back in my younger & lower discretionary income days. I never took that M1 carbine hunting. My 6.5X52mm Carcano carbine was my hunting rifle back then.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Barnes makes a TSX just for the little x39. Should be good for whitetail. My buddy has a little CZ carbine (527?) chambered for 7.62 x39. Its like a miniature 550 safari magnum.