Complete packages are the best part of buying a Mitchell's Mausers rifle. This M48A comes with its original box, accessories, and a certificate, and the serial number is 2978. It is a bolt-action rifle in 8mm Mauser with a 23-inch barrel and a five-round magazine, finished in black with a wood stock.

Overall length is 43 inches and weight is 8.6 pounds. Those figures place it in the normal range for a full-size military-pattern Mauser, and they tell you it is a steady rifle rather than a light carbine. Weight helps with recoil in a cartridge like the 8mm, and it makes the rifle comfortable at a bench.

Mitchell's is known for taking Yugoslav surplus rifles and presenting them in a cleaned, finished form. If you want a Mauser that looks tidy and comes with paperwork, this is how it is done. The papers also help if you ever sell it, because buyers like a documented rifle.

When it arrives, check that the numbers on the box and certificate match the rifle. Inspect the bore, the bolt, and the stock. It is sold as described, in used condition. The rifle ships to your FFL dealer, where the background check is completed.