Anyone order a Yugo M48 Mauser recently?

[offthepaper]

I used to have a Yugo M48 Mauser that I really enjoyed shooting. I know it's not collectable like many of the other Mauser models, but it was a great shooter. Long story short, I no longer have it and have thinking about getting another one. At one time these things were as common as peanuts, but as milsurps go they seem to not be as readily available now.
My question is:
has anyone ordered one of these recently from an online source and what was the price/condition of the rifle you received?

 

[Smokey Joe]

Yugp M-48 availability

Offthepaper--Looks like the supply of M-48's is drying up, if not all dried up. A review of a recent Shotgun News (July 2, '07--only issue to hand @ the moment) revealed plenty of 24/47's, K-98's, SKS's, K-31's, various AK clones, 8mm Carcanos, and dewatted '03-A3's, but ZERO M-48's! All the above at still-reasonable prices, tho' nowhere near as low as in the past--natch!

So, if you want one, and one becomes available for, say, under $200, I'd snap it up were I you. If it's really pristine I might even go a bit over $200, for nice wood and all-matching, non-electro-pencilled, numbers. Yes, that's more than in the past. So, what ISN'T rising in price recently??

Agree w/yr opinion that the M-48 is a nice rifle, either to use "as issued," or to sporterize. I got mine perhaps a year and 1/2 ago--most I paid was about $150.

BTW, handloads beat commercial rounds of any sort, especially in 8x57mm, any day of the week.

Now, if anyone can prove me wrong on M-48 availabilty, well, this is one of those rare instances where I'd just love to be proven wrong.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I was going to suggest going to Classic Arms for a $119.95 M24/47 Mauser in VG condition. I just got one a few weeks ago along with two M44 Nagant's but just checking the site they're out of Mauser's now.

But it looks like J&G Sales has them for the same price. Link: http://www.jgsales.com/product_info.php/military-bolt-action-rifles/mausers/p/yugoslavian-24-47-mauser-rifle%2C-matching-bolt%2C-8mm-/cPath/209_219_217/products_id/1334

 

[DMK]

I wish I would have picked one up when they were all over the place, minty and cheap.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

I bought a Model 48BO back when I first got interested in milsurps and knew nothing about them. I was surprised to see it arrive in unissued, pristine condition. A real thing of beauty. I wish I'd bought a couple of Turkish Mauser's too. They aren't plentiful anymore either.

 

[.45&TKD]

I missed the M48 wave, too. Not sure why.

But I just picked up two 24/47's from J&G Sales that are in great condition. All matching #'s, pristine bores, nice wood for $120. Hurry, they were running low on those too.

 

[Smokey Joe]

Woulda-coulda-shoulda

I wish I would have picked one up when they were all over the place, minty and cheap.

Yup, well, how is one to know? I hear that Pepsi stock went up today, when everybody else's stock was going down. Not owning any Pepsi stock, what can I do but shrug?

You decide what you want, when you want it, and (if the spare $$$ is to hand,) buy accordingly. Plenty of time to regret it later.

When I was a teenager, and a brand-new NRA member, the then-DCM (now CMP) was selling USGI 1911's for $20. Springfields and '17 Enfields were at a similar price. Guess how many I bought. (The spare $$$ was NOT to hand! Back then, $20 was not considered pocket change, at least in my neighborhood! )

A member of my pistol league, a little older than me, tells of buying a pickup truckload of perfectly good M1 Carbines, for the scrap-metal price. Nobody wanted them as firearms; the Gummint couldn't get rid of the things. He and his bud gave away or sold most of 'em for a song. Covered their expenses, made a few bucks, and that was that.

Such is life.

 

[offthepaper]

Yeah, I wish now I would have held onto it (like a lot of other things). Like I said it was a really good shooter and ammo was dirt cheap at the time. If I'm unable to find one at a decent price, I might have to check out the 24/47's. They seem to be disappearing rather quickly now too. Anyone have any positive/negative thoughts on the 24/47? My M48 had a good trigger and would cycle buttery smooth. How would the 24/47 compare?

 

[rugbyer81]

I could be wrong as I have never owned one, but I thought that the 24/47's and the M48s were virtually identical firearms, with the exception of the bolt handle and maybe another minor difference here or there. If that's true then i'd say buy one, because I love my M48 and I probably shoot it more then any other milsurp I own.

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Rugbyer. You got me curious and I'm looking at my M48BO and M24/47 now and here's the differences I notice:

M48 has stainless bolt w/ curved handle; M24 is blue and straight.

M48 stock is blonder, has different sling attachments: (hole aft/side sling on rear bbl band); M24 has two pivot sling attachments: (screw-in aft/on rear bbl band).

M48 has stainless cupped buttplate; M24 has stainless flat buttplate.

M48 has single, long leaf spring for both bbl bands; M24 has two leaf springs.

M48 has blued cleaning rod; M24 has stainless.

M48 has thicker trigger guard; M24 trigger guard has dimple in front.

The bolts appear to interchange and dry-fire the same.

 

[.45&TKD]

M24 is blue and straight.

The two 24/47's that I bought at J & G Sales recently have stainless bolts. The 24/47 I bought at Big 5 several months ago has a blued bolt. All three bolts are matching. From what I understand, either is correct and common.

 

[JonB]

My 24 has a stainless bolt too. I picked it up from Classic - one of their VG rated rifles. Hand selected. I got all matching #'s and after removing the cosmo I have a great rifle. I am guessing it got a new barrel in '47 when it was rearsenaled becuase it looks new.

Only problem I have is it shoots way high and left. Front sight isn't adjustable so I am thinking of going with a Scout-type scope mount.

Sure does kick though ;-)

 

[.45&TKD]

Only problem I have is it shoots way high and left. Front sight isn't adjustable so I am thinking of going with a Scout-type scope mount.

That front sight is adjustable for windage, although it looks like it would be hard to move.

 

[DMK]

A lot of milsurps shoot high. Most seem to be sighted for a zero way out at Jupiter's third moon. I guess they figured they'd do some volley fire on a potential alien invasion.

There are a few tricks to increase the sight height. Poke around and read the articles on www.surplusrifle.com. Tennessee gun parts makes some taller front sights for some rifles too (not sure if he makes them for M48s though).

 

[cracked butt]

The bolts aren't stainless, they're what are called 'in the white' which is just highly polished steel.

I'd go for the 24/47 myself. I've checked out what Mitchells hs been offering lately and they're best stuff looks rough, often with force matched parts, and it goes downhill from there.

I missed out on the unissued M48s too. I kept gettingcatalogs from CDNN that listed unissued M48s for $169 and Yugo rearsenalled K98s for around $100. I wish I would have bought a bunch of them.

 

[cracked butt]

Only problem I have is it shoots way high and left. Front sight isn't adjustable so I am thinking of going with a Scout-type scope mount.

Every mauser 98 I've ever bought shot to the left- not exactly sure why, but its an observation I've made distinctive to mauser military rifles.

As for elevation, does you rear sight leaf start at 100 or 300 yards/meters?
If its 300 meters, it will shoot about 6-8 inches high. If its marked with 100 as being the lowest elevation, check to make sure the sight leaf is lying flat and that the handguard wood isn't getting in its way. Another option is to buy a sight leaf for a M48 and swap it out.