This is from a gun collection, part of an estate with which I am helping a friend.  Basically, I am trying to establish a fair market value for each item.  That whole story is in another thread, if you are interested:

www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=1&f=5&t=216974&w=myTopicPop

This rifle is decribed by the owner's family as:

Bolt Action, European Military Rifle, .30 Caliber, PRFDUZECE44, Model 98, Bayonnet included

I don't know enough about these rifles to even TRY to look it up in my Blue Book - I'm sure entire books have been written on these rifles.  I see these at gun show going for very low prices, but I don't know if this one should be lumped in with those or if this is somehow a collector piece.  Can any of you who know these rifles tell me what to look for as far as markings, their locations, etc. - or can you point me to a website with such information?  Heck, am I even correct in calling this a "Mauser rifle"???   Before y'all give me too much grief, I mostly own/shoot modern weapons - I'm not into the historical firearms.  (That's one of the reasons I agreed to help my friend with this - I figured I could learn some interesting stuff while researching.)  I would appreciate any advice on how to evaluate/price this firearm fairly.  I would prefer to avoid the hassle and expense of having these firearms professionally appraised, but I would like to be in the right ballpark when I establish the values.

As it now stands, I can't begin to guess at a value for this item...

It's a Yugo rework of a 98k mauser.
From the pics I would guess the value at around $150.00, depending on condition.
Jim

Quoted: It's a Yugo rework of a 98k mauser. From the pics I would guess the value at around $150.00, depending on condition. Jim

Yeah, about $150.

$150 is what the family had "guessed," so I'll probably stick with that estimate.  I'm keeping this one for myself - I've never had one of these rifles.  If it had been of any particular value I probably would have sold it - since it appears to be a "run-of-the-mill" example, into one of my safes it goes...

The Yugo reworked 98k mausers are 98ks that were taken after the war and arsenal reworked. The German and Nazi markings were scrubbed and the Yugo crest placed on it. The PREDUZECE44 stamp just means factory #44.
These are usually in pretty good condition and make excellant shooters.
Shortly after reworking these Yugo started making the M48s, and in the '50s started using the SKS, so none of the Mausers were used much.
HTH,
Jim

A pretty good number of Yugo Mausers were used in their civil war/ethnic cleansing affair in the 1990s.  I have a M48 that has seen some tough use.  The stock is carved on both sides.  The right side has the crescent and star of Islam.  The other side has the name victory and the names of three different Moslem villages.  True that many sat unused for more than half a century in the armories.  However, others spent some time in the fields.  Pictures from the conflict show many bolt action rifles.

Regards,
Mahatma