M48 Yugo

[CarolinaCrazy]

I, have purchased a M48 mauser rifle from Mitchells Mausers that is in like new condition, 100% of the finish is on the action and barrel. The rifle looks like it was made just yesterday, but it was made some time between 1950 and 1965. I do know that it is the M48 not the M48A or M48B, Mitchells informed me that this rifle is the highest grade that the sell. I like to think that I have a like new action to build my custom rifle on. Now, it is chambered in 8X57 or 8MM Mauser, but I do not want to build a rifle in this caliber. I would like to build this rifle in a 30-06 length caliber, but I am not sure that it will work in the M48 action. Those of you who have built a rifle off a M48 action what calibers will work in this action? I would like to build it in 30-06 Springfield. I know that the M48 is neither a long action or short action but right in the middle.

The 8X57 has a maximum length of 3.250" and a case length of 2.240"
The 30-06 has a max. length of 3.340" and a case length of 2.494"

Please Help

 

[Jim K]

The .30-'06 is a squeeze in a standard length 98 action and would be even more so in that M48. The normal conversion requires cutting away part of the feed ramp and that rifle doesn't have a lot of room to cut.

I don't say it can't be done, but I was out of gunsmithing by the time the M48s came into the country, so I can't be sure. I suggest going to .308 Winchester, which is close to the .30-'06 in power and would fit the action with no problem and not require any changes to the feed rails.

If I wanted a rifle in the .30-'06 class, I would just leave it in 8mm. But if you want to go larger or smaller and use factory ammo, then the .308 family provides a lot of flexibility.

Jim

 

[Olympus]

I built a custom from an M48 action as well. I converted mine to .308 which in my opinion is the best conversion caliber for the M48.

The way your post reads, you bought the gun so that you could have an action to build a custom on. If that's true, then you likely wasted a bunch of money buying a Mitchell's top grade! If you just wanted the action, you could have picked up a Yugo that had the barrel shot out and the stock all beat up for $150 or so. I have a feeling you paid more than that if you bought from Mitchell's. Maybe I'm reading your post wrong. Are you planning on keeping the gun in it's original condition and just wanting to change calibers? Or are you wanting to use the action and make a completely new gun?

 

[Robert]

The M48 is "intermediate" length action so fitting the 30-06 in there would be a trick. A better action for 30-06 length would be the VZ24 or K98. Mitchell's usually refinishes all of their rifles which is why it looks brand new. The 8x57 is more than capable of running with the 30-06 if you load it right and your action is up to spec. If I were you I would look for a VZ24 or K98 action and either keep the M48 as is or sell it to fund the full length action.

 

[Olympus]

+1 on what Gus said.

And because it's an intermediate length action, finding a stock that has been inletted for that length is difficult in my experience. It can be done though, since I obviously found one. If you're looking for a full length action, I would recommend the VZ-24.

If you're wanting to use the action to build a completely new gun, you're starting off on the wrong foot with a Mitchell's. Unless you're a shadetree gunsmith and woodworker, the project isn't going to be cheap. If you want a gun that's built right and not a "bubba", you're going to be spending quite a bit of cash, unless you're a shadetree gunsmith and woodworker. Starting off by almost certainly overspending on the action is a definite step in the wrong direction. It's not really going to matter if the finish on the action and barrel is 100%. You'll probably be getting rid of the barrel anyway and if so, the new barrel you put on will have to be reblued. Which means the bluing on the action right now will be pointless. I dropped a ton of money in my little project and I did a lot of the woodworking myself.

My recommendation, keep the Mitchell the way it is and keep it for yourself or try to sell it. Don't waste money scrapping it just for the action. There are plenty of good actions to be had probably half what you paid for the Mitchell...if not cheaper. Unless you've got money just burning a hole in your pocket, there's no sense in wasting it. From what it sounds like to me, you've never done a complete build like this before. If that's the case, do a lot more research before you commit. Ask some questions for those of us who have done a project like that before. We'll likely share some tips and tricks that we learned the hard way.

You really need to think this through, because you'll easily have two times the money in a custom rifle than you'd have in a commercial rifle...possibly more than two times the cost. A lot of the reason people make custom rifles is so they can have it chambered in unique calibers. That doesn't seem to be the category that you fit it. It wasn't the one I fit in either. The other category are those of us who want a custom rifle to simply have one. Owning a gun that is completely designed by me, made to fit my body, and containing all the seperate parts and pieces that were choosen soley by me. It's the fact that knowing I have a gun that has no twin means a lot me. And the fact that I helped physically create the rifle to make it what it is, that's why I did it. You'll never be able to resell the gun for the amount of money that you'll put into creating it. So know that in advance. It's something that you'll build and probably keep the rest of your life.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

Boyd's has a great selection of sporter/custom stocks for the M48 action. The M48 is best suited(as already stated) to the .308 Winchester family of cartridges. The Colombian Mauser is excellent for 30.06 as it is already chambered for it. Turkish Mausers are also good for either conversion.

