Hope you all can help me out in a milsurp dilemma. I am looking to get a less expensive bolt gun and two have caught my eye, the Mauser 48a and the Enfield 4 MK2. Now I know both these rifles never saw WWII, but they both appeal to me. Now I know Mitchell’s Mausers sells “new” M48s, but I haven’t seen any of the “new” MK2around.Either rifle would be my first “milsurp” rifle, something to have fun cleaning up and just taking out blasting. Now I know the M48 is a different platform from the K98, but does it lend itself to being converted to other calibers like the K98? I have to admit I am favoring the MK2 which brings me to another question, where are the best online places to find a “new” MK2 as well as “new” M48? I have found old posts which told of various distributors but when I checked, those rifles were not listed. As far as base platforms go, are one of these rifles superior to the other? Thanks for any help you guys can pass my way.
Milsurp dilemma (British vs. Yugo)
- Thread starter jeffrice6
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Both the Lee-Enfield and Mauser are excellent designs. Between those particular two I'd personally go for the Enfield just because the stamped parts on the M48a aren't as nice. I think you should consider getting a cheap "shooter" grade rifle for your first milsurp, that way you can scratch it and make mistakes (you will, trust me!) and not feel bad about it.
jefnvk
Member
At under $100 each, get one of both.
Well, I have both and to tell you the truth, I can't decide if I like one better than the other. I can tell you that if you're going to be shooting a lot, the M48 is cheaper to feed with decent ammo right now with all the 8mm surplus on the market. In .303, unless there is a newly arrived stash of milsurp .303 on the market (not that cruddy POF stuff, gak!), you will be limited to commercially made US ammo or handloading. I agree with Kurush that the stamped parts on the M48a are pretty cheap, but they do work. My all milled 48 is a joy to shoot and handle, the stamped 48a had a horrible bore, so it is at the gunsmith to have a Parker Hale .308 barrel put on it. I did pickup a couple milled parts from Numrich to complete that project.
Anyway, try
http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Rifles.html
and
http://www.southernohiogun.com/index.html
I would agree withthe "get both" recommendation....
Anyway, try
http://www.aimsurplus.com/acatalog/Rifles.html
and
http://www.southernohiogun.com/index.html
I would agree withthe "get both" recommendation....
rbernie
Contributing Member
In the end, the Mauser is more useful as a project gun to rebarrel but (to me) the Enfield is easier and more fun to shoot. So I'd say that it depends on what you want - if you want the basis of a project gun, get the Mauser. If you want a rifle that you can pretty be happy much shooting as-is, get the Enfield.
I'd not use MilSurp ammo prices to make this decision. At some point in the very near future, the 8mm stuff is gonna be gone and you're going to be stuck shooting and feeding whichever of these two you chose with cheap commercial loads or handloads anyway.
I'd not use MilSurp ammo prices to make this decision. At some point in the very near future, the 8mm stuff is gonna be gone and you're going to be stuck shooting and feeding whichever of these two you chose with cheap commercial loads or handloads anyway.
bogie
Member
Don't go with Mitchell's... Get one from Cole's, and have 'em send it to your FFL...
Be prepared to de-cosmoline.
Be prepared to de-cosmoline.
cracked butt
Member
The Yugos tend to be accurate shooters, but I've always been underwhelmed by their quality, for a mauser 98 they are poorly fitted together if you compare them with stuff that came out of the BRNO or Oberndorf factories, but for the most part they are functionable.
Enfields are a real joy to shoot and own.
If I had to pick which rifle to get rid of between my No4 and my Yugo, the Yugo would have to go.
Enfields are a real joy to shoot and own.
If I had to pick which rifle to get rid of between my No4 and my Yugo, the Yugo would have to go.
mustanger98
Member
My advice... got to either SOG or AIM, either one, and get one each of the Czech VZ-24 or Yugo (48 or 24/47) and a No.4 Mk1.
I like my VZ-24. I had to refinish it- reblued the steel and degreased and refinished the wood. It's amazing what nice rifles are hiding under the gunk. And there's something about having a rifle you re-did and came to know inside and out.
AIM has No.4 Mk1 "shooter specials" for cheap and you can get one with a micrometer rear sight. They also have Ishapore No.1 Mk3 in the "shooter special".
