In 1880, Serbian Major Kosta "Koka" Milovanović (Коста "Кока" Миловановић) developed an updated version of the

Mauser Model 1871 The Mauser Model 1871, adopted as the 71 or 71, or "Infantry Rifle 71" ("I.G.Mod.71" was stamped on the rifles themselves), was the first rifle model in a distinguished line designed and manufactured by Paul Mauser and Wilhelm Mauser of the M ...

, still single-shot, but chambered in its unique 10.15×63mmR caliber. It had unique additions in that it had a bolt guide (much like the

M1870 Italian Vetterli The M1870 Vetterli was the Italian military's service rifle from 1870 to 1891. In 1887, it would be modified into the repeating M1870/87 Italian Vetterli-Vitali variant. The Vetterli rifle used the 10.4mm Vetterli centrefire cartridge, at first ...

) and the "progressive

rifling Rifling is the term for helical grooves machined into the internal surface of a firearms's barrel for imparting a spin to a projectile to improve its aerodynamic stability and accuracy. It is also the term (as a verb) for creating such groov ...

" that was developed by Koka. The

Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Principality was ruled by the Obrenović dynast ...

adopted the rifle in 1880. It was designated Serbian Model 1878/80, also known as Mauser-Koka, Mauser-Milovanović, and known in Serbian as Kokinka (Кокинка). The grooves reduced in diameter from breech to muzzle. The muzzle velocity of the Mauser-Milanović was . It saw first combat in the

Serbo-Bulgarian War The Serbo-Bulgarian War or the Serbian–Bulgarian War (, ''Srăbsko-bălgarska voyna'', , ''Srpsko-bugarski rat''), a war between the Kingdom of Serbia and the Principality of Bulgaria, erupted on and lasted until . Despite Bulgaria's statu ...

. Approximately 110,000 Mauser-Milovanović rifles entered the Serbian arsenal. It was further developed in 1907.

Mauser-Koka 1884

The Mauser Models 1884 "Artillery & Cavalry

Carbine A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges. The smaller size and ligh ...

" were produced in 1884 in 4,000 units each at the Oberndorf plant for the use of the Serbian cavalry and Artillery. They were based on the M71/84 and had a five-round tubular magazine. By 1914, only 126 Cavalry & 815 Artillery models were left in the military's possession. In 1937, all remaining Model 1884 carbines were converted to the 1870s vintage

11×59mmR Gras The 11×59mmR Gras, also known as the 11mm Vickers, is a rifle cartridge. France's first modern military cartridge, the 11×59mmR Gras was introduced in 1874 and continued in service in various roles and with various users until after World War ...

cartridge, which was in good supply in Yugoslav Army depots after the Balkan War.

Mauser-Koka-Đurić

Starting 1907, about half of the Mauser-Koka inventory was converted in

Kragujevac Kragujevac ( sr-Cyrl, Крагујевац, ) is the List of cities in Serbia, fourth largest city in Serbia and the administrative centre of the Šumadija District. It is the historical centre of the geographical region of Šumadija in central Se ...

to shoot the 7×57mm from a 5-shot magazine; the new barrels were purchased from

Steyr Steyr (; ) is a statutory city (Austria), statutory city, located in the Austrian federal state of Upper Austria. It is the administrative capital, though not part of Steyr-Land District. Steyr is Austria's 12th most populated town and the 3rd lar ...

. An additional locking lug was added by milling the receiver on a lathe around 1mm, then heating the locking lug collar red-hot and fitting to the cold receiver. Both the old and new guns (designated M80/07) saw action in the

Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...

and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. The converted M80/07 are often referred to as "Đurić Mausers" (Ђурић-Маузер). The ''M80/07 C'' rifles captured from the

Royal Yugoslav Army The Yugoslav Army ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Jugoslovenska vojska, JV, Југословенска војска, ЈВ), commonly the Royal Yugoslav Army, was the principal Army, ground force of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It existed from the establishment of ...

by the

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...

during the

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

were designated Gewehr 223 (j).

References

Sources

* *John Sheehan
1 of 110,000. The Serbian M78/80 is one of the Rarest of Mauser Rifles", ''Guns'' magazine, May 2012, pp. 36-39
* {{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017 Rifles of Serbia Royal Serbian Army Mauser rifles Zastava Arms 1880s establishments in Serbia World War I Serbian infantry weapons Single-shot bolt-action rifles

Mauser-Koka 1884

Mauser-Koka-Đurić

See also

References

Sources