 

[Olympus]

How many custom rifles are you wanting to build? I've found some posts where you talk about using an 1985 Chilean Mauser, a Rem 700, a CZ 550, and now it's a Yugo M48.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

Stop and think a minute. If you bought from Mitchell's, you paid top dollar for this rifle. A lot of that money was spent in restoring this rifle to it's as-new state -- as a military rifle. You paid for a like-new stock, like-new furniture, and a like-new barrel. And you're now going to throw all that away.

If you want to sporterize a rifle, it would be economically wiser to find an old Mauser action, maybe with some rust and little or no finish, and use that as the basis for your new rifle and keep the M-48 as is.

 

[Smokey Joe]

M-48's...

Carolina Crazy--first of all, Mitchell's Mausers is the most expensive source for these guns that exists. If there is a possibility that you could return the rifle and get your $$$ back, check that out.

The Mitchell's Mausers look nice because, as was pointed out, they are refinished, thereby severely diminishing any collector value they might have.

The difference between the M-48 and the M-48a is that the latter has a stamped trigger guard/magazine floor, whereas the M-48's is milled. Don't know about the -b, but suspect the same is true.

As Olympus pointed out, there are cheaper sources for an M-48 action if what you want is a basis for a home-build. Basically, what you've done is buy a refurbished, fancied-up Cadillac just so you could pull the engine out of it to build your own hot rod.

Better you should start with a rusted, wrecked Cadillac, or even better yet, just the bare engine!

The M-48 is a fine rifle in its own right, and, having been built after WWII, it is in no way historic. Therefore it is a dandy action for a home-build IMHO. It is not the same length as the k98K, nor most Mausers, as has been pointed out. You will need a stock designed for the M-48. May I recommend Boyd's Gunstocks as a source, www.boydsgunstocks.com They are VERY helpful in getting you the exactly right stock for your rifle, and your purposes. And they do make several stocks specifically for the M-48.

If you want .30-'06 level performance, just leave the 8x57 JS chamber and bbl alone. Aside from being .32 caliber instead of .30, there is very little difference between the two. There. I just saved you the cost of a new bbl. You can handload the 8x57's up or down, same as an '06, and components are now readily available. (Well, except primers, but that is--we hope--a temporary situation!)

There were a lot of Mauser conversions in the 1950's, because vets had brought them back only to find that 8x57 ammo was not to be had. It became something of a cottage industry. Nowadays, why bother?

Anyhow, your first move ought to be to get your $$$ back for that Mitchell.

Beyond that, it's your call.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

You can also take a standard '98 Mauser and do what many a returning vet did with his Mauser when he couldn't find 8X57mm ammunition -- run a .30-06 reamer into the chamber and thereby create a really useful wildcat, the 8mm-06. You simply expand the neck of a .30-06 case to take the 8mm bullet, and load it to somewhat better performance than the original '06.

 

[Olympus]

Fellas, I think the OP just doesn't really know what to do. You can see his post count is low so he's a new member. If you search through is previous posts, you'll see that he's started several threads about building a custom rifle. He's talked about using a Chilean Mauser, a Rem 700 short action, a CZ 550, and now an M48. How many of these rifles he actually owns, I have no idea. But I think the major consensus is that if he bought a Mitchell's Mauser and wants to junk it for the action, that's about as foolish as it gets.

Maybe he's just trying to get a feel for the whole custom idea and is just seperately asking about all 4 different rifles in their own threads.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

In that case the best answer is this:

1. It costs $$$$ to produce a custom rifle. In this case, he has to buy a new stock and barrel, have the new barrel installed and headspaced, have the receiver drilled and tapped, have the bolt handle cut off and a new one welded on, and install a new safety to clear the scope ocular bell. Total cost of just the gunsmithing work would exceed the cost of a new Remington or Winchester.

2. Most custom rifles are worth less after they are customized than they would be if left in their original military guise.

 

[Olympus]

No to mention the rebluing that will have to be done. And if you're going to redo all the other stuff, you're going to need to replace the military trigger with something more modern. It will easily cost more than twice as much as it would to buy a commercially build rifle...probably more than twice as much.

