Yugo Mauser strength

[Lovesbeer99]

I'm looking to build a custom or semi-custom from a mauser M48 or 24/47. I'm pretty sure both are intermediate actions (the 48 is for sure). What I want to know is about the strength? Will both of these actions handle 30-06 rounds from a pressure standpoint? The reason I'm asking is that I've been reading the Speer #13 reloading manual and under the section for 8mm mauser it clearly states that the preasures are based on Euro standards and only K98 actions can handle the pressure. Is this generic for military K98 actions and not commercial actions? I've shot those super hot turk 8mm loads in my M48 with no issues, and I'm wondering if the 24/47 will handle the same pressure?

I know that the intermediate action won't work well with a 30-06, but I plan to build a .338 federal which has a comparable pressure.

Thanks in advance.

Lovesbeer99 ( but shoots safe)

 

[Jackal]

Simple answer: Yes, they are just as strong and a "long" action. Nuff said.

 

[JWarren]

Also, It is my understanding that Yugo's are Large Ring Mausers. I've read that this is a good thing in doing conversions-- but I am no expert.

John

 

[cracked butt]

The M48 actions are plenty strong enough but...
-They are not very well made to start with- garbage in, garbage out...
-Unlike standard mauser 98 actions, they( at least the M48 action) have an extractor groove that has to be cut in the breech of the barrel- more expense to rebarrel.
-I'm not sure if the magazines are long enough for 30-06.

A better actio touse would be a VZ-24 or K98. You can still find yugo rearsenalled k98 for under $150 if you look around.


Edit- I just checked, a 30-06 round could fit in a m48 magazine, but you would need to have the bullet seated very deep

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Cracked Butt - who told you that M48's are garbage? Have that person check again cuase the M48 was one of the best built.

Also, I'm not looking to rechamber for 30-06, I was just comparing the pressure of the 30-06 for comparison. Like I stated, In my speer reloading manual it clearly states that the pressures for the rounds (the recipies in the book) are based on Euro standards and only K98's should be used. I'm thinking that by K98 there are referring to all of the K98 military variants, and not the commericial K98's that were sold in the US for the 8mmjs rounds.

If all goes well I'll rechamber for the 338 federal, but if not I'll go with the .308

Shoot safe -

Lovesbeer99

 

[Kurac]

I would be willing to bet a M48 is better built than a late war production K98, German quality really suffered later in the war and all of the Yugo M48's were produced after the war.

 

[cracked butt]

Cracked Butt - who told you that M48's are garbage?

Garbage might be a strong wording, but poorly made isn't. They are ok until you put one side by side with a mauser made in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Belgium, or Sweden. The Yugoslavians did get better at making rifles eventually, but the M48s weren't their best work.Here's a few pictures indicating Yugoslavian quality...

Incorrectly fitted front band, shoulder on spring not in th right place...


Note peened back shoulders on firing pin. Either A: firing pin was machined incorrectly, B: the matching cam surfaces inside the bolt were incorrectly machined, C: parts were incorrectly heat treated and are much too soft (very likely) or D: all of the above.

The next is a doozey, I'm not even sure which dimension(s) in the bolt body, cocking piece, or bolt shroud are off, but something is definately off, I've tried exchanging parts with rifles where the safety works, but couldn't isolate the problem.



Top picture is from a m48, bottom from a Czech 98/22. Its kind of hard to see, but there is no gap for the safety to engage on the M48, while there is a sliver of a gap in frontof the cocking piece on the 98/22 to allow the safety to engage. IE, the safety does not workon this particular M48, and its far from the only example of this model of rifle with this problem.

 

[Slamfire]

I have a prewar Yugo M1924 Mauser. Original, all matching. The machine work, fit and finish are excellent, well above the WWII rebuilds and post war M48's.

The M48 has a short magazine box, will not accept 30-06 length cartridges. The action is undoubtably safe with standard pressure 8 mm ammunition. Therefore it should be able to withstand the bolt thrust of a 308, 7mm Mauser, etc.

I would not recommend converting one of these to a different caliber, the cost would he high and you would not be able to recover the cost in resale.

Having a number of M1903A3's, and being familiar with the rough surface finishes, appalling tooling marks, and dysfunctional rear sight elevation and windage settings, it would be easy to categorize these as junk if you judged them by the same criteria as some are using on the M48’s. As military actions, as long as they went bang, that's all they were supposed to do.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

The M48 has a short magazine box, will not accept 30-06 length cartridges.

I've found this to be untrue with my M48. I can fill the magazine with commercial Remington .30-06 and the stock M48 can do everything but chamber the rounds. Maybe I have an oddity? But I don't think so.