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The beginnings of Zastava Arms reach back to 1853 when the company presented four cannons and two howitzers in their facilities in Kragujevac, Serbia. The factory was initially named Vojno-Tehnicki Zavod (Military Technical Institute) but was renamed at the end of the 19th century to Military Engineering Works. In 1904 the segment of the company dedicated to the automobile industry was opened which was renamed Zavodi Crvena Zastava ("Red Flag Factories") after World War II.
The arms production facilities were upgraded significantly in the 1860s and in 1880, the first repeating rifle inspired by the Mauser Model 1871 was presented by Kosta Milanovič. The rifle was also known under the name ‘Mauser Koka’. After a signed contract with FN Herstal in 1925, the company gained rights to produce the M24 series bolt-action rifles under their license. In 1928, Zastava started the production of rifles and ammunition in their new factory that was built only a few years prior. Due to enlarged facilities, they started manufacturing the Czechoslovakian 26 mm M 1929 signal pistols and light ZB vz. 26 machine guns under the Zbrojovka Brno license.
During World War II, Zastava facilities were severely damaged but were repaired in 1944 when the city of Kragujevac was liberated. Due to the ongoing war, the factory was repaired in the same year and the production of the 9mm M 1944 B2 submachine gun was launched.
After the War, Zastava M48 was introduced. The structural design of the M48 was based on the Belgian Mauser M24 series – a line of German Mauser Gewehr 98. The production of shotguns and small-bore rifles was launched in 1954 together with the M53 machine gun that evolved from the German MG 42. The derivatives of Soviet weapons can be traced back to Zastava as well. One such example is the PAP M59/66 semi-automatic rifle presented in 1961 which was manufactured as the licensed version of the Soviet SKS.
The M67 model which had been introduced in the following years set the foundations for the development of the Zastava M70 presented in 1970, which was later adopted by the Yugoslavian army. In the 1970s, a heavy machine gun was released which was design-wise much like the NSV machine gun. It was named Zastava M02 Coyote and it could fire over 700 rounds per minute. After a new plant had opened in the 80s, Zastava introduced several new models such as the M88 compact pistol, CZ99 pistol, M84, M86 and M92 machine guns etc.
Although the production was significantly slowed because of the UN sanctions during the Yugoslav wars, Zastava continued its production and signed an agreement with Remington Arms in 2005 which allowed for the export of hunting and sporting rifles to the United States. Consequently, the company was reconstructed in the following years. Despite the escalating debts, their facilities were modernized in 2017. In 2019, the company announced the opening of the Zastava Arms USA branch for import and distribution purposes, with the production of firearms significantly increasing in 2020.
Zastava M70 is a Yugoslavian bolt action rifle with a controlled feed and standard claw-type extractor, based on Mauser M24 design. It should be noted that the company also presented a pistol and an assault rifle under the same M70 name; however, in this review, the bolt action rifle will be presented.
The M70 bolt-action was also known under Whitworth or Mark X names. In addition, the M70 actions were used on Remington 798 rifles that were mostly sold on the USA market. Nowadays, Zastava manufactures the M70 sporting rifle model under the LK M70 designation.
The rifle comes with a three-locking lugs bolt and a reshaped bolt handle which is curved for easier use with the scope. The Mauser flag-type safety was revoked and replaced by a more conventional switch safety positioned on the right side of the bolt shroud. When the lever is pulled back, the safety is engaged, blocking the trigger, and locking the bolt. On the left side of the receiver, there is a bolt release lever. The internal magazine which is accessed by opening the steel floorplate can hold up to four rounds.
The receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounting. Since Zastava produced actions for Remington 798, the two rifles share the same mounting surface, meaning that the scope mounts between them are interchangeable. Three types of triggers are available - a single-stage trigger, a double-acting trigger, and a regular double-set trigger. Short barrel carbines are available in a full-stock configuration whereas the standard and long barrel rifles are only available in half-stock. The rifle is commonly equipped with open sights. There is a bead sight at the front of the barrel and the folding one at the rear which is adjustable for windage and elevation. Additionally, the Battue version is also available.
Figure 1: Zastava M70, chambered for .308 Win. (Source: https://www.varnost-shop.si/lovski-karabin-m70-standard643)
Zastava M70 is chambered for the following calibres:
.22-250 Rem.
.243 Win.
6mm Rem.
.25-06 Rem.
6.5x55 SE
6.5x57
.264 Win. Mag.
.270 Win.
7x57
7mm-08 Rem.
7mm Rem. Mag.
7x64
.308 Win.
.30-06 Spr.
.300 Win. Mag.
8x57 JS
9.3x62
.375 H&H
.458 Win. Mag.
The rifle is available in the following variants:
Zastava M70 Standard
Zastava M70 Left Hand
Zastava M70 Fullstock
Zastava M70 Battue
Zastava M70 American Style
Zastava M70 PS
Zastava M70 PSS
All Zastava M70 receivers come with four holes for mounting purposes, two on the front and two on the rear mounting surface.
Figure 2: The receiver of Zastava M70, chambered for 9.3x62 (Source: https://www.africahunting.com/threads/for-sale-zastava-9-3x62-new-in-box.52856/)
A: 21.9 mm
B: 97 mm
C: 12.7 mm
BHU: 4 mm
Ø: 6-48
R1: R14/30°
R2: R18
The necessary condition for rifles to have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable is that the mounting surfaces of these rifles match in every dimension. Rifles that have one-piece scope mounts interchangeable with Zastava M70 are the following:
H&R Mauser Model 340
Herters XK3
Herter's Zastava J9
Husqvarna 5000
Interarms Mark X
JC Higgins Model 50
JC Higgins Model 51
JC Higgins Model 51-L
Parker Hale 1200
Santa Barbara Mauser
Remington 798
Early models Ruger M77
For two-piece scope mounts to be interchangeable, the mounting surfaces of the rifles must match in every dimension except the action length which can vary. This is because the distance between the two pieces of the mount is not fixed. Rifles that have two-piece scope mounts interchangeable with Zastava M70 are the following:
Mauser 98 Action
Voere Kufstein 2165
Mauser M98 Standard
Mauser 2000
Mauser 3000
Mauser M12 (pre-2019)
Heym SR 20
This steel two-piece MAKfix scope mount is made in Germany and comes with a 30-year warranty. It is a suitable choice for your Zastava M70 rifle.
Order MAK Fix Mount for Zastava M70
Along with their practicality, detachable mounts also allow for dependable repeatability and recoil resistance. If you are in search of such a mounting solution, we recommend this Rusan pivot mount for Zastava M70. It is made of high-quality steel and comes with a 10-year warranty.
Check out Rusan Pivot mount for Zastava M70
Picatinny rails are one of the best mounting solutions when it comes to variability. They have equidistant slots all over the surface allowing the device to be mounted wherever the user finds it fitting. This steel Picatinny rail manufactured by the Croatian company Rusan is an ideal fit for your Zastava M70.
Click here for Rusan Picatinny rail
If you happen to own this or any other rifle, we would appreciate it if you could help us expand our database by sending us some photos of the rifle receiver (the bare mounting surface of the rifle without the scope mounts installed). For your help, our company offers a fair return in terms of practical rewards.
Please send us an email for more information. You can contact us here: [email protected]