+1

Basically, what you've done is buy a refurbished, fancied-up Cadillac just so you could pull the engine out of it to build your own hot rod.

Better you should start with a rusted, wrecked Cadillac, or even better yet, just the bare engine!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The bill will keep rising, with all sorts of things that you will need to produce a satisfactory rifle -- and when you're done, take it to a gun show and see if you can find someone who will even offer you as much as you paid Mitchell's -- let alone the cost of new parts and gunsmithing.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

CarolinaCrazy; I would not try to discourage you from building your own custom on a Mauser action. It is one of the most rewarding and satisfying gun hobbys around. I have built several over the years and would not trade them for even the newest production models by any manufacturer. I do agree with others though in that a less costly action could be used especially for your first conversion. Do your learning on an action that won't be a great loss in case something "goes wrong".

 

[Flash!]

there is no reason to convert a Mauser action into 30.06.... 8MM Mauser is quite the capable round all unto itself....

 

[jimmyraythomason]

There is a much larger selection of bullets in 30 caliber. From 110gr.( even lighter if you use sabots)to 220gr or even 250 if you cast your own. With 8mm you have 139,175 or 196 gr. Otherwise the 8mm will do most anything the 30.06 will do.

 

[CarolinaCrazy]

I, currently have a custom rifle being built by East Coast Precision Arms on a Remington 700 action in 243 AI. I, also have a chilean mauser in 7X57 that I have to restore because the stock is in very bad shape, and my gunsmith advised me to replace the barrel, but I am leaving it in 7X57. I was going to purchase a CZ 550 but decided against it due to a lack of replacement parts for the action. I did however take your advice and return the M48 to my gun shop and they did give me my money back, it helps that I am good friends with the gun dealer. I, did purchase a K98 made in 1939 the stock is in very bad shape and the barrel is shot-out, my gunsmith told me that it is a great action to build a custom on because the barrel and stock are crap. I only had to pay $185.00 for the K98.

 

[CarolinaCrazy]

I, do not take any of my guns to a gun show and try to sell them, they are for me alone. Any rifle that I, customize I will use in the field and when I die my sons will get them.

 

[Smokey Joe]

#1 smart move...

Carolina Crazy--

I did however take your advice and return the M48 to my gun shop and they did give me my money back, it helps that I am good friends with the gun dealer.

Good on you! He might not have done this for just anybody, but glad that you got that done!

I, did purchase a K98 made in 1939 the stock is in very bad shape and the barrel is shot-out, my gunsmith told me that it is a great action to build a custom on because the barrel and stock are crap. I only had to pay $185.00 for the K98.

Now THAT'S more like it!! Now you've got your wrecked Cadillac! And a '39 k98K will have been very well machined, thoroughly heat-treated, etc, etc. (Toward the end of the war they cut more and more corners in production.) And you've got, what, $200 more left over from the return of the Mitchell, with which to get started. There are a raft of retro parts for the k98K--Everybody and his brother makes something that fits onto it.

Please keep us posted on the progress of your rebuild project!

 

[Olympus]

Probably the next biggest decision will be the barrel. Krieger, Shilen, Douglas, Hart....all very good choices. Let us know who you go with.

 

[CarolinaCrazy]

I, think that I will go with Shilen. Should I use a Crome Moly or Stainless?

 

[Olympus]

Depends on how many thousands of rounds you'll be shooting. Are you going to organized competitions or just friendly range shooting with buddies?

 

[CarolinaCrazy]

I, realize that I am getting off topic a bit, but I am also doing a complete custom build with a Mauser 95 in 7X57. ER Shaw is doing the Custom work for me. Here is a list of what I am having done to the rifle.

Action: Mauser 95
Barrel: 26" 416 stainless Heavy Sporter with straight fluting, and target crown

Action work:
1. True receiver face
2. True bolt face
3. Lap locking lugs
4. Install new long throw custom bolt handle
6. Fit and test fire barrel to action

Finish work:
1. Bead-blast matte blue finish on the action
2. Bead-blast matte stainless finish on the barrel

Stock work:
1. Boyd's Ross thumbhole sporter Mauser M95 Pepper laminate

It is going to take six months for ER Shaw to finish my project, I hope to post some pictures of the finished product.

 

[NCsmitty]

I am also doing a complete custom build with a Mauser 95 in 7X57

I'm sure it will be a wonderful rifle for you.
You'll just have to maintain the lower pressure rounds that the '95 action is designed to use.

Using the better designed model 98 would have given you an option of pushing the 7x57 to it's higher pressure potential like the Ruger #1 does.


NCsmitty