I've said it elsewhere that I ordered a No.4 Mk1 from AIM and wound up with a No.4 Mk2. Some people tell me I got lucky that way.
I like my VZ-24. I had to refinish it- reblued the steel and degreased and refinished the wood. It's amazing what nice rifles are hiding under the gunk. And there's something about having a rifle you re-did and came to know inside and out.
AIM has No.4 Mk1 "shooter specials" for cheap and you can get one with a micrometer rear sight. They also have Ishapore No.1 Mk3 in the "shooter special".
I've said it elsewhere that I ordered a No.4 Mk1 from AIM and wound up with a No.4 Mk2. Some people tell me I got lucky that way.
kentucky_smith
Member
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- Oct 6, 2005
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- 1,686
If you want a real k98 and not a Yugo, check out Centerfiresystems.com
i picked one up with a fugly ATI stock and scope mount, but it's very functional. It's my backup deer gun and I can put it back to original fairly easy if I can find a stock for it. Mine was smooth with a great, like new, bore.
i picked one up with a fugly ATI stock and scope mount, but it's very functional. It's my backup deer gun and I can put it back to original fairly easy if I can find a stock for it. Mine was smooth with a great, like new, bore.
KrankyKraut
Member
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- Oct 30, 2005
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- 173
Here's another vote for the Czech VZ-24 or the Yugo M24/47 over the 48. The 24/47 is basically a VZ-24 rearsenaled by the Yugoslavians in 1947. Both are higher-quality guns than the 48 or 48A. The 8mm Mauser would be my preference, but that's purely personal. However, if you want an objective reason, the 8mm ammo is cheaper and easier to find than the .303
R.W.Dale
Member
I've gonna have to disagere on the statments that the M48 series of rifles are of poor quality. I have one of the later M48BO unmarked rifles That I bought in unfired condition, This thing is nice ,beautiful dark bluing nice wood excellent fit and finish and it shoots really good to.
krochus said:
Because yours has good fit and finish doesn't discount the rest of us whose M48's are sloppy.
You can disagree based on your limited example, but having dug through boxes and boxes of them, I can attest they were not finely mated and built like other Mauser Variants. If you doubt this, take a look at a Persian Mauser really close next to yours, look in particular at the interior of the receiver and the fit around the metal. Me thinks you'll see a difference.
pokey074
Member
I'd go with the Enfield first. Good quality Enfields are getting harder and harder to find. Mausers lately are a dime a dozen and good examples can be found in the Yugo M48's and Russian capture K98k's. The Mausers will be around for a while at very affordable prices while the Enfields are more scarce and expensive. "New" Mk 2's can be found every once in a while on the various C&R leaning boards like gunboards.com and Parallax's site. BDL, Ltd. has a good selection of nice Enfields.
I have both but prefer the Enfield. Just my opinion...
I have both but prefer the Enfield. Just my opinion...
+1 on the VZ-24. Every now and then you can find a great deal on them. A few years ago I picked up a couple that had apparently been sent to some Arab country. They were pretty rough, but a case of Strohs and a little work later they ended up being beautifl rifles.
jefnvk
Member
I can put an 870 next to a Ruger Red Label, and see a difference in quality too. But, that doesn't mean the Remington is any less capable.
Cosmoline
Member
Just don't buy from Mitchell's. They charge three times market value on M-48's. If you're looking to buy a project Mauser, don't go with the M-48. The action is intermediate and does not match up with most sporter stocks. I'd strongly advise if that's your long term plan to get a Argentine '09 unbarreled action directly and go from there.
I also prefer the VZ-24 Czechs to the Yugos. They are better made, no question about it. The problem is a lot of them saw action and are pretty beat up. The Persian Mausers are Czech long Mausers that have the advantage of never having seen a day of real duty, so they're almost mint. Those are absolutely the ones to get if you see one.
I also prefer the VZ-24 Czechs to the Yugos. They are better made, no question about it. The problem is a lot of them saw action and are pretty beat up. The Persian Mausers are Czech long Mausers that have the advantage of never having seen a day of real duty, so they're almost mint. Those are absolutely the ones to get if you see one.
deputy tom
Member
wrench said:Did you soak it in the strohs, or just scrub with strohs and steel wool?
A case of Stroh's will make anything look beautiful ! LOL.tom.
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